3C. Free Trade Flashcards
How were Irish economic interests seen in comparison to English economic interests by the early 18th Century?
Various Acts such as the Navigation Act 1651 and Wool Act of 1699 deliberately subordinated Irish financial interests for the benefit of England
Why were reforms granted in 1778?
An Irish militia sought to force economic reform from Britain.
This resulted in concessions, which addressed the economic situation in the immediate term, but gave the Irish a clear process by which to seek further reform in the long term.
Which two events demonstrated the economic frailty of Ireland by 1770s?
1775 American War of Independence
1778 Anglo-French War
Why did the 1775 American War of Independence and 1778 Anglo-French War demonstrate the economic frailty of Ireland?
- Conflict disrupted trade routes
- Irish economy traditionally relied on export of textiles and beef to the USA and Britain to support itself
- Outbreak of war saw embargoes placed upon Irish goods being imported to America and France
How significantly was the Irish economy damaged by the American War of Independence and Anglo-French War?
- 1764 = 1/3 of Irish beef exports went to France
- 1780 = 0 beef exports to France
Market for Irish beef declined by 40% between 1772-1780 and did not pick up until much later.
How did a wider boycott of British goods start in 1779?
- Boycott created as a public agreement between citizens but policed by Irish Volunteers, who would publish transgressors’ names in local newspapers.
- Irish Volunteers also contributed using intimidation
How did the Irish Volunteers use intimidation as part of the boycott of British goods in 1779?
On the 4th November, after the king made a non-committal reply to the Irish Parliament’s resolution, the Irish Volunteers paraded in full military regalia outside the parliament house with signs declaring a short money bill.
More threateningly, they also pulled cannons adorned with the slogans ‘free trade or this’
This led the Irish parliament to pass the short money bill of 1779
What was the effect of the 1779 Short Money Bill?
The Short Money Bill was an attempt to push the issue of lifting trade restrictions
- The bill only granted the Irish Parliament 6 months of funding, and thus had to borrow £30,000 from La Touche (bank)
- From April, the cost of maintaining Irish regiments serving abroad had to be met by the Bank of England
What happened in December 1779?
Commercial restrictions such as the Wool Act 1699 were repealed
How did the position of Irish traders improve during 1780?
From January 1870, Ireland was permitted to trade directly with Britain provided that they set duties equal to those in force in Britain.
A further Act in March allowed Ireland to import gold and silver from England
By the end of 1780 the Irish were in the same commercial position as Britain, with the exception of Britain’s East India Company monopoly, which remained exclusively British
What happened on 19 April 1780?
Grattan made a formal declaration of independence in the Irish House of Commons
- Supported by Protestants and Catholics due to their economic gains
- Supported by Irish Volunteers → only source of defence in Ireland due to continuation of American War
Debate adjourned by vote of 136 to 97 → time not quite right to assert Irish rights in such a way, question had already been raised, patriots were in a position of relative strength.
What happened in December 1781?
Volunteer regiments in Armagh arrange an all-Ulster Volunteers convention to be held in Dungannon in February the following year.
15 February 1782 → 25,000 attend convention
Agenda emphasised desire for greater legislative powers. Grattan raised the issue in Parliament again but still felt to be too soon by more cautious members of the House
What happened in March 1782?
PM Lord North resigned after surrender of British troops in Yorktown, Virginia → replaced by Whig administration.
What did the new Whig administration implement in Ireland?
Poyning’s Law adjusted and Declaratory Act repealed, each of which had given Britain power to legislate for Ireland
- Effective Irish autonomy over domestic legislation
- This became known as the Constitution of 1782
How was economic change limited in Ireland during the 1780s?
- Difficult to improve during American and French Wars
- Bad harvests in 1782 and 1783
- Wool industry continually depressed
- Absentee landlordims withdrew £800,000 from an annual £4 million agricultural economy
