3: Catholic Emancipation, O'Connell and Peel Flashcards
What were the defining contextual moments in Sir Robert Peel’s Life
1812 Appointed Chief Secretary for Ireland
1817 Spoke against Cath Emanc. in debate
1818 Resigned
1827 Peel and Wellington refused to serve in government under Canning
1828 Peel becomes Home Secretary
1841Becomes PM
Why were there tensions within the Tories in the 1830s
Ultra-Tories and liberal Tories disagreed over financial policy, trade and the legal system.
Why did Peel concede to some measure of Catholic Emancipation
He saw that it was necessary in quelling the growing Sectarianism in Ireland
In what ways can the Catholic Emancipation be considered as preserving “the Protestant interest in Ireland”?
Lack of secret ballot (voters had to obey landlords)
40 Shilling freehold (unattainable by most Catholics)
When was the Catholic Association formed?
1823 by O’Connell
Why did the Catholic Emancipation Movement fail up until 1823?
GB not at war with France, they no longer needed to concede for Catholic troops
The current Catholic campaign had run out of steam
What tactics did the Catholic Association utilise?
Aimed to politicise the Catholic masses and the working class (would benefit the many, not just the Catholic elite)
Catholic (“penny”) rent used to gather funds
Appealed to a variety of Catholic grievances to garner wider support
What role did the Catholic Church have in Catholic Emancipation?
Originally not much but newer Maynooth priests were unwilling to ignore Protestant aggression. They were provoked.
Why was the Waterford election of 1826 significant?
The Catholic Association threw their weight behind the election of the pro-Eman. candidate.
The support was incredibly organised and almost militant. It conveyed to the government the threat posed by O’Connell and the Catholic Association
What did O’Connell do in the Clare election of 1829
O’Connell challenged ANOTHER pro emancipation candidate.
With his popular support he could pressure the government to allow Catholics into the HoC and HoL.
O’Connell used “brinkmanship” tactics to spur gov action. This included allusions to foreign support.
Why was the Clare election significant?
Showed that O’Connell could “plunge Ireland into chaos”
Prompted Protestants to create anti-Catholic Brunswick clubs to resist concessions.
Peel and Wellington were forced to concede in order to avoid civil war (due to tensions rising and also Tory weakness)
Repeal of the Tests and Corporations Act
1828
Enabled non-conformists and dissenters to become MPs
Non-conformists and Catholics were excluded on the same basis, emancipation should follow
What were the effects of Catholic emancipation?
*Catholics given almost full civil and political rights
In the long term it eroded the Protestant ascendancy (building blocks)
*For the first time Catholics had WON against the Brit gov
Irish electorate was cut by 40 shilling freehold becoming £10 household suffrage
What impact did emancipation have on Westminster?
Tory party broke up, new Conservative Party
Whigs won 1830 election (led to social and political reforms
Irish party led by O’Connell emerged
Showed that “brinkmanship” could force change
What arguments were there against the repeal of the Union
O’Connell was a newcomer, MPs wouldn’t respect his stance
As a newcomer he couldn’t be too radical or ambitious
