North+Ireland+++Protestants+vs.+Catholics


 * North Ireland: Protestants versus Catholics **
 * Thesis: ** The conflict between Protestants and Catholics in North Ireland began with the division of Ireland, the Protestant majority then began to segregate and discriminate against the Catholic minority, lastly, terrorist organizations began to attack on both sides.

 ** This political cartoon is about the uneasy ceasefire to the conflict in North Ireland. The IRA (Catholics) and UDA (Protestants) are trying to conserve peace and want everyone to believe that the ceasefire is permanent.  ** The conflict in North Ireland involves Protestants and Catholics. The protestant majority in North Ireland began by discriminating and segregating against Catholics. Protestants had fixed elections so that Catholics could not hold office. They also had trouble getting jobs. Catholics soon began to protest to gain civil rights. In response, the Protestants were violent toward the protesters and eventually banned the Catholics from protest. The conflict heightened and many terrorist organizations began to attack on both sides. This conflict has come to be known as “The Troubles.” The conflict took place in North Ireland. North Ireland was formed when Ireland was divided after the war for Independence in 1919. The mainly protestant North wanted the country to be divided while the Catholics in the south and those in the north wanted a United Ireland. However, in 1921, Britain signed the treaty that made the division of Ireland official. After the division of Ireland in 1921, Protestants dominated North Ireland. Many felt that the Catholics who had wanted a united and independent Ireland, were traitors. As a result of the Protestants suspicion, Catholics began to be discriminated against. The terrorism and fighting began in the late 1960s after violence insued because of Catholic protests. Up until the 1990s, the conflict remained deadly, and even today, there is still trouble between the Catholics and Protestants.  The conflict in North Ireland is between the Protestants and Catholics. However, there are many groups involved. One main group was the North Ireland police force which was 99% Protestant. Many of these people became part of the Ulster Volunteer Force, which often tried to start violence against Catholics. Another major group involved was the Provincial Irish Republican Army (IRA), which fought to unite Ireland as one independent nation. The IRA began a campaign of violence in the early 1970s to gain their goals. The last major group involved was the British army, which was sent in to North Ireland to prevent a civil war.  The conflict in North Ireland has had a bad effect on both Catholic and Protestant citizens. The violence between the IRA and the Ulster Volunteer Force, devastated the lives of many civilians. In total, three thousand five hundred and twenty four people were killed in “The Troubles,” one thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven being civilians. While the conflict is no longer violent today, the conflict has not been resolved and still effects citizens today. 
 * What is the conflict? **
 * Where did the conflict take place? **
 * When did the conflict take place? **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt;">What major groups are involved in the conflict? **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt;">What effects did the conflict have on the people involved? **