IRELAND: A DIVIDED COUNTRY

Transcription

1 IRELAND: A DIVIDED COUNTRY Key Focus: Why is Ireland a divided nation? Level Effort (1-5) House Points (/10) Comment: Target:

2 Ipad/Internet research task Find a map of the British Isles and sketch or print and stick: Find a the flag for Republic of Ireland and sketch or print and stick: Find and write five facts about Ireland: 2

3 Map of Ireland The island of Ireland is split into two separate nations, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom, while the Republic of Ireland is a completely independent country. As you work through this homework booklet you will discover the reasons why Ireland has ended up divided today. 3

4 Different Religious beliefs Catholic Church services are full of old traditions. The churches are highly decorated and services are often read in Latin. Catholics believe in the practise of confession to cleanse their sins. The Irish during the Middle Ages was almost entirely Catholic Protestant Churches are very simple. When Henry VIII changed the English religion many of the old statues and decorations were removed from churches. Protestants believe that Christians should not need riches to be close to God and that straight forward simple churches and services in English were much more important. List the similarities and differences between the Catholic church and the Protestant church. Look at the picture as well as the writing. 4

5 The Normans had tried to interfere with Ireland in the 1100 s and every king that had attempted to rule Ireland had failed. Then the Tudors took the English throne. The most famous Tudor was Henry VIII. 1. Henry VIII changed the English religion to Protestant the problems in Ireland had worsened. Many of the Tudor monarchs decided that it would be easier to control Ireland if they sent Englishmen to live there. Because they were a different religion, people argued. 2. This upset many Irish people as the English settlers took their land and they were also Protestant. The native Irish people often rebelled against the new landowners and every time they did the rebels had even more land taken away. As more English settlers arrived the relations between the two groups got worse and worse. Answer these questions on the next page. 1. What did Henry do that worsened relationships in Ireland? (point 1) 2. How did Tudor Monarchs try to control Ireland? (point 2) 5

6 Different religious beliefs Answer the questions from page 4 here

7 Relationships worsen 1. By 1640 over 25,000 English settlers were living in Ireland. The hatred between the English Protestants and the Irish Catholics turned into violence in 1641 when thousands of English settlers were killed by the Irish. The English government wanted revenge for all of the dead settlers. But England was fighting a Civil War in their own country and could not go for revenge straightaway. 2. By 1649, the English Civil War was sorted out and so the English were ready to go and get revenge. The English leader, Oliver Cromwell, put an army of 12,000 men together and went to Ireland to take control. 3. When they got to a big Irish city, called Drogheda, Oliver Cromwell wrote the letter that is below. Read the letter (source C) and the cartoon on the next page to find our what happened. I order the city of Drogheda to surrender. If you do surrender, you will be allowed to live. If you do not surrender, you will not be able to blame me if you die. Read this page and the cartoon on page 6. Then answer these questions on page Why did the English want revenge? (point 1) 2. Explain why the Irish Catholics may hate the English after the events shown above? (read the cartoon) 3. What interpretation (impression) do you have of Cromwell? Write a list of 5 words you would use to describe him. 7

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9 Relationships Worsen Answer the questions from page 6 here

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11 Ireland in the 19 th and 20 th Century 1. During the late 1800 s opinions in Ireland were very different to each other. Some people want to remain part of the United Kingdom, these people were called Unionists and were mainly protestants. Other people wanted Ireland to be an independent nation that controlled itself. These people were called Nationalists and were usually Catholic. 2. For a long time the Nationalists tried to talk to the British Government. They hoped that the British would let them rule Ireland themselves. Unfortunately for the Nationalists the British kept saying no. The Anglo-Irish War 3. Some Nationalists got fed up of waiting and decided to use violence. In 1919 they began a war against Britain. A group known as the Irish Republican Army (IRA) began to attack government buildings, kill important British people. 4. The British responded with using the Irish Police and the British Army. The battles were brutal and many people died. The conflicts continued to happen up to Both sides got sick of the fighting by 1921 so the British government agreed to have talks with the Nationalists. 5. At the talks it was agreed that Ireland would be split into two parts. The southern part of Ireland would have its own government and make its own decisions, but it did have to stay in the British Empire. The Northern part of Ireland, where most Unionists lived, would stay as part of Britain. 11

12 6. Not everyone in the new independent Ireland was happy. They wanted all of Ireland to be free and they did not want to be part of the British Empire at all. They kept asking and debating with the British to let them be fully independent. In 1949 the British Government said yes. The Southern part of Ireland became known as the Republic of Ireland. The Troubles 7. Northern Ireland had two groups of people with different views about Northern Ireland. The Unionists wanted to stay with Britain, but the Nationalist living in Northern Ireland wanted to join with the Republic years of violence began because of these different opinions. Many people lost their lives. The IRA planted bombs and killed lots of Unionists. The British responded by imprisoning people without trial and sending the British Army to Northern Ireland. 9. The most famous incident of the Troubles occurred on 30 January A march through the streets of Londonderry in north-west Northern Ireland ended with the shooting dead of thirteen civilians by the British Army. 10. By 1996 both sides had realised that violence was not going to get them what they wanted, so all sides agreed to sit down together and try to reach an agreement. 11. The peace talks ended successfully in 1998 when the Good Friday Agreement was signed. This agreement said that Northern Ireland would run its own country but stay British. Importantly politicians from both the Unionist and Nationalists would be in government together. Both leaders of both Northern Ireland and the Republic also agreed that any future decision on the two parts of Ireland joining together would happen only if the people of each country voted to join together at the same time. 12

13 Explain how and why Ireland is a divided nation? LEVELLED PIECE: Use the information on pages 10 and What religion were Unionists and what religion were Nationalists? (1, 2) 2. Why did the Nationalists begin fighting the British in the Anglo-Irish War? (3, 4) 3. At the talks after the war what happened to Ireland? Give a detailed answer. (5, 6) 4. Why did the troubles start? (7, 8 & 9) 5. What did the Good Friday Agreement say about a possible united Ireland in the future? (10, 11)

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