WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT...
4. THE AGE OF REVOLUTIONS
Two of the three sections are covered: the American War of Independence and the 1798 Rebellion.
Background to the Age of Revolutions:
Absolute monarchy. The divine right of kings. The privileges of the nobility.
The Enlightenment. John Locke (people had the right to get rid of bad monarchs)
4A THE AMERICAN WAR OF INDEPENDENCE
Causes
The Armies
Britain’s advantages: full time, navy, four times as many soldiers
Britain’s problems: far from home, did not know the countryside.
America’ advantages: fighting for home, knew countryside, good shots, guerrilla tactics, help from French.
America’s disadvantages: ‘minute men’, discipline poor.
The War
Went badly at first for America.
Victories at Trenton and Princeton.
Gates defeated the British at Saratoga.
The winter at Valley Forge (many died but Von Steuben trained the army).
At Yorktown Cornwallis, trapped between the French at sea and Washington’s forces on land, surrendered.
Results
4B THE UNITED IRISHMEN AND THE 1798 REBELLION
Background and causes
Irish Parliament controlled by Protestant Ascendancy (C of I only 15% and most of the land)
Penal laws left Catholics poor and uneducated.
Tithes still had to be paid.
The influence of the American and French revolutions
The Society of United Irishmen
Wolfe Tone (Dublin, Anglican Trinity barrister admired French Revolution)
1791 Tone and Belfast Presbyterians formed the UI
Aim: Catholic and Protestant together would end British interference in Ireland
1793 War with France. British Government afraid of Ireland. The UI was banned. Now a rebellion and a republic
was the only way.
Tone escaped to America and then to France to get help.
1796 General Hoche and Bantry Bay storms.
The Rising
General Lake’s repression in Ulster and Leinster.
House burning flogging, pitch capping and half hanging
Spies and informers led to the arrest of the leaders, including Lord Edward Fitzgerald
The Rising in Dublin and the surrounding counties was easily put down
Wexford: Actions of Yeomen (part-time) and Militia (full-time) provoked rising.
Father Murphy won at Oulart Hill, Enniscorthy and freed Bagenal Harvey in Wexford
Important defeat at New Ross
Atrocity at Scullabogue
Final defeat at Vinegar Hill.
Ulster: Henry Joy McCracken defeated in Antrim and Henry Munro defeated in Down.
The End: Tone arrived in Lough Swilly. Sentenced to hang and committed suicide.
Results
· 30000 dead
· Bitterness against British
· Bitterness between Catholics and Protestant.
· Further Rebellions
· The
Act of Union
Two of the three sections are covered: the American War of Independence and the 1798 Rebellion.
Background to the Age of Revolutions:
Absolute monarchy. The divine right of kings. The privileges of the nobility.
The Enlightenment. John Locke (people had the right to get rid of bad monarchs)
4A THE AMERICAN WAR OF INDEPENDENCE
Causes
- Britain wanted to tax the colonists for the 7 Years
War with the French and
Indians. - ‘No
Taxation without Representation’ and the
Sons of Liberty (attacked
collectors). - The
Navigation Acts (American exports had to
go to Britain and on British
ships. - The
Boston Massacre (5 demonstrators shot by
British soldiers) - The
Boston Tea Party - British killed 8 in Lexington on their way
to get arms in Concorde. But Paul Revere had
warned the Americans and they ambushed and shot
273. - The
Continental Congress made
Washington commander-in-chief and passed the Declaration
of Independence.
The Armies
Britain’s advantages: full time, navy, four times as many soldiers
Britain’s problems: far from home, did not know the countryside.
America’ advantages: fighting for home, knew countryside, good shots, guerrilla tactics, help from French.
America’s disadvantages: ‘minute men’, discipline poor.
The War
Went badly at first for America.
Victories at Trenton and Princeton.
Gates defeated the British at Saratoga.
The winter at Valley Forge (many died but Von Steuben trained the army).
At Yorktown Cornwallis, trapped between the French at sea and Washington’s forces on land, surrendered.
Results
- Washington became
President. - United States of America was
founded. - State government and Federal
government. - Influenced other
countries.
4B THE UNITED IRISHMEN AND THE 1798 REBELLION
Background and causes
Irish Parliament controlled by Protestant Ascendancy (C of I only 15% and most of the land)
Penal laws left Catholics poor and uneducated.
Tithes still had to be paid.
The influence of the American and French revolutions
The Society of United Irishmen
Wolfe Tone (Dublin, Anglican Trinity barrister admired French Revolution)
1791 Tone and Belfast Presbyterians formed the UI
Aim: Catholic and Protestant together would end British interference in Ireland
1793 War with France. British Government afraid of Ireland. The UI was banned. Now a rebellion and a republic
was the only way.
Tone escaped to America and then to France to get help.
1796 General Hoche and Bantry Bay storms.
The Rising
General Lake’s repression in Ulster and Leinster.
House burning flogging, pitch capping and half hanging
Spies and informers led to the arrest of the leaders, including Lord Edward Fitzgerald
The Rising in Dublin and the surrounding counties was easily put down
Wexford: Actions of Yeomen (part-time) and Militia (full-time) provoked rising.
Father Murphy won at Oulart Hill, Enniscorthy and freed Bagenal Harvey in Wexford
Important defeat at New Ross
Atrocity at Scullabogue
Final defeat at Vinegar Hill.
Ulster: Henry Joy McCracken defeated in Antrim and Henry Munro defeated in Down.
The End: Tone arrived in Lough Swilly. Sentenced to hang and committed suicide.
Results
· 30000 dead
· Bitterness against British
· Bitterness between Catholics and Protestant.
· Further Rebellions
· The
Act of Union