Essay Questions

What were "the Troubles?"

"The Troubles" was a conflict between paramilitary groups in Northern Ireland (predominately the IRA or Irish Republican Army) and the United Kingdom, which took place from the 1960s to 1998. The paramilitary organizations, backed by Libya and the Soviet Union, aimed for Irish reunification and the end of British rule over Ireland. The conflict was often violent and bloody and resulted in the deaths of over 10,000 people, many of whom were innocent bystanders. Though the paramilitary organizations failed in their goal of reuniting Ireland, they successfully crafted an agreement that ended the hostilities. That treaty, called the Good Friday Agreement, stipulated that Northern Ireland would remain a part of the United Kingdom but gave IRA members greater political power.

Who are the IRA?

The IRA, or Irish Republican Army, was a paramilitary organization run by a group of people (estimated at 10,000 people) who aimed to end British rule over Northern Ireland and reunify Ireland during "the Troubles." Members of the IRA were reviled around the United Kingdom (where it was declared a terrorist organization) and Ireland itself (where it was declared a criminal organization). Initially, the IRA was peaceful and aimed to inspire change in nonviolent ways. However, they became violent over time to prove their point. They organized bombings, killings and committed other violent acts which wreaked havoc across Northern Ireland until they were disbanded in 2005 following the Good Friday Agreement, which ended hostilities but kept Northern Ireland in the United Kingdom. What were "the Troubles?"

What is the difference between Catholicism and Protestantism?

Though cut from the same proverbial cloth, Catholicism and Protestantism vary in several ways. For instance, the Pope is the leader of the Catholic church; however, the Monarch of England is the head of the Protestant church. In the Catholic church, priests cannot marry. They can, however, marry in the Protestant church. Catholics also believe that blood and wine turn into the body and blood of Christ, but Protestants believe that blood and wine are only symbolic of the body and blood of Christ. Finally, perhaps the most significant difference between the Catholic and Protestant churches is that the Catholic church believes priests are the conduit through which people can interact with God. In contrast, the Protestant church believes that ordinary people can connect with God themselves.