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Exam Guide | Model Answer
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JC History (higher level) 2000 – Question 6 B
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General comments
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Question six is the most important question on the paper each year and your performance here will contribute greatly to your overall grade, so treat it with great care. You have a choice of two questions from four, with each worth 30 marks. Read the options (A,B,C,D) very carefully and choose the two which will maximise your marks, taking account of all the components of each question. Do not begin a section in question six unless you are happy with the entire question.
Be careful with your time allocation, as a frequent mistake is to write too many points for a section worth only a few marks. Remember that 4 marks requires at least two solid pieces of information.
The best approach is to divide the amount of marks available for a question by two and this will give you the number of valid points required to gain full marks i.e. if there are 14 marks for the question, you must give seven solid pieces of information.
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Political Developments in 20th Century Ireland
- Explain three of the following terms in relation to the War of Independence and the Civil War, 1919-1923: Black and Tans; Flying Columns; Bloody Sunday; The Government of Ireland Act (1920); Dominion Status; Irregular Forces.
(6 marks)
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Remember each answer is only worth 2 marks so a short explanation is all that is needed.
The word explain just means to say what they were.
There is no need for analysis here.
While the question only requires you to explain three of the terms, all six are answered here for illustrative purposes.
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The Black and Tans were a force sent to Ireland by the British government to deal with the Irish rebels during the War of Independence.
The Flying Columns were groups into which the Irish rebels organised themselves to fight the guerilla warfare tactics of the War of Independence.
Bloody Sunday was an attack by the Black and Tans on Croke Park. They fired shots into the crowd killing spectators and players. It was a an act of reprisal for the killing of the ‘Cairo gang.’
The Government of Ireland Act (1920) was the British government’s attempt to create a separate Northern Ireland. It proposed to grant some independence to the rest of Ireland.
Dominion Status was the proposal that Ireland would gain the status of a Free State within Britain, while still remaining part of the British empire.
The Irregular Forces were the anti-treaty forces in the Civil War.They fought against the Irish army and were led by Liam Lynch until his death.
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Write an account of two of the following:
- The achievements of the Cumann na nGaedheal government, 1922-1932
- The Economic War, 1932-1938
- The War years in Ireland, North and South, 1939-1945
- The 1950s in Ireland
- Sir Basil Brooke (Lord Brookeborough) or Terence O’Neill
- Jack Lynch
(24 marks)
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There are 12 marks available here so you must make 6 or 7 valid points.
If in any doubt, always give more rather than less.
A valid point is a fully developed piece of information.
There are 12 marks available here so you must give at least 6 valid points
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(a) The Cumann na nGaedheal government made big economic improvements by overseeing the growth of the Carlow sugar beet factory and the development of the Shannon scheme at Ardnacrusha.
The Cumann na nGaedheal government implemented a new constitution and a court system to bring law and order to newly independent Ireland.
It set up the Garda Siochana as an unarmed police force as well as bringing the Irish army under the control of the Government.
Kevin O’Higgins, the Minister for Justice, brought about a series of Public Safety Acts aimed at controlling lawlessness.
Cumann na nGaedheal asserted Ireland’s new found status as a nation by registering the Treaty as an international agreement and sending a representative to the League of Nations.
Patrick Hogan, the Minister for Agriculture, set up the Agricultural Credit Corporation.
An Electoral Amendment Act was introduced to force Fianna Fail to take their seats in the Dail or face the prospect of losing them.
(d) The 1950s in Ireland
Fianna Fail regained power from the second Inter-Party government in 1951. Eamon de Valera became Taoiseach again.
There was huge unemployment and widespread emigration from Ireland during the 1950's
Politics was defined more on the past records of individuals rather than ability. This contributed to the fact that governments during the 1950's were unstable.
There was a renewal of IRA activity along the border, leading to further government controls.
A second Inter-Party government took over but, despite the efforts of Minister for Finance Gerard Sweetman, it could not improve the situation. Major improvements were also made in the area of health.
A sign of the economic improvements that would characterise the 1960's came with the publication in 1958 of T.K. Whittaker’s first Programme For Economic Development.
Eamon De Valera was elected President in 1959.
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Exam Guide | Model Answer
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