The Act of Settlement was a law passed by the Parliament of England in 1701. It aimed to ensure a Protestant succession to the throne, following the death of King James II, a Catholic. The Act established that only Protestant descendants of Princess Sophia of Hanover could inherit the crown, thereby excluding Catholics from the line of succession. This legislation was significant in shaping the future of the British monarchy and maintaining a Protestant government. It also laid the groundwork for the eventual unification of the crowns of England and Scotland, leading to the formation of Great Britain in 1707.