Plantation of Ulster
What was the main purpose of the Plantation of Ulster organized by the English Crown?
What agreement led to the partition of Ireland in 1921?
The Government of Ireland Act (1920).
What were “The Troubles” in Northern Ireland mainly about?
A conflict over national identity, religion, and political status.
In what year was the Good Friday Agreement signed?
1998
What 2016 political event reignited debates about Irish identity and borders?
Brexit
Which groups of people were settled in Ulster during the plantation, often displacing native Irish landholders?
Who were English and Scottish Protestants?
Which part of Ireland remained within the United Kingdom after partition?
Northern Ireland, made up of six Ulster counties (Antrim, Armagh, Down, Fermanagh, Londonderry, and Tyrone).
Which two communities were in conflict during the Troubles?
Nationalist/Catholic and Unionist/Protestant communities
Which two governments oversaw the peace negotiations leading to the Good Friday Agreement?
British and Irish governments
Why is the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland significant in the Brexit debate?
Because it became the UK’s only land border with the EU.
Name one of the key counties that became the focus of the Plantation of Ulster.
What is Londonderry, Donegal, Tyrone, Fermanagh, Cavan, or Armagh?
Why did most Unionists in the north support partition?
They wanted to keep strong ties with Britain and protect their Protestant majority.
What year is often marked as the beginning of the Troubles, due to civil rights marches and unrest?
1969
What did the Good Friday Agreement establish regarding the governance of Northern Ireland?
A power-sharing assembly between Unionists and Nationalists.
What is the “Northern Ireland Protocol”?
A Brexit agreement keeping Northern Ireland aligned with EU trade rules to avoid a hard border.
What role did religion play in the tensions created by the Plantation of Ulster?
It introduced a Protestant population into a majority Catholic area, fueling sectarian conflict.
How did Irish Nationalists react to partition?
They rejected it, demanding a united and independent Ireland.
What organization represented militant Irish republicanism during the Troubles?
The Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Why was the principle of “consent” central to the Good Friday Agreement?
Because Northern Ireland’s status could only change if a majority of its people voted for it.
How has Brexit complicated the balance between Unionist and Nationalist identities in Northern Ireland?
It made Unionists feel less tied to Britain and gave Nationalists momentum for reunification.
How did the Plantation of Ulster contribute to long-term divisions in Irish society?
It created lasting political, cultural, and religious divides between Unionists and Nationalists.
What was one long-term consequence of the partition of Ireland?
It entrenched political and sectarian divisions, setting the stage for later conflict, including the Troubles.
What event in 1972, known as “Bloody Sunday,” marked a turning point in the conflict?
When British soldiers shot and killed 14 civil rights protesters in Derry.
How did the Good Friday Agreement address issues of identity and cross-border cooperation?
By recognizing both British and Irish identities and creating institutions for cooperation between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
What potential impact could Brexit have on calls for a united Ireland?
It increased discussions about a border poll and the possibility of Irish reunification.