The History of Ireland

Purpose/Objectives• Introduce important points about

ancient Irish history• Use hyperlinks and video to enhance

understanding of significant historical events and people

• Provide a foundation for future analysis of (1) Irish history (post 1800) and (2) the role Irish played in shaping the fabric of American culture

The Physical Features

•Location•Other countries

that would effect Ireland’s history?

•Advantages?•Disadvantages

?

The Earliest People• 4th Century

– mainly consisted of various tribes

– never claimed under the Roman Empire

• Eventually the tribes established provinces

• Each province had:– King (Chief)– Professional jurists

who administered laws

Saint Patrick’s Early Life

• Born in Scotland in 387• At age 16, he was taken

captive– Became a Chief’s slave in

County Antrim – He learned the Celtic

customs and language• After six years he escaped and

made his way back to Britain– Began his life as a

missionary in the Catholic Church

Saint Patrick’s Return to Ireland

• Saint Patrick returned to Ireland in the summer of 433

• Speaking the native Gaelic, he began converting the natives to Catholicism– He used the shamrock to explain

the Catholic belief in the Holy Trinity

• Saint Patrick traveled throughout Ireland establishing Churches and spreading his religion

• Saint Patrick died on March 17, 493 (461?) in Ireland

• There were no snakes!!!!!

Vikings Invade• Vikings invaded Ireland

from the 8th – 10th century

• They raided monasteries along the coast for:– Goods– Livestock– Slaves

• Primarily from Norway and Denmark

• The Viking ships provided a quick and efficient means of attack

Click on the image above for embedded video

The Vikings Look to Stay

• Eventually the Vikings established trading posts– Limerick, Cork, Waterford,

Dublin• The Irish were able to

reclaim some cities (Dublin 917)

• Over time, the Vikings blended into the Irish culture – Became merchants,

seaman, and military allies

The English Attack• In the 12th century Anglo-

Norman (British) groups began to invade Ireland– Needed land for a growing

kingdom– Various nobility looked to claim

land

• The English established their own laws and created a parliament

• Countries like Scotland attempted to help remove the English, but the Anglo-Norman numbers continued to grow

The English Flex Their Muscles

• King Henry VII established strict laws for Ireland under British rule– No traditional Irish laws– Must follow English laws– No assembly of the Irish

military– All laws of the Irish

Parliament t had to be approved by the King

The Question of Religion

• Henry VIII attempted to transform Ireland from a Catholic country to an Anglican country– Queen Mary I– Elizabeth– James I

• All forced the Anglican religion on the Irish

Oliver Cromwell• English statesman in 1649• Invaded Ireland with his army

(10,000 men)– Executed 2,000 Irish in

Drogheda– Stormed Wexford

• Reclaimed lands in Ireland for the English

• Banished Catholic landowners– Gave the land to the

Protestant army

Laws to Crush Irish Trade

• England passed the Penal Laws– The Irish could not

export•Cattle•Milk•Butter•Cheese •Wool

• Effects of this law?

The Effects of Worldwide Revolution

• Catholics allied with the French• The Irish Parliament remained

Protestant• There existed a need for

lasting peace• William Pitt (English Prime

Minister) helped pass the Act of Union– Why would Pitt help Ireland?

The 1801 Act of Union

• Ireland joined Great Britain to form the United Kingdom

• Free trade• Anglican was the official

religion of Ireland• Ireland had its own Courts• No Catholics could hold

office

Life After The Act of Union

• Catholics hated the Act• Robert Emmet (1823) led an

uprising• Results

– Catholics could hold office (1828)

– Formation of The Catholic Association

• Bad blood continued between the Catholics and Protestants

Works Cited"About Saint Patrick's Day." DLTKs. 2006. DLTKs Sites. 20 Jan. 2008

<http://www.dltk-holidays.com/patrick/about.htm>.

Bloy, Marjie. "Britain and Ireland 1789 - 1801." The Victorian Web. Apr. 1997. 23 Jan. 2008 <http://www.victorianweb.org/history/ireland1.html>.

Grigoriev, S A., and Y V. Vasina. "The Megalithic Structures of Vera Island in Turgoyak Lake, Southern Urals." 28 Nov.

2005. 20 Jan. 2008 <http://www.comparchaeology.org/EuropeMapCAWEB.gif>. Luby, Damian. "Ireland." Ireland on the Net. 2 Dec.-Jan. 2007. 20 Jan. 2008 <http://www.iol.ie/~dluby/ireland.htm>.

"Map of Ireland." 2005. Backpack New Zealand. 20 Jan. 2008 <http://www.backpack-newzealand.com/images/ireland-map.gif>.

Moran, Patrick F. "St. Patrick." New Advent. 1 Jan.-Feb. 1911. The Catholic Encyclopedia. 20 Jan. 2008 <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11554a.htm>.

"Oliver Cromwell." The Cromwell Association. 2005. Cromwell Association and the Cromwell Museum Huntingdon. 20 Jan. 2008 <http://www.olivercromwell.org/>.

Viking Warriors. Discovery Channel School. 2004. unitedstreaming. 24 January 2008<http://streaming.discoveryeducation.com/>

Walsh, Dennis. "Ireland - the Viking Era." Ireland's History in Maps. Feb. 2007. 20 Jan. 2008 <http://www.rootsweb.com/~irlkik/ihm/ire800.htm>.