A number of websites include articles on the history of Scottish Country Dancing.

The  website of Seattle Branch of the RSCDS has a nice summary of what is called the Darling Diversion (the sub-title of a book dating from 1980 by Evelyn M Hood.

Another brief history of SCD is given by Scott McHaffie. The same website contains an even more interesting article by Scott on the early history of SCD.

There is a rather comprehensive bibliography, including many books covering the history and traditions of SCDs, on the Strathspey Server's website.

For a brief, amusing and informative history of SCD, have a look at this page on the RSCDS Sacramento branch's website.

The Standing stones website has an anonymous and extensive article which focuses on the influence of French music and dancing and the importance of local music to the the development of SCDs in Scotland in the 17th and 18th centuries.

A history (in French) of the Auld alliance between Scotland and France is given on the website of the Franco-Scottish Association.

There is a rather scholarly history of Playford's The Dancing Master series of publications by Robert M. Keller.  The three volumes in this series of books (eventually stretching to more than 20 editions) sold like hotcakes in England between 1651 and 1728 and contained the instructions and music for more than a thousand country dances.

There is a very interesting article by Geoffrey Selling about the different traditions of Scottish Dancing, especially comparing the RSCDS approach with that of the "Reelers".