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Ulster's Solemn League & Covenant of 1912 and the Irish Proclamation 1916

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  • 15-11-2007 4:48pm
    #1
    Droogie
    Closed Accounts Posts: 181 ✭✭


    Hey folks,

    I've been given a History assignment to write an essay comparing the Solemn League and Covenant of 1912 to the Irish Proclamation of 1916.

    I know quite a bit about both but it's just comparing them, their similarities etc. that gets to me. Anybody shed some light or some thoughts on what they think of this one? I think it's actually quite a good discussion topic!

    Cheers...


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    #2
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Fascinating comparison, though what angle are you taking? A literary comparison? Comparison as to aims? I think focusing on the underlying desire of both draftors would be fascinating but very difficult without recourse to concrete primary evidence.

    What are your opening thoughts here?


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    #3
    Droogie
    Closed Accounts Posts: 181 ✭✭Droogie


    To be honest, the essay is only 500 words, so I'm going to introduce it with a background to the aims of each party. Then i'll talk about similarities that can be derived from the general documents themselves, ie. how they were drawn up, the organisation, the language used, etc...Then conclude it with the similarities of the effects each one had.

    I'm just at a crossroads as to what factor to really focus on and use as the driving point/argument for the essay. Looking for that one universal similarity that could carry the essay and be referred back to etc...

    :)


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    #4
    #15
    Registered Users Posts: 2,784 ✭✭✭#15


    How about contrasting them? The Covenant had huge support whereas the Proclamation was never put to the people before the Rising...could you develop that point maybe?

    Both documents played a role in radicalising or at least, mobilising, their respective communities?
    Maybe focus on the influence of both documents?

    I'm just throwing ideas out, maybe thats no help:)


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    #5
    Droogie
    Closed Accounts Posts: 181 ✭✭Droogie


    #15 wrote: »
    How about contrasting them? The Covenant had huge support whereas the Proclamation was never put to the people before the Rising...could you develop that point maybe?

    Both documents played a role in radicalising or at least, mobilising, their respective communities?
    Maybe focus on the influence of both documents?

    I'm just throwing ideas out, maybe thats no help:)

    That's a great help. Some good points raised there.

    I'm half way through the thing already and the two points i've brought up so far are:
    (a) the one you mentioned about contrasting them, but also (b) the fact that both documents were based upon older, lesser known scripts of the same nature, the Ulster Covenant being based upon the Scottish National Covenant of 1638, and the Proclamation being based upon the 1803 Declaration of the United Irishmen, primarily drafted by Robert Emmet.

    So i'm just thinking about what other points to establish and talk about next. The influence of both documents is a good one, but quite an obvious one at the same time. It's pretty much essential to go in though...

    Any thoughts on the progress so far? :p


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    #6
    #15
    Registered Users Posts: 2,784 ✭✭✭#15


    I dont know if you'll be able to introduce much more material if it is a 500 word essay?
    May I ask what standard you are at?
    Leaving Cert, Undergraduate etc.

    I have just finished doing History in UCD so I'll have a look and see if I have any notes lying around that could help with this essay.


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    #7
    Victor
    Registered Users Posts: 78,371 ✭✭✭✭Victor


    Didn't some sign the Covenant in blood?

    The Proclaimation was signed in bodies.


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    #8
    Snickers Man
    Registered Users Posts: 5,301 ✭✭✭Snickers Man


    Both were blatant acts of treason against the British Crown, a crime punishable by death as indeed it still is, strictly speaking.

    The UVF were praised to the hilt by the Conservative party whose leader Bonar Law said he couldn't imagine any action that they might take that he wouldn't support and the army mutinied, making it clear that they would refuse to obey any orders to confront the UVF. (another crime punishable by the firing squad)

    The Proclamation was met by a bombardment of Dublin resulting in countless civilian deaths, after which the ringleaders were put up against a wall and shot.

    There's a bit of a contrast for a start.


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    #9
    Victor
    Registered Users Posts: 78,371 ✭✭✭✭Victor


    And that sir, is the difference between treason and high treason.


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    #10
    Droogie
    Closed Accounts Posts: 181 ✭✭Droogie


    #15 wrote: »
    I dont know if you'll be able to introduce much more material if it is a 500 word essay?
    May I ask what standard you are at?
    Leaving Cert, Undergraduate etc.

    I have just finished doing History in UCD so I'll have a look and see if I have any notes lying around that could help with this essay.

    Cheers. It's Undergraduate so obviously the standard is a little higher than Leaving Cert. We get a few of these 500 word essays throughout the semester instead of one large 3,000 worder!

    I'm about half way through with the points i mentioned so it just needs a little extra and then a finishing touch. Due in tomorrow! :p


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