6. Tithe Wars Flashcards
Define a Tithe?
A tax of 10% on produce or earning that was given to the church
What was the Tithe tax used for?
Used the money to support the Church
Prior to the reformation payments were given to the Catholic Church.
Why was the Tithe tax resented so much?
Paying any form of tax was resented but this was particularly resented because it meant funding churches and their clergy
Why did the Catholics resent the Tithe tax so much?
As it required to pay for the new Protestant church despite not having anything to do with it.
They also had to pay two amounts of this tax on religious and economic grounds
What was the new act introduced on the Tithe taxes?
The Tithe Composition (Ireland) Act
What did the legislation “The Tithe Composition (Ireland) Act” enforce?
made the tax a general land-based monetary charge that consequently became paid twice a year by larger numbers of Irish farmers
What was the intention of the “The Tithe Composition (Ireland) Act”?
Intended to make the system more uniform- in reality it antagonised even more farmers
What the type of method people used to retaliate?
Boycott of payment.
A passive protest that simply required the participants to refuse payment rather than to march or use aggressive tactics.
When did the Tithe war begin?
in 1830
Why did the Tithe war start in 1830?
As it was in a period of agricultural depression that led to reduced prices, therefore, less money coming to the farmers themselves.
How successful was it in 1833?
22 counties did not pay- meaning around £1 million was not collected
How popular was it?
Was openly supported by the Catholic church and Archbishop MacHale (most senior priest in Ireland).
The passive protest encouraged the greatest number of participants which led to greatly reducing the revenue generated and sending a clear, majority backed message to the British authorities
How did the authorities respond to the protests?
Did become violent as police and local yeomanry seized property in the absence of payment
- Most notable incident at Newtonwnbarry in 1831 when 14 resisting farmers were killed
When did the Tithe payments end?
In June 1833 where the govt abandoned the use of force to extract the Tithe payments
What was implemented instead of the tithe payment?
money was supplied in the form of the Clergy Relief Fund set up in 1832 and provided loans from public money.
More money came out of this than what the tithe would have brought in.
