Ireland: division and the Good Friday Agreement
Study note
Tensions over Irish independence grew during the early 20th century. A major event was the Easter Rising of 1916 in Dublin, when Irish nationalists rebelled against British rule. In 1921 a peace treaty led to the division of Ireland: the south became independent and later a republic, while the six counties in the north, known as Northern Ireland, remained part of the United Kingdom. This division did not unite England and Scotland or found the NHS, and it was not the end of the British Empire.
Conflict in Northern Ireland later became known as the Troubles, with years of violence between different communities. A major step towards peace came with the Good Friday Agreement of 1998, which set up new power-sharing arrangements. Remember the sequence: the Easter Rising in 1916, the partition of Ireland in 1921, and the Good Friday Agreement of 1998.
Memory tip: Easter Rising 1916; Ireland split 1921; Good Friday Agreement 1998 brings peace.
Practise this topic
Question 1 of 2
What did the treaty of 1921 lead to?
Show all questions and answers for Ireland: division and the Good Friday Agreement(2 questions with explanations)
Ireland: division and the Good Friday Agreement: questions, answers and explanations
1. What did the treaty of 1921 lead to?
- The founding of the NHS
- The division of Ireland, with Northern Ireland staying in the UK
- The end of the British Empire
- The union of England and Scotland
Correct answer: The division of Ireland, with Northern Ireland staying in the UK
The 1921 treaty divided Ireland; the south became independent and Northern Ireland stayed in the UK.
2. Which 1998 agreement helped bring peace to Northern Ireland?
- The Good Friday Agreement
- The Bill of Rights
- Magna Carta
- The Act of Union
Correct answer: The Good Friday Agreement
The Good Friday Agreement of 1998 was a major step towards peace in Northern Ireland.
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