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0
K
Katie
09/12/2025
History
higher history ireland and britain essay plan issue 4
341
•
9 Dec 2025
•
Higher History Essay on Ireland and Britain: Irish Civil War Causes
K
Katie
@katiekeenan8
Background and the Anglo-Irish Treaty
The Anglo-Irish Treaty was signed on 6th December 1921, officially ending the war between Ireland and Britain. However, this treaty became the spark that ignited a devastating civil war amongst the Irish themselves.
The treaty was a mixed bag of wins and losses for Ireland. On the positive side, it offered an alternative to continuing an unwinnable war against Britain and was seen as the best compromise available at the time. However, the downsides were significant - Ireland had to maintain dominion status within the British Commonwealth, meaning they were still tied to Britain rather than being truly independent.
Perhaps most controversially, Irish representatives had to swear an oath of allegiance to the British Crown. For people who had just fought a war for independence, pledging loyalty to the very monarchy they'd been fighting against felt like betrayal. This requirement alone was enough to split the Republican movement down the middle.
Key Point: The treaty created a fundamental divide between those who saw it as a stepping stone to full independence and those who viewed it as a betrayal of everything they'd fought for.
The Republican Party fractured completely over this issue. Michael Collins signed the treaty because he believed it could lead to full independence later, but Éamon de Valera rejected it, arguing it wasn't what so many had died for during the struggle.
Key Figures in the Civil War
Michael Collins found himself in an impossible position after signing the treaty. He'd been pressured to sign under the threat of renewed war with Britain, viewing it as necessary to uphold democracy and benefit all Irish people. However, his decision to shell the Four Courts in Dublin marked the beginning of violent civil conflict.
Collins genuinely didn't want the war to continue and felt the treaty was the only realistic option available. Yet many former comrades now saw him as a traitor to those who had died fighting for complete independence. The man who had been a hero of the independence struggle was now ordering attacks on fellow Irishmen.
Éamon de Valera played a complex and somewhat contradictory role in the conflict. He felt he should have been consulted before the treaty was signed and publicly stated he wanted peace, not war. However, his actions told a different story - he allowed military leaders like Liam Lynch to use guerrilla tactics against pro-treaty forces.
Key Point: The British government's refusal to grant complete independence created the conditions for civil war, but then left the Irish to fight it out amongst themselves.
The British government cleverly avoided direct involvement in the civil war. Rather than dealing with anti-treaty forces themselves, they forced Collins and the provisional Irish government to handle the situation. This meant Irish people were fighting Irish people over a treaty that Britain had imposed, while Britain stayed safely on the sidelines.
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Basil
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This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
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The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
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very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
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I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.
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THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
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Paul T
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The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
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This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
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In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
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Higher History Essay on Ireland and Britain: Irish Civil War Causes
K
Katie
@katiekeenan8
The Irish Civil War broke out in 1922 after the signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty, which ended the war with Britain but left Ireland deeply divided. This wasn't the full independence many Irish Republicans had fought for, creating a bitter... Show more
Background and the Anglo-Irish Treaty
The Anglo-Irish Treaty was signed on 6th December 1921, officially ending the war between Ireland and Britain. However, this treaty became the spark that ignited a devastating civil war amongst the Irish themselves.
The treaty was a mixed bag of wins and losses for Ireland. On the positive side, it offered an alternative to continuing an unwinnable war against Britain and was seen as the best compromise available at the time. However, the downsides were significant - Ireland had to maintain dominion status within the British Commonwealth, meaning they were still tied to Britain rather than being truly independent.
Perhaps most controversially, Irish representatives had to swear an oath of allegiance to the British Crown. For people who had just fought a war for independence, pledging loyalty to the very monarchy they'd been fighting against felt like betrayal. This requirement alone was enough to split the Republican movement down the middle.
Key Point: The treaty created a fundamental divide between those who saw it as a stepping stone to full independence and those who viewed it as a betrayal of everything they'd fought for.
The Republican Party fractured completely over this issue. Michael Collins signed the treaty because he believed it could lead to full independence later, but Éamon de Valera rejected it, arguing it wasn't what so many had died for during the struggle.
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Key Figures in the Civil War
Michael Collins found himself in an impossible position after signing the treaty. He'd been pressured to sign under the threat of renewed war with Britain, viewing it as necessary to uphold democracy and benefit all Irish people. However, his decision to shell the Four Courts in Dublin marked the beginning of violent civil conflict.
Collins genuinely didn't want the war to continue and felt the treaty was the only realistic option available. Yet many former comrades now saw him as a traitor to those who had died fighting for complete independence. The man who had been a hero of the independence struggle was now ordering attacks on fellow Irishmen.
Éamon de Valera played a complex and somewhat contradictory role in the conflict. He felt he should have been consulted before the treaty was signed and publicly stated he wanted peace, not war. However, his actions told a different story - he allowed military leaders like Liam Lynch to use guerrilla tactics against pro-treaty forces.
Key Point: The British government's refusal to grant complete independence created the conditions for civil war, but then left the Irish to fight it out amongst themselves.
The British government cleverly avoided direct involvement in the civil war. Rather than dealing with anti-treaty forces themselves, they forced Collins and the provisional Irish government to handle the situation. This meant Irish people were fighting Irish people over a treaty that Britain had imposed, while Britain stayed safely on the sidelines.
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The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
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This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
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Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
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Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good
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Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
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This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
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I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
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Xander S
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Paul T
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