the Campaign for Civil Rights Flashcards
1
Q
Discrimination faced by Catholics
A
- Housing
- Gerrymandering
- Business owners – extra votes
- Special Powers act
- B- Specials
- Measures O’Neill introduced favoured Protestants
- Discrimination in government jobs
2
Q
Discrimination in housing
A
- Unionist councils allocated houses to Protestants, nationalist councils to Catholics
- Allocated by councillors not based on need
3
Q
Gerrymandering
A
- Fixing of election, boundaries took place in many council areas, controlled by unionists
4
Q
Business owners – extra votes
A
- Majority of these were Protestants
5
Q
Special Powers act
A
- Allowed Unionist government to arrest, interrogate, detain people without trial - internment
6
Q
Discrimination in government jobs
A
Majority went to Protestants
7
Q
Measures O’Neill introduced favoured Protestants
A
E.g. location of new University in Coleraine rather than Derry
8
Q
B-Specials
A
- Part-time policemen
- helped RUC
- reputation for unfair treatment of Catholics
9
Q
Six aims of NICRA
A
-
One man, one vote
- allow a vote to all people over the age of 18
- remove the right business owners to cast multiple votes -
fairer allocation of council houses
- had to be ratepayer (house owner) to vote
- allocated by local councillors not on basis of need
- fewer Catholic home-owners = less Catholics able to vote
- major grievances- discrimination and overcrowding - End to gerrymandering
- End to discrimination in the allocation of government jobs
- Removal of special powers act and disbanding of the B-Specials
- An independent ombudsman
10
Q
NICRA
A
Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association
11
Q
Formation of NICRA
A
1967
University educated Catholics
influences
- MLK
- JFK
- France-1968
- TV - educated them about things going on around the world
- free education 1948
- supported by new generation of Catholics and moderate Protestants
12
Q
Nationalist/Catholic attitudes towards NICRA
A
New generation of Catholics who had been able to attend secondary school free of charge as a result of the introduction of the 11+ exam in 1947, supported NICRA
13
Q
Liberal Protestants attitudes toward NICRA
A
- believed that N.I.’s Catholics were being unfairly treated
- believed that if NICRA’s aims were achieved, there will be no reason for Catholics to want to be part of a united Ireland
14
Q
Unionist attitudes towards NICRA
A
- Largest opposition
- feared IRA in disguise 🥸
- believed it was not interested in equality for everyone in NI only catholics
- could weaken Protestant control of NI —> united Ireland 🇮🇪
15
Q
Causes of 24th of August 1968, Coalisland to Dungannon NICRA March
A
- chosen as location of first march to protest Dungannon councils decision to allocate one of its council houses in a small village of Caledon to 19-year-old Protestant woman, rather than a large Catholic family
- Caledon homes had been intended for mixed community, but 14 out of 15 houses given to Protestants
16
Q
Event of 24 August 1968 Coalisland to Dungannon, NICRA March
A
- 24 August 1968, NICRAs first March, held in County Tyrone
- March began Coalisland and ended in Dungannon
17
Q
Consequences, 24 August 1968 to Dungannon, NICRA March
A
- publicity surrounding March acted as encouragement to other protest in groups to form branches of NICRA
- march past peacefully no major consequences
18
Q
causes 5th October 1968, Derry NICRA march
A
- Organise to draw attention to discrimination in housing policy of the Londonderry corporation (local council of Derry)
19
Q
Event 5th October 1968, Derry NICRA march
A
- Stormont government banned march, fearing outbreak of violence as apprentice boys (loyalist club) announced demonstration at the same time
- NICRA ignored the ban
- March started on Duke Street, Derry’s Waterside area
- moved up Duke Street towards Craigavon Bridge protesters faced by lines of police officers
- police were heavy handed in their efforts to stop the march, filmed by RTÉ television crew accompanying protesters
20
Q
Consequences, 5 October 1968, Derry NICRA march
A
- violent tactics used by some of the police were captured by RTÉ television crew and resulting images were widely seen at home and abroad
- this had a profound effect on many people around the world, particularly the Catholic population of NI
- two days of serious rioting in Derry after the march between the Catholic residents of the city and the RUC
21
Q
RUC
A
Royal Ulster Constabulary
22
Q
Five Point Reform Programme - November 1968
A
Points system
- would be introduced to ensure fairer allocation of council houses
Londonderry Corporation would be replaced by a Development Commission
some parts of the 1922 Special Powers Act would be removed
removal of additional votes of businesses
- along with other reforms to the operation of local government
establishment of an ombudsman
- an official who deals with complaints from the public
23
Q
Unionist response to O’Neill’s Five Point Reform Programme
A
- dismay
- believed reforms were concessions won by violence
- felt their position was under threat
- angered by reforms such as replacement of Londonderry Commission with a Development Commission
- William Craig, Minister of Home Affairs criticised television appearance justifying reforms and was sacked
24
Q
Nationalist response to O’Neill’s Five Point Reform Programme
A
- disappointed at failure to make key concessions e.g one man, one vote, abolishing B-Specials
- NICRA leaders gave reforms a chance called off all further street protests
- PD was disappointed at limited nature of reforms
25
PD
People’s Democracy
26
Why was the PD formed?
- made up of mainly **university students**
- emerged out of **students anger** at the **violence NICRA** has **faced October 1968**
27
Who are Michael Farrell and Bernadette Devlin?
Leaders of the PD
28
PD’s aims
- disrupt stormont
- end gerrymandering
- one man, one vote
- houses to be distributed based on need
- people to be employed based on merit
- free speech
- repeal of the special powers act - 1922
29
Why were the PD condemned by NICRA and nationalist leaders?
Kept its campaign going after 5 point reform programme
30
Why were the PD called “provocative”?
- went through a number of **Protestant areas**
31
**causes** PD march - 1st- 4th January 1969 - Belfast to Derry
- **Unhappy** with what it saw as the **limited nature of the five point reform programme**
- PD decided to hold of march between Belfast and Derry
32
**event** PD march - 1st- 4th January 1969 - Belfast to Derry
- **Ignored condemnations** from nationalist leaders** and **NICRA**
- Went through a **number of Protestant areas provoked unionists** forced police to use different routes avoid confrontation
- **Placards and protest songs** – “we shall overcome “ - us civil rights movement
- **Ambush at Burntollet Bridge third day, 4 th January**
- **Planned in advance, 200 loyalists, including off duty B-Specials**
- used **sticks, iron-bars, bottles and stones to attack marchers**
- **80 RUC officers did little to protect**
- that night **police rampaged through nationalist areas of Derry**
33
**consequences** PD march - 1st- 4th January 1969 - Belfast to Derry
- **Catholics** were **bitter** at the **ambush** and **attack on march** at **Burntollet Bridge**
- behaviour of **police** led to **collapse** of their **reputation in Catholic areas**
- **revival** and **growth** in **sectarianism**
- **Protestants saw it as “invasion”** of their territory
- **growing militancy in nationalist community**
- NICRA began to **march** again
**O’Neill**
- **cameron commission**
34
What did the Cameron Commission find?
- Inquiry into disturbances
**it found**
- “a **number of policemen** were **guilty of misconduct** which involved **assault** and **battery**, **malicious damage to property**… and the use of **provocative, sectarianism** and **political slogans**”
35
Reasons for O’Neill’s resignation
**never the popular choice for OUP leader**
- **selected not elected**
- most unionists would’ve preferred **Brian Faulkner**
**violence** followed **NICRA march in Derry- October 1968**
- increased **pressure** on O’Neill and PD
**opposition** in cabinet
- **12 MPs called for resignation**
Consequences of crossroads election
- Ian **Paisley gaining support**
series of bombings - April 1969
- appeared to be work of the IRA
- actually done by loyalists
36
Crossroads election
- **attempt by O’Neill** to **prove public opinion was in his favour**
- results **not what he wanted** showed
- **reduction in Unionist support**
- **little to no evidence** of **Nationalist support**
- **divisions of loyalty among OUP MPs**
- **challenged in own Bannside constituency - Paisley**
**Crossroads election**
- **General election** called by O’Neill
- effort to **gain support** for **efforts to modernise NI**
- **Response** for growing calls for **resignation**
37
Gerrymandering
the practice of drawing electoral boundaries in a way that would serve to benefit one community over the other
e.g. in Derry/Londonderry because of the electoral boundaries Unionist who made up 10,274 of the population in Derry/Londonderry dominated the council in the city even though the Catholic population was 20,102.
38
Unionist reactions to civil rights marches (DUP)
• The Reverend Ian Paisley and his supporters organised counter-protests to NICRA marches. Some within the Unionist community felt that the NICRA was nothing more than a front for the IRA, while others believed that it was only interested in Catholic rights and would undermine the position of Protestants.
39
O’Neills reaction PD march - 1st- 4th January 1969 - Belfast to Derry
Cameron commission
40
**Burntollet Bridge**
1st - 4th January 1969
41
Who influenced NICRA?
**influences**
- MLK
- JFK
- France-1968
- TV - educated them about things going on around the world
- **free education** 1948
42
NICRA response to 5PRP
- **NICRA leaders gave reforms a chance** called off all further street protests
43
PD response to 5PRP
- **PD** was **disappointed** at limited nature of reforms
44
Unionist response to civil rights marches
• some believed that NICRA wanted a united Ireland and therefore threatened the continued existence of Northern Ireland.
•
45
Apprentice boys response to civil rights marches
The Apprentice Boys attempted to have a rival march on the day of the NICRA march in Derry/Londonderry, October 1968. Loyalists ambushed the People's Democracy march from Belfast to Derry/Londonderry January 1969, at Burntollet Bridge.
46
Moderate unionist response to civil rights marches
• Some moderate unionists were genuinely shocked at the revelations of discrimination in the late 1960's and agreed with O'Neill's steps towards reforms and supported the civil rights movement from the start and joined the NICRA believing that making Northern Ireland fairer would undermine demands for a united Ireland.
