History. in Cl se-up. union and partition. Russell Rees Audrey M Hodge Norman Johnston Sheila Turner Johnston

Transcription

1 History in Cl se-up union and partition Russell Rees Audrey M Hodge Norman Johnston Sheila Turner Johnston

2 CONTENTS Guide To Icons 4 INTRODUCTION Unit 1: Ireland and the World in society and economy Unit 2: Slavery 9 Unit 3: Rural Life Before the Famine 14 Unit 4: The Famine 17 Unit 5: Effects of the Famine 24 Unit 6: Landlord and Tenant 27 Unit 7: Solving the Land Problem 30 Unit 8: The Ulster Linen Industry 33 Unit 9: The Growth of Belfast 36 Unit 10: Shipbuilding and the links with Britain 39 Review this Section 42 End of Section Quiz 43 THE HOME RULE MOVEMENT Unit 11: Unionism and Nationalism 44 Unit 12: Irish Republicanism 47 Unit 13: Catholic Emancipation 51 Unit 14: Repeal and Home Rule 54 Unit 15: Irish Unionism 57 Unit 16: Ulster Unionism 60 Unit 17: Parnell: Case Study 62 Unit 18: The Gaelic Revival 66 Unit 19: Killing Home Rule with Kindness 68 Unit 20: The Third Home Rule Bill 71 Unit 21: Carson and Craig 73 Unit 22: Propaganda 75 Unit 23: The Ulster Covenant 77 Unit 24: The UVF and Irish Volunteers 81 Unit 25: Gun-runnings 83 Review this Section 86 End of Section Quiz 87 WAR AND PARTITION Unit 26: The Outbreak of World War I 88 Unit 27: Ireland and World War I 92 Unit 28: Trenches and The Somme 96 Unit 29: The Easter Rising 100 Unit 30: The End of World War I 105 Unit 31: Rise of Sinn Féin 109 Unit 32: War of Independence 112 Unit 33: Partition 115 Review this Section 118 End of Section Quiz 119 THE MODERN WORLD Unit 34: Relationships between the two States 120 Unit 35: The Second World War 123 Unit 36: Ireland in the Second World War 128 Unit 37: The Holocaust 132 Unit 38: The World since Unit 39: Ireland since Review this Section 141 End of Section Quiz 142 Kings and Queens of Britain 143 Copyright Notices 143 Index 144

3 Icons used in this book Guide to Icons Skills and Capabilities KEY ACTIVITY COMMUNICATION BEFORE YOU START MATHS BY THE WAY USING ICT PROJECT MANAGING INFORMATION RESEARCH THINKING, PROBLEM SOLVING, DECISION MAKING REVIEW BEING CREATIVE TIP WORKING WITH OTHERS WORD BOX SELF MANAGEMENT WRITER INFO QUESTIONS 4

4 society and economy Unit 5: Effects of the Famine Decline: To get less and less. Population of Ireland 1750 to 1900 Population Decline One of the most obvious effects of the famine years was the decline in the population of Ireland. In 1851 the population was down by almost 2 million from the previous census (1841). Half of this number had died; the rest emigrated. Not only was there this immediate effect on the population, but the population continued to decline and in 1900 was only about 4 ½ million. Much of this was due to the changing pattern of early marriage and land subdivision. Population (millions) The Famine Consolidation of Land Many landlords were anxious to sell off their land, especially if they were in debt. The Encumbered Estates Act of 1849 made it easier for them to do so. Many tenants had realised the uncertain nature of subdivision of land and had stopped doing it. The number of larger holdings increased and the cottier class almost died out Year Acres ,436 88, , , , ,311 over 30 48, ,090 Number of land holdings of different sizes in 1841 and 1851, based on census returns of 1841 and Draw either a bar chart or a pie chart showing the figures for Draw a second one for In your own words, describe the pattern you see. Change in Marriage Patterns This change in land distribution had important effects on society. Now, in order to keep the farm as one unit, only one son could inherit and he had to wait until his father died before this could happen. This often led to later marriage and a subsequent decline in birth rate. It also meant that other sons and daughters often saw emigration as the best solution for their future. 24

5 Unit 5: Effects of the Famine Political Effects Many in Ireland resented the actions taken by the government during the famine, or at best saw them as inadequate. This helped to make the Irish even more bitter towards England. Such bitterness took root in the new emigrant communities in England and especially in America. Emigration This was widespread following the famine years as many tried to find a new life in a better land. However, many never reached the new land but died in the awful conditions on board what were often called coffin ships. These ships were overcrowded, food was poor and disease spread rapidly. Here is one description of such a voyage: We thought we couldn't be worse off than we were; but now to our sorrow we knowt differ; for sure supposin' we were dyin' of starvation, or if the sickness overtook us, we had a chance of a doctor, and if he could do no good for our bodies, sure the priest could for our souls; and then we'd be buried with our own people; in the ould churchyard, with the green sod over us; instead of dying like rotten sheep thrown into a pit, and the minute the breath is out of our bodies, flung into the sea to be eaten up by them horrid sharks. A comment from an emigrant on board ship. From A Voyage to Quebec on an Irish Emigrant vessel by Robert Whyte This picture shows the deck of an emigration ship. Only the wealthier emigrants were allowed to use the deck. Poorer people often had to stay below for the whole voyage, which could be three months. Disease thrived in these conditions and many died on the ship. Glasgow Paisley Dundee SCOTLAND WALES Merthyr Edinburgh Newcastle Sunderland Number of Irish-born ,000 80, , , , ,000 Bradford Hull Preston Leeds Bolton Manchester Liverpool Sheffield Stockport Wolverhampton Bristol Birmingham ENGLAND London Read the extract above. In your own words, explain the points that this person is making. Not all emigrants went as far as America. Hundreds of thousands went across the Irish Sea to Great Britain. The map shows towns in Great Britain that had significant numbers of people living in them who had been born in Ireland. Irish settlement in Great Britain in

6 THE HOME RULE MOVEMENT UNIT 13: Catholic Emancipation The Penal Laws This is the name given to a series of laws passed after 1695, mainly by the former Irish Parliament. These laws had two main purposes: (a) To exclude all those who remained Catholic from having political and professional power, from owning more than a small amount of property, and from education. (b) By means of these laws, to encourage Irish Catholics, especially the landowning class, to convert to Protestantism. Some Catholics did change their religion to avoid penalties, though most remained Catholic. Similar laws were applied in England, but as Catholics were in a minority there, these laws had only limited effect. After 1728 Catholics were not allowed to vote at elections. If a son became a Protestant, he automatically became owner of his Catholic father s estate, even if his father was still alive. Write two short meditations, one for each of the following people living in Ireland in 1730: (a) A Catholic farmer whose 20 year old son has just told him that he has become a Protestant. (b) The son, who has become a Protestant and realises that, even though he doesn't want it, the state regards him as the owner of his father's land. Class discussion Are there any circumstances in which it is right to pass laws that discriminate against one group of people? Catholics were not the only religious group to suffer. The Anglican church was the established church; in Ireland this was the Church of Ireland. Although it didn't affect so many, anyone who didn't belong to the established church also came under the Penal Laws. Presbyterians discovered that they were also to be denied many rights. Their ministers could preach freely but could not perform marriage ceremonies. In 1704 Presbyterians were also banned from town councils and from holding other official positions. Dismantling the Penal Laws By the late seventeenth century the government did not feel as strongly about the Penal Laws, and gradually withdrew some. In 1778 a law was passed allowing Catholics to own property, inherit land and join the army. Four years later, Catholic 51

7 UNIT 13: Catholic Emancipation schools were allowed. After 1791, Catholics who owned land and whose rent was valued at over 2 per year were given the vote. These laws applied across the United Kingdom, but affected the largest proportion of people in Ireland. By the early nineteenth century, around 80% of Irish people were still Catholic. The main issue now was that a Catholic was still not allowed to be an MP. This meant that all 100 MPs from Ireland were Protestants. By now, public opinion in Britain was in favour of letting Catholics be MPs (called emancipation) and almost every MP in the London Parliament was in favour of emancipation. However the law was not changed because King George III, who reigned from 1738 to 1820) was opposed to it. His Coronation Oath required him to defend Protestantism. In 1823 a wealthy Catholic lawyer called Daniel O'Connell founded the Catholic Association which campaigned for emancipation. This is what O'Connell said about the restrictions on voting: Daniel O'Connell In this my native land in the land of my [fathers] I am degraded without fault as an alien and an outcast. Daniel O'Connell, July 1812 What does O'Connell mean by these phrases: degraded without fault, an alien and an outcast? What does this tell us about O'Connell's reasons for wanting emancipation? In December 1796, O'Connell wrote the following in his Journal: "The altar of liberty totters when it is cemented only with blood." What conclusion would you draw from this comment about O'Connell's attitude to violence? In 1828 Daniel O'Connell stood in a Westminster election in county Clare and won. The fact that as a Catholic he was not allowed to sit in Parliament, even though he had won the election, helped make people aware of his campaign. In 1829 the British government passed the Catholic Relief Act which permitted Catholics to be MPs and removed most of the remaining restrictions on Catholics. Daniel O'Connell is often given the title The Liberator. Why do you think this is? Impact on the Catholic Church After Irish independence in 1921, the main street in Dublin (Sackville Street) was re-named O'Connell Street in honour of Daniel O'Connell. This statue of him was placed there. Many of the restrictions on building Catholic churches were removed. Previously, it had been very hard to get permission to build one and, even if you did, the church had to be small. This meant that many Catholics had no local church, and services were often held without permission in the open air. In the decades after emancipation, there was a lot of construction of Catholic churches. Cities which didn't have a Catholic Cathedral now got one. Examples in Ulster include: St Peter's Cathedral, Belfast St Patrick's Cathedral, Armagh St Eugene's Cathedral, Derry/Londonderry 52

8 The Home Rule Movement Unit 16: Ulster Unionism The Conservatives supported the Unionists. Most of the Liberals supported Home Rule. What was the Orange card? What did Churchill mean when he says that he decided to play it? This is a painting of a riot in Belfast in the nineteenth century. Notice how different the buildings looked then. The scene is possibly at the lower end of Sandy Row, because the Boyne Bridge is in the background. Opposition to Home Rule When the time came to fight Home Rule, most people expected Unionists in Ulster to lead the way. As we have seen, the fact that they formed a majority in North-East Ulster meant that, unlike the Southern Unionists, they did not need to look elsewhere for support. Ulster Unionists could rely on themselves to defeat Home Rule. They were able to use the Orange Order to organise resistance to Home Rule. The Orange Order had been formed in 1795 to defend Protestant interests. They did not work as closely with the Conservatives in Britain as the Southern Unionists did, but they were happy to get Conservative support when it came. When Gladstone, who was a Liberal, decided to go for Home Rule in 1886, the Conservatives took the chance to make a split in the Liberal Party by coming out strongly against Home Rule. This was the attitude of the leading Conservative, Lord Randolph Churchill, who visited Belfast in February Here he told Unionist supporters that they could always count on the support of British Unionists. Later, he encouraged the Ulstermen to use force when he said Ulster will fight and Ulster will be right. He also made the following comment in 1886: I decided some time ago that if [Gladstone] went for Home Rule, the Orange card was the one to play. Lord Randolph Churchill, 1886 The prospect of Home Rule really worried the Ulster Unionists for two reasons: 1. They felt their Protestant religion would be threatened on an island dominated by Catholicism. 2. If the link with Britain was broken the new linen and shipbuilding industries would not have enough money to survive. Think of all the reasons why the Ulster Unionists and British Conservatives wanted to keep the union. Using these reasons, use a computer to design a pro-union poster that might have been used at the time. Display all your posters and discuss how effective each one is. Pick the best three and say why you think they work. The worries caused by the first Home Rule Bill also led to a new wave of sectarian fights in Belfast. In the summer of 1886 nearly 50 people were killed in rioting between Protestant and Catholic workers. 60

9 Unit 16: Ulster Unionism You have been asked by the producer of a national TV news programme to put together a live report on the rioting in Belfast in Divide the class into Production Teams. Using the picture of the rioting as a guide, each Team should discuss how it will structure its broadcast. When you have decided what information you need and how you will get it, write a rough running order of what you will do. Remember you will need a camera operator! Give your reports live in class. You could vote on which was the best broadcast. The Second Home Rule Bill 1893 The banner outside the Convention Hall in the photograph above has on it the Irish words Erin go bragh' meaning Ireland for ever. What conclusions about the views of the organisers of this event might an historian be able to draw from the fact that (a) the Irish language is used and (b) the phrase is Ireland for ever? What other points do you note about this scene? Although the first Home Rule Bill had been defeated, Unionists knew that the next Liberal government might bring in a new bill. In order to show how much they were against it, Ulster Unionists organised an Ulster Unionist Convention which met in Belfast in June It was held in the Botanic Gardens where a giant wooden pavilion was built. About 12,000 attended. About one-third of these Unionist supporters were ordinary tenant farmers who had come from all over Ulster, but it was clear that their leaders were from the upper and middle classes. They sat on a special platform that held 400 people. Many of these 400 people were either big landowners or rich businessmen. The Convention Chairman was the Duke of Abercorn who owned a big estate in Co Tyrone. These words opposite, by a British poet, appeared above the platform. (The poet was writing about the whole British Empire, not just Ulster.) A photograph taken of the Ulster Unionist Convention of 1892, held in the Botanic Gardens, Belfast. One with Great Britain, heart and soul One life, one flag, one fleet, one throne 1. Explain what you think is meant by the four items mentioned in the second line of the poem. 2. What do you think the poet is trying to say with these two lines? During the Convention many of the speakers warned that Ulster Unionists would never accept Home Rule. Some of them even said that violence could be used if Home Rule was forced on them. Yet in spite of these threats, Gladstone, who was back again as Prime Minister, introduced the second Home Rule Bill in This time the bill was passed in the House of Commons, but it was easily defeated in the House of Lords, where there were a lot more Conservatives. If Home Rule was ever to become law, it would have to be passed by both houses of parliament. In Unit 20 we will see a way round this problem. 61

10 War and Partition Unit 27: Ireland and World War 1 Nationalists Redmond was determined to help the war effort. He thought that if Irish Nationalists fought for Britain, Ireland would be rewarded at the end of the war. But Redmond also believed that the war was a war for small nations. Germany had invaded Belgium and, like Ireland, Belgium was a small, Catholic country that Redmond thought Irish Nationalists should help. Six weeks after the war started, Redmond made an important speech at Woodenbridge, Co Wicklow, in which he called on members of the Irish Volunteers to go to Belgium and France, where they would fight for the British Empire. This is part of what he said: Irishmen have two duties. One is to defend, at all costs, Ireland from any foreign invasion. Secondly, to prove how courageous Irishmen have always been in battle. I am encouraged to see around me so many men who would make good soldiers. I say to you Go on drilling and get ready for whatever you are called to do in defence of right, freedom and religion in this war. Adapted from John Redmond s speech to the Irish Volunteers at Woodenbridge, 20 September 1914 Here is another extract from a speech by Redmond at this time: "...armed Nationalist Catholics in the South will be only too glad to join arms with the armed Protestant Ulstermen in the North. Is it too much to hope that out of this situation there may spring a result which will be good, not merely for the Empire, but good for the future welfare and integrity of the Irish nation?" John Redmond, 3 August 1914 Make a list of bullet points, giving the reasons why Redmond thought that Irishmen should fight in the war. When you have finished, discuss each point in class, saying what you think of it. However, not all Irish Nationalists agreed with Redmond. While most of the Volunteers supported him, about 10,000 broke away after the Woodenbridge speech and formed a new group under Eoin MacNeill. This group kept the name Irish Volunteers, while Redmond s much larger group became known as the National Volunteers. Many of these National Volunteers joined the British Army. 92

11 Unit 27: Ireland and World War 1 A recruitment poster showing John Redmond encouraging Irishmen to join the British Army John Redmond at a passing out parade for Volunteers who have joined the British Army They were turned into two Irish Divisions of the British Army, the 10th and the 16th Irish Divisions, which were mostly Nationalist and Catholic. Redmond hoped that they would be joined together in a separate Irish Brigade. Although Asquith supported this, it did not happen, because the War Office, which organised things like this, didn t favour the Irish Nationalists as much as the Ulster Unionists. But this did not stop thousands of Irishmen joining the British Army. Write a letter from Eoin MacNeill to Redmond, after Redmond s speech at Woodenbridge, explaining why he strongly disagreed with him and what he intended to do. Unionists After the First World War began, Carson told the government that it could have trained members of the UVF to serve in the British Army. These UVF men were given their own separate division in the Army, the 36th Ulster Division, which was to recruit 10,000 men. Recruiting in Ulster began immediately. Carson, Craig and the other Unionist leaders encouraged their supporters to join the new Ulster Division. They believed that if they helped Britain in her hour of need, the British would not force Home Rule on Ulster when the war was over. By April 1915 the Unionist newspaper, the Belfast Newsletter, was claiming that 35,000 men from Ulster had joined the British Army. This is what the same newspaper had said about the UVF the previous year: The organisation [UVF] has risen to a great occasion with... enthusiasm... bearing out to the full the frequent references of Sir Edward Carson to the loyalty of the Force and their readiness to do everything in their power to uphold [Britain] and to maintain the honour and prestige of the Empire. From the Belfast Newsletter, 6 August

12 Unit 32: The War of Independence Read the newspaper report about Bloody Sunday and answer the questions that follow. 1. Pick out sentences from this newspaper report that give the impression that: (a) the army officers who were shot were seen by the IRA to be legitimate targets; (b) the police action in Croke Park was taken in self defense; (c) the crowds at Croke Park were prepared for trouble. 2. What would an historian consider when judging if this report might be biased? 3. Rewrite this report from a different political point of view. Partition Proposed While the War of Independence was being fought, the British government returned to the problem of Ulster. The Prime Minister, who was now David Lloyd George, had set up a committee to work out a solution to the Ulster problem. The committee s main proposal was partition. This introduced a border, which would divide Ireland into two parts: Northern Ireland and what became known as the Irish Free State. The big question for the committee to sort out was how many counties should be in Northern Ireland. The members of the committee thought that it should include the nine counties of Ulster, but at the last moment the government reduced the number of counties from nine to six. This was what the Ulster Unionist leaders wanted. They knew that a nine county area, which included Cavan, Monaghan and Donegal, would mean that Unionists were only just a majority. A six county area would give the Unionists a larger and safer majority. Derry City Donegal Londonderry Antrim Belfast Tyrone Fermanagh Armagh Monaghan Cavan Roman Catholic Protestant / Other Down The nine counties of Ulster showing the boundary of Northern Ireland. The circles show the proportion of Protestants and Catholics in each county, according to a census taken in

13 UNIT 36: Ireland in the Second World War Conscription: making citizens join the armed forces. Convoy: A group of ships travelling together. Damaged homes on Belfast's Whitewell Road after the Blitz. Northern Ireland and the War As part of the UK, Northern Ireland was heavily involved in the war effort. In fact, the Unionist Government felt that if Northern Ireland took part enthusiastically, it would be a way of showing the British Government the value of holding on to it. The Catholic minority in the North were sometimes less enthusiastic and, because of this, conscription was never introduced here, unlike the rest of the UK. Stirling bombers and Sunderland flying boats were built in Belfast by Short Brothers and Harland. The Ulster linen industry saw a revival during the war years, as did engineering and the rope works. Northern Ireland was also on the front line in the war itself. There were major naval bases at Belfast and Londonderry and these were vital for the protection of Atlantic convoys from German U-Boats (submarines). Aircraft based in Northern Ireland acted as look-outs for ships crossing the Atlantic by flying over and ahead of them, looking for U-boats. The Belfast Blitz All this made Northern Ireland a possible target for the Luftwaffe (German air force) but the Stormont Government didn t take this danger seriously enough. So there were few defences in place when bombing raids came in April On the night of 15/16 April, about 160 planes bombed Belfast, killing 900 people. This was the biggest loss of life in a single raid outside London. So many fires broke out that the Prime Minster of Northern Ireland, James Craig, telephoned de Valera at 1:30 am to request help. De Valera directed that any fire engines and crew who wanted to, could go north and help, and 13 did so, mainly from Dublin and Drogheda. There was another big raid on 4/5 May with 205 aircraft, though only 150 were killed, but the harbour and shipyard area was heavily damaged. De Valera made a speech in Castlebar, Co Mayo, on 20th April Here is part of what he said: In the past, and probably in the present, too, a number of them did not see eye to eye with us politically, but they are our people we are one and the same people and their sorrows in the present instance are also our sorrows; and I want to say to them that any help we can give to them in the present time we will give to them wholeheartedly, believing that were the circumstances reversed they would also give us their help wholeheartedly Would you describe de Valera's words as neutral? 130

14 UNIT 36: Ireland in the Second World War project Compile a report on the Belfast Blitz. You should include: an introduction an account of the Blitz photographs how newspapers reported the event comments from people who survived it an account of the aftermath a conclusion, giving your own reactions to what you have discovered Word process your report and submit it in a neat binding and include a cover page. When you have all finished, talk about your projects in class. What did you find difficult? Did anything surprise you? The Americans Arrive From mid-1942, large numbers of American soldiers began to arrive in Northern Ireland as part of the build up for invading Nazi-occupied Europe. Including British forces, there were 300,000 military personnel in the province by By then 25% of Fermanagh s population were servicemen! The province, with its wide variety of terrain, was a useful place to train soldiers. Terrain: Landscape: hills, rivers, coasts etc. Condolences: sorrow and sympathy on the occasion of a death. Many airfields, army bases and prisoner-of-war camps were built in Northern Ireland during the war. Were there any of these sited near where you live? Can you see anything there today? The End of the War In the last week of the war, after Hitler had killed himself, de Valera visited the German Ambassador in Dublin on 2 May 1945 to offer his condolences. He had already visited the US Embassy on the 15 April following the death of President Roosevelt. This sympathy visit angered many leaders and people. The debate over Irish neutrality started again and led to hostile comments from the American and British Governments. Surrendered U-boats moored at Lisahally. When Germany surrendered in May 1945, the German U-Boat fleet was ordered to sail for the Royal Naval base at Derry. No fewer than 116 U-Boats sailed up the Foyle and surrendered. They were moored at Lisahally and later, most of them were towed out to the sea off Inishowen and sunk. Many women met and married American servicemen and went back to the United States with them when the war was over. They were called GI brides, after the common name for the soldiers: GIs 131

15 The Modern World UNIT 37: The Holocaust Nazi: a political term used for Hitler and his supporters. Liberated: freed. Annihilate: kill every one. The Nazis and the Jews By 1944, the Allied forces were successfully advancing into Europe and driving back the German occupation. As they advanced into Germany in the Spring of 1945, they found very distressing evidence of the cruelty and brutality of the Nazi regime under Hitler. Hitler blamed the Jews for most of Germany's problems before the war. As far back as 1922 Hitler had said: Once I really am in power, my first and foremost task will be the annihilation of the Jews. He also said he had the Final Solution to the Jewish Problem. Nazis used the phrase Leben unwertes Leben meaning Life unworthy of life to refer to the Jews and other groups of people. Hatred or discrimination against Jews is called anti-semitism. Anti-semitism is an example of prejudice. Prejudice means to form an opinion about somebody based purely on the group, religion or race that they belong to. Can you think of any examples of prejudice in your country today? What could you do to help reduce this prejudice? The word holocaust comes from the Greek words hólos, meaning whole and kaustós meaning burnt. It refers to a religious ceremony carried out by Jews many centuries ago, and which is recorded in the Bible (Lev 1). In 1945, concentration camps like Belsen and Dachau were liberated by the British and Americans. Prisoners were found starved, looking like little more than skin and bone. Many had been worked to the death in German factories. Troops from Northern Ireland took part in the liberation of Belsen concentration camp. This was horrifying, but the advancing Soviet army discovered even worse in German-occupied Poland. At places like Treblinka and Auschwitz the Nazis had created huge killing factories, each covering up to 15 square miles. Here thousands of people were brought by train every day to be killed and their bodies disposed of. Most died by being gassed. The victims included gypsies, the disabled and communists but Jews were by far the biggest group. In all the occupied territories, Jews were rounded up and taken to Poland for imprisonment and eventually death. Jews today call this The Holocaust and it played a big part in the Allies decision to create the independent state of Israel in Up to then Jews had lived all over Europe. About six million Jews were killed by the Nazis and their property was stolen. There were only nine million Jews living in Europe before the war began. About three million victims were men, two million were women and one million were children. For comparison, there are about 1.8 million people living in Northern Ireland today. The Holocaust is uniquely terrible in world history. Many of the leaders involved in it were put on trial at the end of the war. These trials took place at Nuremberg in Germany from 1945 to Most of the leaders were found guilty and executed after the trials were over. 132