civil rights Flashcards
(47 cards)
What was the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association (NICRA)?
Formed in 1967, it organized marches throughout Northern Ireland.
What influenced the young generation of university-educated Catholics in the 1960s?
The Civil Rights movement in the USA and the election of John F. Kennedy.
Who was America’s first Catholic President?
John F. Kennedy.
What type of campaign did NICRA adopt?
A non-violent campaign focusing on civil disobedience.
Which event in 1968 influenced the activists in Northern Ireland?
The student demonstrations in France.
What was the main frustration with the old Nationalist Party led by Eddie McAteer?
Their only policy seemed to be the ending of partition.
Who supported NICRA besides Catholics?
Moderate Protestants, communists, academics, and trade unionists.
Fill in the blank: The civil rights movement in Northern Ireland was influenced by _______.
the Civil Rights movement in the USA.
True or False: The NICRA was formed in 1960.
False.
What year did John F. Kennedy become President?
1960.
What was the primary focus of NICRA’s non-violent campaign?
Forcing reform through civil disobedience.
What was a common practice in housing allocation in Northern Ireland during the 1960s?
Unionist councils allocated houses to Protestants; nationalist councils to Catholics
This practice led to significant housing inequality between the two communities.
What is gerrymandering?
The fixing of election boundaries in council areas controlled by unionists
Gerrymandering is often used to manipulate electoral outcomes in favor of a particular group.
Who received extra votes in elections during the 1960s in Northern Ireland?
Business owners, the majority of whom were Protestants
This practice further entrenched the political power of the Protestant community.
What powers did the Special Powers Act grant to the unionist government?
Allowed the government to arrest, interrogate, and detain people without trial
This act was used to suppress dissent and maintain control over the Catholic population.
What was the reputation of the B-Specials?
They had a reputation for unfair treatment of Catholics
The B-Specials were part-time policemen who were often seen as biased.
In government jobs during the 1960s, which community faced discrimination?
Catholics faced discrimination, with most jobs going to Protestants
This led to economic disadvantages for the Catholic community.
What was one controversial measure introduced by O’Neill that favored Protestants?
The location of the new university in Coleraine instead of Derry/Londonderry
This decision was perceived as a neglect of the Catholic community’s educational needs.
What was the main aim of NICRA?
NICRA did not seek to end partition but aimed to address serious abuses in the existing political system.
What does ‘one-man-one-vote’ refer to?
‘One-man-one-vote’ aimed to allow all people over the age of 18 to vote and remove the right of business owners to cast multiple votes.
What was the issue with council house allocation?
Council houses were allocated by local councillors based on homeownership, leading to discrimination against nationalists who were less likely to own homes.
What grievance did nationalists have regarding housing in the 1960s?
Discrimination in allocating council houses and overcrowding were major grievances for nationalists.
What was gerrymandering?
Gerrymandering is the practice of drawing electoral boundaries to benefit one community over another.
What was the population discrepancy in Derry/Londonderry?
In Derry/Londonderry, Unionists made up 10,274 of the population but dominated the council despite the Catholic population being 20,102.
