Ireland_England_Dbq_for_Ap_Euro_Hist

Ireland and England’s relationship between 1800 and 1916 was tumultuous at best. Politics, nationalism, and religion caused huge rifts between the two countries. England believed they had authority over the country, and that “Ireland should be governed in the English interest,” as England’s history with Ireland went back before Ireland was even an organized state. (Document 1) The Irish obviously felt that they should have control of the land they grew up on and cultivated. They didn’t want to be ruled by the king of England, across the sea, in a different country, of a different religion. “All of civilization, arts, comfort, wealth that Ireland enjoys she owes exclusively to England,” argues John Wilson Croaker. (Document 5) However, most Irish, particularly the Catholics who opposed the Act of Union in 1801, didn’t see it that way. “The land of Ireland belongs to the people of Ireland. Those who cultivate it have a higher claim to its absolute possession than landlords who only use it for profit or pleasure,” declared the National Land League in 1879, certainly repeating what many Irish believed. (Document 6) Most of Ulster, the northernmost province of Ireland, was Protestant but in the rest of the country, the majority of the Irish were Catholic. (Document 9) This caused clashes with England, which was a Protestant country at the time. William J. Flynn argued that Protestantism in Ireland would die out eventually, like other national minorities. (Document 11) William Bulfin believed that the hostility toward Catholicism from Protestants wasn’t something intentional, just passed down from parent to child and that Ireland would eventually “heal” Ireland from the Protestants’ attitude. (Document 10) According to Document 4, the English viewed the Irish Catholic people as immoral for worshipping the Pope, who they believed was “corrupting priesthood”. They believed that only the gospel could save the Irish from themselves and that Catholicism was the “root of Irish misery”. (Document 4) Nationalism, too, had a play in the feud. As well as being politically separated from England, the Irish wanted to be separated culturally as well. The daughters of Ireland wanted to “Re-establish complete independence of Ireland; to encourage and study Celtic language, of Irish literature, history, music, and art; to support and publicize Irish manufacture,” all while secluding and discouraging any English traditions or influence. (Document 8) In 1912, the Irish Review published that English and Irish ideals are “destructive of one another”. Celts appreciate beauty, while English appreciate power, and that no one should believe they can coexist. (Document 13) In 1916, the Irish became a Republic. Irish people were allowed equal rights and to belong to any religion they wanted and disclaimed the “alien government” who infringed on Irish happiness and prosperity, ending the conflict. (Document 14)