Irish History Background

Question 1

Define Gerrymandering

Answer 1

the practice of drawing electoral boundaries in a way that benefits one particular group at the expense of another

Question 2

Define PR voting

Answer 2

(proportional representation) a system of voting designed to create a result more in line with the way people voted.

Question 3

What was the Special Powers Act?

Answer 3

Gives special powers to Stormont eg. interment

Question 4

What was the RUC?

Answer 4

Northern Ireland’s police force (now PSNI)

Question 5

Who were the ‘B’ Specials?

Answer 5

Part of the RUC

Question 6

What is the Welfare State?

Answer 6

a system promoting free health care, education and benefits system available to all British citizens - Labour introduced in 1945

Question 7

What was the Northern Ireland Housing crisis?

Answer 7

Local councils weren’t successful at providing new homes - they favoured their own denomination when distributing homes

Question 8

What areas did Nationalists/RCs face discrimination?

Answer 8

Jobs - received fewer top jobs in the civil service
Housing - councils gave more houses to Unionists than Nationalists
Voting - gerrymandering and up to 7 extra votes were given to wealthy Unionist rate payers

Question 9

which movements were the new generation of university-educated nationalists influenced by?

Answer 9

US civil rights movement

President JFK