Issue 3: The Anglo-Irish Treaty, 1921, and obstacles to peace in Ireland Flashcards
Introduction
Background:
- Sinn Feins popularity grew, as did their organisation. Even those arrested after the rising were able to put their time in prison to good use in terms of planning for future activities on their release.
- Michael Collins, in particular, used time in jail to lay the foundations for the reorganisation of the nationalist movement, planning which eventually led to the formation of the Irish Republican Army (IRA).
Outline your factors:
- Irish attitudes to British Rule after WW1
- Declaration of independence and the establishment of the Dail
- Position of the Ulster unionists
- Policies and actions of the British government
- IRA tactics and policies
Outline your argument
Factor 1- Irish attitudes to British Rule after WW1
KU- Sinn Fein won 73 seats in the General election in 1918, compared to winning none in 1910, showing the increased resentment of British rule in Ireland.
Analysis- This was an obstacle to peace as it showed the increased support for Sinn Fein and Home Rule.
Analysis+ - However, there was some debate about the fairness of the voting system in a rushed election.
KU- Sinn Fein was seen as Pro-German as some because they had refused to support the war effort and because german sourced weapons were thought to have been used in the Easter Rising.
Analysis- This was an obstacle to peace as it labelled Sinn Fein, the worst thing they could have been labelled at that time, which may have taken some votes away from them.
Analysis+ - However, the Unionist party won’t ten extra seats and now had 26 seats in Westminster, making partition between Unionist Ulster and Sinn Fein.
Evaluation:
Irish attitudes to British Rule after WW1 were a significant obstacle to peace as Sinn Fein had became more popular.
Factor 2- Declaration of Independence and the establishment of the Dail
KU- Republican MPs, largely those from Sinn Fein, did not attend Westminster, and instead met at the Mansion House in Dublin. They declared themselves “Dail Eireann” this increasing division between Ireland and Britain.
Analysis- This won wide popular support amongst republicans and sent a message to the British Government.
KU-Eamon De Valera was made the president of Ireland, Arthur Griffith was made vice president and Micheal Collins was made minister of finance.
Analysis- This caused division as these men were opposed to British rule in Ireland.
Analysis+ - This was an obstacle to peace as it showed Sinn Fein was not afraid to go against the rules to get their way.
Evaluation:
-The declaration of independence and the establishment of the Dail was an obstacle to peace because Sinn Fein went against the British Government as they didn’t get their way.
Factor 3- Position of the Ulster Unionists
KU- The Unionists always had a strong political voice and representation in the British Government, and were mostly favoured over Nationalists.
Analysis- This was an obstacle to peace as Nationalists saw this as unfair and also could have played a part in Sinn Fein forming “Dail Eireann”
KU- The British government passed the Government of Ireland Act in 1920, which gave Ireland two parliaments
Analysis- This caused tension as this is not what Nationalists wanted as they Unionists and Nationalists to be under one government and they didn’t want the country to be split apart.
Analysis+- However, this did mean that Ireland got Home rule and got their own governments which was a win.
Evaluation:
-Position of the Ulster unionists was a significant obstacle to peace as it earned the Unionists the chance to stay part of Britain, being “Northern Ireland” which the South didn’t want.
Factor 4- Policies and actions of the British Government
KU- The British gave Ireland 2 governments in the Home Rule Act in 1920.
Analysis- This didn’t cause a lot of tension at the time as it gave both sides what they wanted, which was self government
Analysis+- However, the Home Rule Act did lead to what is now known as the Anglo-Irish War.
KU- The formation of the Black and Tans by the British was a major step towards warfare.
Analysis- They were employed to suppress revolution in Ireland. Although it was initially established to gather the Irish Republican army.
Analysis+- The Black and Tans also appeared outside the law at times as they used wholesale violence, theft and attacks on villages such as the burning of Balbriggan.
Evaluation:
-The policies and actions of the British government were a big obstacle to peace in Ireland as it led to the Civil war.
Factor 6- IRA tactics and policies
KU- The IRA used a campaign of guerrilla warfare against British forces in Ireland, they hoped that by becoming a military force, they could persuade the British government to introduce complete independence.
Analysis- This was an obstacle to peace as British forces found this increasingly frustrating to contend with, and this ramped up the violence and bitterness on both sides.
KU- The IRA was made mostly of young men as it was the joining of the IRB and the IVF.
Analysis- This was an obstacle to peace as the IRA became more violent as it was being led by young men who had a lot of ability but who were also extremely violent.
Evaluation:
-IRA tactics and policies were an obstacle to peace as the IRA were extremely violent.
Conclusion
- ATQ “In conclusion…”
- Provide relative judgements of at least 2 factors. Give a balanced assessment (A/A+)
- Give your judgement “overall”
