India and Northern Ireland

When was the East India Company founded?

1600

What was the original purpose of the East India Company?

To trade with India on behalf of the English Crown.

How did the East India Company gradually evolve?

It acquired political power in addition to commercial influence.

What happened at the Battle of Plassey in 1757?

The British defeated the Nawab of Bengal.

Why is the Battle of Plassey considered a turning point?

It marked the beginning of British domination in India.

What was the Indian Rebellion of 1857 also called?

The Sepoy Mutiny.

Who were the sepoys?

Indian soldiers serving in the British East India Company's army.

Why is the Indian Rebellion of 1857 important?

It was the first major challenge to British rule in India.

What happened after the Indian Rebellion of 1857?

Britain abolished Company rule and took direct control.

What was the British Raj?

The period of direct British rule over India from 1858 to 1947.

When did the British Raj begin?

1858.

What organisation was founded in 1885?

The Indian National Congress.

Why is the Indian National Congress important?

It became the main political force fighting for independence.

What happened at Amritsar in 1919?

British troops fired on an unarmed crowd.

What is another name for the Amritsar Massacre?

The Jallianwala Bagh Massacre.

What was the consequence of the Amritsar Massacre?

It strengthened Indian nationalism.

Who led the Salt March in 1930?

Mahatma Gandhi.

What was Gandhi protesting during the Salt March?

The British tax on salt.

What did the Salt March symbolise?

Non-violent civil disobedience.

When did India gain independence?

1947.

What major event accompanied Indian independence?

The Partition of India.

Which two countries emerged from Partition in 1947?

India and Pakistan.

What were the consequences of Partition?

Mass violence and the displacement of millions of people.

Who was assassinated in 1948?

Mahatma Gandhi.

Who assassinated Gandhi?

A Hindu extremist.

Why is Gandhi famous worldwide?

For his philosophy of non-violent resistance.

When did India become a republic?

1950.

What document transformed India into a republic?

The Constitution of India.

Who was Mahatma Gandhi?

The leader of the Indian independence movement and advocate of non-violence.

What is the significance of 1947 in Indian history?

It marks the end of British colonial rule.

What was the Act of Union of 1801?

The act that integrated Ireland into the United Kingdom.

What was the consequence of the Act of Union?

Ireland was governed directly from London.

What caused the Great Famine (1845–1849)?

A potato blight that destroyed crops.

Approximately how many people died during the Great Famine?

Around one million.

Approximately how many people emigrated during the Great Famine?

Around one million.

How did the Great Famine affect Irish attitudes toward Britain?

It increased resentment against British rule.

What was the Easter Rising of 1916?

A nationalist rebellion against British rule in Dublin.

Why is the Easter Rising significant?

It became a symbol of Irish independence despite its military failure.

What treaty ended the Irish War of Independence?

The Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921.

What political entity was created by the Anglo-Irish Treaty?

The Irish Free State.

How many counties remained in the United Kingdom after 1921?

Six counties in Northern Ireland.

What is meant by the Partition of Ireland?

The division of the island into Northern Ireland and the Irish Free State.

Why is Partition a key concept?

It is one of the main causes of modern Northern Irish tensions.

What movement began in Northern Ireland in 1968?

The Civil Rights Movement.

Who inspired the Northern Irish Civil Rights Movement?

The American Civil Rights Movement.

What did Catholic activists demand in the Civil Rights Movement?

Equal rights and an end to discrimination.

When did the Troubles begin?

1969.

What were the Troubles?

A violent conflict involving nationalists, unionists and British security forces.

How long did the Troubles last?

Nearly thirty years.

What happened on Bloody Sunday in 1972?

British soldiers killed fourteen Catholic demonstrators in Derry.

Why is Bloody Sunday important?

It became one of the defining events of the Troubles.

What were the Hunger Strikes of 1981?

Republican prisoners refused food to protest their treatment.

Who was Bobby Sands?

An IRA member who died during the Hunger Strikes.

How many days did Bobby Sands survive on hunger strike?

Sixty-six days.

What agreement largely ended the Troubles?

The Good Friday Agreement of 1998.

What is the main principle of the Good Friday Agreement?

Power-sharing between unionists and nationalists.

Who are the Unionists?

People who want Northern Ireland to remain in the United Kingdom.

What is another name for Unionists?

Loyalists.

What religion are Unionists mainly associated with?

Protestantism.

Who are the Nationalists?

People who want a united Ireland.

What is another name for Nationalists?

Republicans.

What religion are Nationalists mainly associated with?

Catholicism.

How do Republicans generally view British presence in Northern Ireland?

As an occupation.

What does IRA stand for?

Irish Republican Army.

What was the IRA's objective?

To end British rule and achieve Irish reunification.

Who was Michael Collins?

A leader of the Irish War of Independence and negotiator of the 1921 Treaty.

Why is Michael Collins important?

He was a major figure in Irish nationalism.

Who was John Hume?

A politician who promoted peaceful solutions to the conflict.

Why is John Hume remembered?

For helping build the peace process.

Who was David Trimble?

A moderate unionist leader.

Why is David Trimble important?

He co-signed the Good Friday Agreement.

What is sectarianism?

Hostility between Catholic and Protestant communities.

What is power-sharing?

A political system in which unionists and nationalists govern together.

How many people died during the Troubles?

More than 3,500.

What are murals in Northern Ireland?

Political wall paintings expressing community identities.

What are peace walls?

Barriers separating some Catholic and Protestant neighbourhoods.

What constitutional debate continues today in Northern Ireland?

Whether Ireland should be reunified.

Why has Brexit affected Northern Ireland?

It revived debates about the Irish border and reunification.

What are the two major communities involved in the Troubles?

Unionists/Loyalists and Nationalists/Republicans.

What is one visible legacy of the Troubles in Belfast?

Murals and peace walls.

What is the relationship between the Troubles and identity?

The conflict was political, religious and identity-based.

What year is central to both the Anglo-Irish Treaty and Partition?

1921.

Why is the Good Friday Agreement considered historic?

It established a framework for lasting peace and cooperation.