Os dez artigos da Lei Escoteira

1. A Honra, para Escoteiros, é ser digno de confiança.

"A Honra para um Escoteiro é ser digno de toda confiança. Como um Escoteiro, nenhuma tentação, por maior que seja, e embora seja secreta, irá persuadi-lo a praticar uma ação desonesta ou escusa, mesmo muito pequena. Você não voltará atrás a uma promessa, uma vez feita. A palavra de um Escoteiro equivale a um contrato. Para um Escoteiro, a verdade, e nada mais que a verdade." Baden-Powell

2. O Escoteiro é leal ao Rei, à sua pátria, aos seus escotistas, aos seus pais, aos seus empregadores, e aos seus subordinados.

"O Escoteiro é leal à Pátria, à Igreja, às autoridades do governo, aos seus pais, seus chefes, seus patrões e aos que trabalham como seus subordinados. Como um bom cidadão, você é de uma equipe, 'jogando o jogo' honestamente, para o bem do conjunto. Você merece a confiança do governo de sua pátria, do Movimento Escoteiro, dos seus amigos e companheiros de Patrulha, de seus patrões ou de seus empregados, que esperam que você seja correto, fazendo o melhor possível, em benefício deles, ainda quando eles não correspondem sempre bem ao que você espera deles. Além disso, você é leal também a si mesmo; você não quer diminuir seu respeito a si mesmo jogando mal de propósito; nem vai querer decepcionar ou ficar em falta com outro homem, nem, tampouco, com outra mulher." Baden-Powell

3. O Dever para o Escoteiro é ser útil e ajudar o próximo.

"O dever do Escoteiro é ser útil e ajudar a todos. Como Escoteiro, seu mais alto objetivo é servir. Você deve merecer a confiança de que, em qualquer ocasião, estará pronto a sacrificar tempo, trabalho, ou, se necessário, a própria vida pelos demais. O sacrifício é o sal do serviço." Baden-Powell

4. O Escoteiro é amigo de todos e irmão dos demais escoteiros, não importando a que país, classe ou credo o outro possa pertencer.

"É amigo ou irmão, não importando a que país, classe ou credo o outro possa pertencer. Como Escoteiro, você reconhece as demais pessoas como sendo, com você, filhos do mesmo Pai, e não faz caso de suas diferenças de opinião, casta, credo ou país, quaisquer que elas sejam. Você domina os próprios preconceitos e procura encontrar as boas qualidades que tenham; o defeito deles qualquer um pode criticar. Se você põe em prática esse amor pelas pessoas de outros países e ajuda a fazer surgir a paz e a boa vontade internacionais, isto será o Reino de Deus na terra. O mundo inteiro é uma fraternidade." Baden-Powell

5. O Escoteiro é cortês.

"Como os antigos cavaleiros, você, sendo um Escoteiro, é, sem dúvida, polido e atencioso com as mulheres, velhos e crianças. Mas, além disso, você é polido mesmo com aqueles que estão contra você. Aqueles que têm razão, não precisam perder a calma; aqueles que não têm razão, não podem se dar ao luxo de perdê-la." Baden-Powell

Gravura de Norman Rockwell publicada originalmente em 1918.

6. O Escoteiro é amigo dos animais.

"Você reconhecerá como companheiras as outras criaturas de Deus, postas, como você, neste mundo, durante certo tempo, para gozar suas existências. Maltratar um animal é, portanto, um desserviço ao Criador. Um Escoteiro deve ter um grande coração." Baden-Powell

7. O Escoteiro obedece às ordens dos seus pais, do seu monitor ou do seu chefe escoteiro.

"O Escoteiro obedece, de boa vontade, sem vacilar, às ordens de seus pais, Monitores e Chefes. Como Escoteiro, você se disciplina e põe-se, profunda e voluntariamente, às ordens das autoridades constituídas, para o bem geral. A comunidade mais feliz é a comunidade mais disciplinada; a disciplina, porém, deve vir do íntimo, e nunca ser imposta de fora. Por isso, tem um grande valor o exemplo que você der aos demais nesse sentido." Baden-Powell

8. O Escoteiro sorri e assobia sobre todas dificuldades.

"Como Escoteiro você será visto como o homem que não perde a cabeça e que agüenta qualquer crise com ânimo alegre, coragem e otimismo." Baden-Powell

9. O Escoteiro é econômico.

"Como Escoteiro, você olhará para o futuro e não irá dissipar tempo e dinheiro com prazeres do momento, mas, ao contrário, fará uso das oportunidades do momento tendo em vista o futuro sucesso. Você fará isso com a idéia de não ser um ônus, mas uma ajuda para os demais." Baden-Powell

10. O Escoteiro é limpo no pensamento, na palavra e na ação.

"O Escoteiro é limpo em pensamento, palavra e ação. Como Escoteiro, espera-se que você tenha não só uma mente limpa, como também uma vontade limpa; seja capaz de controlar quaisquer tendências intemperadas do sexo; dê um exemplo aos demais sendo puro, franco, honesto em tudo que pensa, diz ou faz." Baden-Powell

Age groups and sections

Scouting and Guiding movements are generally divided into sections by age or school grade, allowing activities to be tailored to the maturity of the group's members. These age divisions have varied over time as they adapt to the local culture and environment.

Scouting was originally developed for adolescents—youths between the ages of 11 and 17. In most member organizations, this age group composes the Scout or Guide section. Programs were developed to meet the needs of young children (generally ages 6 to 10) and young adults (originally 18 and older, and later up to 25). Scouts and Guides were later split into "junior" and "senior" sections in many member organizations, and some organizations dropped the young adults' section. The exact age ranges for programs vary by country and association:

The national programs for younger children include Tiger Cubs, Cub Scouts, Brownies, Daisies, Rainbow Guides, Beaver Scouts, Joey Scouts, Keas, and Teddies. Programs for post-adolescents and young adults include the Senior Section,[55] Rover Scouts, Senior Scouts, Venture Scouts, Explorer Scouts, and the Scout Network. Many organizations also have a program for members with special needs. This is usually known as Extension Scouting, but sometimes has other names, such as Scoutlink. The Scout Method has been adapted to specific programs such as Air Scouts, Sea Scouts, Rider Guides and Scoutingbands .

In many countries, Scouting is organized into neighborhood Scout Groups, or Districts, which contain one or more sections. Under the umbrella of the Scout Group, sections are divided according to age, each having their own terminology and leadership structure.

Age range	Scouting section	Guiding section
7 to 10	Cub Scout	Brownie Guide
11 to 17	Boy Scout	Girl Guide or Girl Scout
18 and up	Rover Scout	Ranger Guide

Uniforms and distinctive insignia

The Scout uniform is a widely recognized characteristic of Scouting. In the words of Baden-Powell at the 1937 World Jamboree, it "hides all differences of social standing in a country and makes for equality; but, more important still, it covers differences of country and race and creed, and makes all feel that they are members with one another of the one great brotherhood". The original uniform, still widely recognized, consisted of a khaki button-up shirt, shorts, and a broad-brimmed campaign hat. Baden-Powell also wore shorts, because he believed that being dressed like a Scout helped to reduce the age-imposed distance between adult and youth. Uniform shirts are now frequently blue, orange, red or green and shorts are frequently replaced by long trousers all year or only in winter.

While designed for smartness and equality, the Scout uniform is also practical. Shirts traditionally have thick seams to make them ideal for use in makeshift stretchers—Scouts were trained to use them in this way with their staves, a traditional but deprecated item. The leather straps and toggles of the campaign hats or Leaders' Wood Badges could be used as emergency tourniquets, or anywhere that string was needed in a hurry. Neckerchiefs were chosen as they could easily be used as a sling or triangular bandage by a Scout in need. Scouts were encouraged to use their garters for shock cord where necessary.

Distinctive insignia for all are Scout uniforms, recognized and worn the world over, include the Wood Badge and the World Membership Badge. Scouting has two internationally known symbols: the trefoil is used by members of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) and the fleur-de-lis by member organizations of the WOSM and most other Scouting organizations.

The swastika was used as an early symbol by the British Boy Scouts and others. Its earliest use in Scouting was on the Thanks Badge introduced in 1911. Lord Baden-Powell's 1922 design for the Medal of Merit added a swastika to the Scout fleur-de-lis to symbolize good luck for the recipient. Like Rudyard Kipling, he would have come across this symbol in India. In 1934, Scouters requested a change to the design because of the later use of the swastika by the National Socialist German Workers Party. A new British Medal of Merit was issued in 1935.

Activities

Common ways to implement the Scout method include having Scouts spending time together in small groups with shared experiences, rituals, and activities, and emphasizing good citizenship and decision-making by young people in an age-appropriate manner. Weekly meetings often take place in local centres known as Scout dens. Cultivating a love and appreciation of the outdoors and outdoor activities is a key element. Primary activities include camping, woodcraft, aquatics, hiking, backpacking, and sports.

Camping is most often arranged at the unit level, such as one Scout troop, but there are periodic camps (known in Australia as "jamborettes" and in the US as "camporees") and "jamborees". Camps occur a few times a year and may involve several groups from a local area or region camping together for a weekend. The events usually have a theme, such as pioneering. World Scout Moots are gatherings, originally for Rover Scouts, but mainly focused on Scout Leaders. Jamborees are large national or international events held every four years, during which thousands of Scouts camp together for one or two weeks. Activities at these events will include games, scoutcraft competitions, badge, pin or patch trading, aquatics, woodcarving, archery and activities related to the theme of the event.

In some countries a highlight of the year for Scouts is spending at least a week in the summer engaging in an outdoor activity. This can be a camping, hiking, sailing, or other trip with the unit, or a summer camp with broader participation (at the council, state, or provincial level). Scouts attending a summer camp work on merit badges, advancement, and perfecting scoutcraft skills. Summer camps can operate specialty programs for older Scouts, such as sailing, backpacking, canoeing and whitewater, caving, and fishing.

At an international level Scouting perceives one of its roles as the promotion of international harmony and peace. Various initiatives are in train towards achieving this aim including the development of activities that benefit the wider community, challenge prejudice and encourage tolerance of diversity. Such programs include co-operation with non-scouting organisations including various NGOs, the United Nations and religious institutions as set out in The Marrakech Charter.

Origins

As a military officer, Baden-Powell was stationed in British India and Africa in the 1880s and 1890s. Since his youth, he had been fond of woodcraft and military scouting, and—as part of their training—showed his men how to survive in the wilderness. He noticed that it helped the soldiers to develop independence rather than just blindly follow officers' orders.

In South Africa during the Second Boer War, Baden-Powell was besieged in the small town of Mafeking by a much larger Boer army (the Siege of Mafeking). The Mafeking Cadet Corps was a group of youths that supported the troops by carrying messages, which freed the men for military duties and kept the boys occupied during the long siege. The Cadet Corps performed well, helping in the defense of the town (1899–1900), and were one of the many factors that inspired Baden-Powell to form the Scouting movement. Each member received a badge that illustrated a combined compass point and spearhead. The badge's logo was similar to the fleur-de-lis that Scouting later adopted as its international symbol.

In the United Kingdom, the public followed Baden-Powell's struggle to hold Mafeking through newspapers, and when the siege was broken, he had become a national hero. This rise to fame fueled the sales of a small instruction book he had written about military scouting, Aids to Scouting.

On his return to England, he noticed that boys showed considerable interest in the book, which was used by teachers and youth organizations. He was suggested by several to rewrite this book for boys, especially during an inspection of the Boys' Brigade, a large youth movement drilled with military precision. Baden-Powell thought this would not be attractive and suggested that it could grow much larger when scouting would be used. He studied other schemes, parts of which he used for Scouting.

In July 1906, Ernest Thompson Seton sent Baden-Powell a copy of his book The Birchbark Roll of the Woodcraft Indians. Seton, a British-born Canadian living in the United States, met Baden-Powell in October 1906, and they shared ideas about youth training programs. In 1907 Baden-Powell wrote a draft called Boy Patrols. In the same year, to test his ideas, he gathered 21 boys of mixed social backgrounds (from boy's schools in the London area and a section of boys from the Poole, Parkstone, Hamworthy, Bournemouth, and Winton Boys' Brigade units) and held a week-long camp in August on Brownsea Island in Poole Harbour, Dorset, England. His organizational method, now known as the Patrol System and a key part of Scouting training, allowed the boys to organize themselves into small groups with an elected patrol leader.

In the autumn of 1907, Baden-Powell went on an extensive speaking tour arranged by his publisher, Arthur Pearson, to promote his forthcoming book, Scouting for Boys. He had not simply rewritten his Aids to Scouting, but left out the military aspects and transferred the techniques (mainly survival) to non-military heroes: backwoodsmen, explorers (and later on, sailors and airmen). He also added innovative educational principles (the Scout method) by which he extended the attractive game to a personal mental education.

Scouting for Boys first appeared in England in January 1908 as six fortnightly installments, and was published in England later in 1908 in book form. The book is now the fourth-bestselling title of all time,[ and is now commonly considered the first version of the Boy Scout Handbook

At the time, Baden-Powell intended that the scheme would be used by established organizations, in particular the Boys' Brigade, from the founder William A. Smith.However, because of the popularity of his person and the adventurous outdoor game he wrote about, boys spontaneously formed Scout patrols and flooded Baden-Powell with requests for assistance. He encouraged them, and the Scouting movement developed momentum. As the movement grew, Sea Scout, Air Scout, and other specialized units were added to the program.