Ireland Flashcards
To what extent did British governments succeed in 'pacifying' Ireland in the years 1868-1914?
What did the Irish Church Act of 1869 achieve?
1) Disestablished the Anglican Church in Ireland
2) There was no longer an obligation on the Irish Catholics to pay the tax
3) About one quarter of the Anglican Church’s property and wealth was removed and the revenues redirected to better causes
4) Won Gladstone support of the Irish Catholics and Catholic leaders
Why did the Irish Land Act of 1870 have limited effects?
1) It was not clarified what was meant by ‘fair rent’
2) Landlords still had the power to raise the rent as they pleased
3) The cost of buying land was far too high,even with the loan scheme
4) There was no incentive for landlords to sell their land
How did the 1881 Land Act improve on the 1870 Land Act?
1) Special Land Courts were set up to establish a fair rent and both tenant and landowner were bound by the court’s decision
2) The tenant was safe from eviction as long as he paid his rent
3) The rents were on average 20% lower and this brought down the price of land, which made it easier for tenants to buy
How could it be argued that the British governments were not successful in pacifying Ireland?
1) The need for coercion
2) The strength of opposition
Name some Irish pressure groups
1) The Fenians
2) Sinn Fein
3) The Ulster Volunteer Force
How did the Parliament Act of 1911 benefit both the Irish Nationalists and the Liberals?
It benefited the Irish Unionists because if they gave their support to the Liberals then the Liberals would put forward another Home Rule Bill. Also, the Parliaments Act stated that no bill could be vetoed for more than 2 years, so the Irish would have expected Home rule by 1913.
It benefited the Liberals because it meant that Lloyd George’s budget could be passed, and it also meant that the Lords only had the power to veto a bill for a maximum of 2 years.
Why was coercion introduced and why was it a sign that British governments were not successfully pacifying Ireland?
The Land League was founded in 1879 and was aiming for the three Fs. It was dissatisfied with the 1870 Land Act. The fact that the League existed in the first place shows that British governments were unsuccessful in their attempts to pacify Ireland. The League became violent and a Coercion Act was introduced in 1881. This shows that the British government were desperate and so had to resort to coercion rather than pass reform.
What does the strength of the opposition to Home Rule suggest about the success of the British governments in pacifying Ireland?
The Ulster Volunteer force consisted of 100,000 volunteers and was prepared to use if necessary. They wished to keep the union between Ireland and Britain. In response to the Ulster Volunteer force, in November 1913 the Irish Volunteers were formed. They wanted to be separate from Britain and govern their own affairs.The fact that there were pressure groups from both sides of Ireland shows that the British governments were largely unsuccessful in their attempts to pacify Ireland as they appeared to please nobody.
Explain the significance of the Curragh ‘mutiny’.
The Liberal government offered a special concession in the Home Rule Bill for Ulster, it was an exclusion clause that would allow the people of and Irish county to opt out of a united Ireland as a temporary measure to be reversed after 6 years. This did not please Carson, the leader of the Ulster Volunteers. In March 1914 alarm was increased at the fear of civil war when rumors escalated that the British army would ‘prefer at accept dismissal’ than to fight against fellow Protestants. The significance of this was that it demonstrated completely the lack of control that the British government had at this point over Irish affairs, so much so that the police appeared to be dictating government policy.
What did the 1881 Coercion Act do?
It allowed anyone suspected of illegal activities to be imprisoned for indefinite amounts of time without trial.
What did Balfour’s 1891 Land Act do for the Irish peasantry?
Rewarded the Irish peasantry with further financial assistance for the voluntary land purchase scheme, £33 million was set aside to guarantee tenants’ loans for buying land.
What 6 factors had an influence on bringing the Home Rule Bill onto the political agenda?
1) The influence of Isaac Butt
2) Te consequences for Ireland of the Ballot Act of 1872
3) Gladstone’s failure to satisfy Ireland during his First Ministry
4) The Great Depression
5) Impact of pressure groups
6) The Parnell factor
When was the Home Government Association set up and who by?
In 1870, by Isaac Butt
Wen was the Land Purchase Act put in place and what did it do?
Was passed in 1885, set aside £5 million to assist tenants to buy their holdings from the landlord
What were the 3 Fs?
1) Fair rent
2) Free sale of leases
3) Fixity of tenure
