original_query: What is the significance of the Covenanters in Galloway?
query: What is the significance of the Covenanters in Galloway?
answer: The Covenanters in Galloway were Presbyterian religious dissenters who resisted the attempts of the Stuart kings to impose Anglican and Catholic practices on the Scottish Church during the 17th century.  They were hunted in the Galloway Hills for their beliefs, facing execution if caught. This period, known as the Killing Times (1684–85), resulted in many deaths. Their struggle for religious freedom is significant as a harbinger of later democratic principles, and their story is highlighted in several books and local lore.