Causes of the 1916 Easter Rising.

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Name: Christopher Mc Curry

Class: 11.a

Subject: History

Teacher: Mr.Brolly

Date: 23/5/03


Causes of the 1916 Easter Rising.

 

     There were many rebellions throughout the years in Ireland against the British crown. Most of these rebellions were from 1803-1916. All of these rebellions were a complete failure apart from one significant rebellion, which was the Easter Rising of 1916. The rising was a military failure, but it gained a dramatic number of supporters for the nationalist movement from then onwards. There is no particular reason for the rising. There were a lot of events and background leading up to it but nothing can be directly blamed for it. There was a mix of both long and short term causes of the rising. There were many causes like the Home Rule Issue, the cultural revival, the resurfacing of the home rule issue, unionist opposition, the revival of the IRB, socialist activity and World War one which all had their part in the cause of the 1916 Easter Rising.

     In the period leading up to the First World War there had been a move towards Home Rule for Ireland. Home Rule would have given the Irish their own parliament that could make laws relating to domestic (Irish) issues but Major decisions about the economy and foreign affairs would still be made in London. Home Rule was a very popular idea amongst the Irish population and was supported by the Liberal government of the day. Attitudes towards Home Rule changed as a result of the Easter Rising which was shown at the 1918 election as Sinn Fein won 73 seats while the Home Rule party won only a mere 6 seats while the unionists won 26 seats.

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      Both Gladstone and Parnell underestimated the Protestants of Ulster. When Gladstone promised Home Rule for Ireland in 1886, many Irish Protestants decided to organise an energetic campaign against it. This lead to many anti home rule riots in 1886. These riots were when working class unionists in Belfast took more direct action to show their opposition to the home rule bill. Before Parliament voted on the Home Rule Bill in June 1886, rioting broke out between Catholics and Protestants in Belfast. Many Catholics and Protestants were killed during these riots. The riots went on even after Parliament ...

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