The 1798 Rebellion

Question 0

Ireland in the 1700s and its religions

Answer 0

Protestants:
Rich - Members of parliament
Poor - Vote for parliament

Catholics:

• All poor
• Cannot sit in parliament + cannot vote (under penal law)

Presbyterians:

• From Scotland
• Cannot sit in parliament * cannot vote (under penal laws)

Question 1

Why was the current Irish Government unfair?

Answer 1

Because:
-Catholics, who made up the majority of the population, weren’t allowed to become members of the parliament.

• Only wealthy people could vote. This was unfair because most of the population was poor.
• Final decisions were made by the King of England.

Question 2

Protestant ascendancy

Answer 2

All Ireland run by rich Protestants also known as Protestant Ascendancy.

Question 3

Causes of the 1798 rebellion

Answer 3

• Support for the ideas of the French Revolution.
• Activities of tone and the United Irishmen.
• The unfair political system and the Protestant Ascendancy.
• War between Britain and France - hope for French help.
• Government’s use of terror to crush the United Irishmen.

Question 4

Penal laws

Answer 4

Laws passed to stop the Catholics from becoming powerful in Ireland.

Question 5

Radical

Answer 5

A person with extreme views. They agreed with the ideals of the French Revolution in the 1798 rebellion.

Question 6

Wolfe Tone

Answer 6

One of the leaders of the United Irishmen.

Question 7

Orange Order

Answer 7

An order formed to protect British rule and protestants. They drove hundreds of Catholics from Ulster.

Question 8

The United Irishmen

Answer 8

A society set up to unite Irishmen of all religions in achieving a fairer government for Ireland.

Question 9

Yeomanry

Answer 9

A Protestant army formed which encouraged members of the new Orange Order to join.

Question 10

Pitch-cap

Answer 10

A method of torture where a cloth filled with tar was placed on a suspect’s head and then set alight.

Question 11

Loyalist

Answer 11

A supporter of the British government. Most Protestants and a large number of Catholics supported the government.

Question 12

Consequences of the 1798 rebellion

Answer 12

Brought great death and destruction to Ireland.

• British crushed it ruthlessly.
• Over 30,000 people died.
• Majority were rebels and civilians killed by British troops.

Army of uniting Catholics and Protestants didn’t succeed.

• Massacres of Protestant civilians in Wexford.
• Many Protestants and Presbyterians who were sympathetic to the United Irishmen were shocked by these events.
• They became fearful of what would happen if Ireland got independence –> became strong supporters of British rule.