Conversation so far:
Who became united?
The complex history of the formation of the United Kingdom created a particular sense of nationhood and belonging in Great Britain and Ireland
What led to the union of the people in Great Britain and Ireland?
Union between Great Britain and Ireland was motivated at in part by the belief that the rebellion was caused as much by reactionary loyalist brutality as by the United Irishmen.
Are there any other interesting aspects about the union of Great Britain and Ireland besides the rebellion which caused it?
The Age of Discovery gave new-found imperial power and wealth to the English and Welsh at the end of the 17th century, Scotland suffered from a long-standing weak economy.
What was the Age of Discovery for the British people?
The Age of Discovery, is an informal and loosely defined term for the period in European history in which extensive overseas exploration emerged as a powerful factor in European culture
Was the Age of Discovery a positive thing for Scotland?
The Scottish kingdom, in opposition to William II of Scotland, commenced the Darien Scheme, an attempt to establish a Scottish imperial outlet—the colony of New Caledonia—on the isthmus of Panama.

Question: Why was it a catastrophic failure?
Self-contained rewrite: Why was Scotland's Age of Discovery a catastrophic failure?