Independence Movements -- Ireland and India

Penal laws

Laws that suppressed the status of Catholics in Ireland

Great Famine

Causes widespread poverty. England escalates the problem by exporting crops that could have fed the starving, and providing no relief programs

Protestant Ascendancy

Protestant minority in Ireland controls the majority of the land. Most are absentee landlords that don't live there but still charge high rent prices, causing mass evictions

The political, economic, and social domination of Ireland at the hands of the Protestants

Act of Union

Britain financially bullies Ireland into joining them and becoming the UK

French Revolution and Wolfe Tone

Inspired Ireland to do the same

Daniel O'Connell and Catholic Emancipation

O'Connell founded the Repeal Association which protested peacefully around Ireland, Britain did not repeal the Act of Union which was their goal, but the movement mobilized support and brought awareness to Irish independence

Fenian Brotherhood

IRB counterpart in America which provided bonds that Irish could buy to support the IRB

Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB)

Secret organization focused on gaining Irish Independence and a republic. They believed in physical force and rebellion.
Used guerrilla warfare and flying columns in the War for Independence and Civil War. A flying column is a small very mobile infantry unit

The Land War and Land League

Farmers angry at rent and land conditions protested through demonstrations such as burning their abandoned homes down. Gained national support

Gaelic Revival and Gaelic League

revival of Irish language, literature, history, and folklore, taught Gaelic in schools and printed it in newspapers

Home Rule League

Radical pressure group that wanted to work with the Fenians and was able to get constitutionalists and violent nationalists to work together

Easter Rising

Militant Irish nationalist revolt against British rule while they were distracted by WWI; quickly suppressed but Britain's harsh reaction (executed a dozen IRB leaders without trial and arrested hundreds) sparked wider support for Irish independence. Caused the Civil War

Rise of Sinn Fein

This nationalist party won the 1918/1919 election in a landslide after the Easter Rising

Dail Eireann

Parliament created by members of Sinn Fein. Set up local governments and passed the Irish Declaration of Independence

Terence MacSwiney Hunger Strike

Lord mayor of Cork went on a hunger strike and died, his death brought Irish issues national attention.

Was wearing his IRA uniform in public, got sent to jail, they tortured him to try to get him to eat but it didn’t work

To what extent was Irish Independence successful?

To a pretty good extent, as the Republic of Ireland gained full independence, however Northern Ireland remains part of the UK

Anglo-Irish Treaty

Result of the Anglo-Irish war. Required an oath of allegiance to Britain and partitioned the country into Northern Ireland and Ireland. It was controversial (leading to the Civil War) as many nationalists wanted true independence from Britain.

Irish Civil War

Caused by rising tensions between pro (led by Michael Collins) and anti (led by Eamon de Valera) treaty Irish.

State of Ireland after the Civil War

Economically crippled by both wars, reliant on Britain's banking system, Great Depression tanks the economy.

Economic Issues (Ireland)

Taxes are ineffective so the government has to cancel social programs, affecting quality of life. Economic dependence and trade war with Britain

Religious issues (Ireland)

Laws prohibit divorce and birth control for women, but they are able to solve this problem. Religious tensions as government chooses to separate church and state

Mercantilism in India

Britain takes India's raw goods and sells back the finished products at a higher price

Uprising against East India Company (EIC)

EIC is removed from power, Britain takes full control, causing tensions

Conflict in Bengal

Britain partitioned Bengal to divide the growing nationalist movements, this created outrage which boosted the INC into a national organization

Amritsar Massacre

A crowd gathered to protest Britain’s ban of public meetings, and in response the British opened fire on the crowd. Caused outrage and led to the rise of Gandhi as a movement leader

Impact of the Great Depression (India)

Worsened divide between poor and wealthy as the middle/upper class benefitted from lowered prices on British goods, while farmers and peasants suffered

Haral

Form of protest consisting of work stoppage and large meetings

Satyagraha

“Soul-force“ — boycotts, civil disobedience, strikes, silence, self-reliance such as an emphasis on buying Indian made goods to combat mercantilism

Non-Cooperation Campaign

Peaceful resistance of British rule in India through refusal to cooperate with British authorities and institutions. Led by the INC and Gandhi. Demanded self-governance. Gandhi called it off after protests started to become violent

The Salt March

Britain heavily taxed salt, something all Indian people needed in daily life. In protest Gandhi led a march and broke the Salt laws by picking up a piece, starting a protest and resulting of hundreds of thousands of deaths by British. Generated a lot of national and international support for the cause

Lucknow Pact

After the Salt March the British agree to negotiate but the INC ignore them until Gandhi is released, Gandhi negotiates for economic independence but Britain gives them little, so Gandhi calls for renewed civil disobedience.

The pact promoted cooperation between India and Britain

Two Nation Theory

Muslim League calling for a separate state (more of a post-independence issue)

Government of India Act

Limited reforms towards Indian independence on Britain’s part. Both the Muslim League and INC opposed this, seeing it as too little, too late

Quit India Campaign

War creates opportunities for India as Britain offers them independence in return for support. INC denies, and calls for Britain’s immediate removal from India

Sikh Separatism

Sikhs (ethnic minority) are not represented in the partition of India into Pakistan and IndiaP

Political Extremism and Religious tensions (india)

Gandhi is assassinated by a Muslim extremist group, causing widespread nationalist outrage and tensions between Hindus and Muslims

Economic issues post-independence (India)

Poverty, unemployment, landlessness, and unequal distribution of resources. The government addresses these problems with a Five Year Plan, which is somewhat successful as there is a very high population.

Green Revolution

India has an agricultural boom following independence, boosting their economy and rapidly industrializing the country

Social issues post-independence (India)

Education improved, women’s rights improved, caste system abolished but prejudices still remain. Massive population growth