Key learning points

1. Ireland was a religiously divided country where a minority Anglican elite ruled over a majority Catholic population.
2. The French Revolution inspired the 'United Irishmen' to try and unite Protestants and Catholics against British rule.
3. United Irishmen leader Wolf Tone met with Napoleon to win support for an Irish Rebellion against Great Britain.
4. The Irish Rebellion of 1798 ultimately failed despite France's promised support.
5. The failed Irish Rebellion led to increased British control over Ireland and ultimately to formal unification in 1801.

Keywords

• Sectarian - a sectarian society is one that is divided along religious and political lines

• Catholic - a Catholic is a Christian who belongs to Roman Catholic Church, whose spiritual leader is the Pope in Rome

• Anglican - an Anglican (in this context) is a member of the Church of Ireland, which belongs to the Protestant denomination of Christianity

• Elites - people regarded as belonging to the best or most powerful group in society are known as the elite

• Denomination - each different type of Christianity is known as a denomination e.g. Catholicism, Protestantism, etc.

Common misconception