The Easter Rising 1916
Year 10 History.
Controlled Assessment Task.
School:
Name:
1
What is a Controlled Assessment Task?
A Controlled Assessment Task or CAT is one where you answer two
questions under examination or controlled conditions. In order to
prepare you for this you will be given some preliminary activities for
each of the two questions you are expected to answer and your
teacher will guide and support you. There is NO teacher support
during the writing up of the C.A.T.
This C.A.T will help to prepare you for the demands of History GCSE
examination questions by helping you to

Develop your own explanations using sources and your own
knowledge.

Use sources about the Rising to reach your own conclusions
based on evidence.
How you will carry out the Controlled Assessment Task.
Activities 1 -10 will help you to gather facts and information about the Rising
and understand why it is important today. These activities are not performed
under controlled test conditions and your teacher will provide help and
support to guide you through .They are designed to prepare you to write
your answers to Questions 1 and 2 under test conditions as in the GCSE
History examination.
Question 1 and Question 2 are your two Controlled Assessment Tasks and
will be done under test conditions as in the GCSE History examination. Your
answers will be marked by your teacher. The marks for each question will be
shown in brackets.
Questions Checklist
Activities 1- 10
CONTROLLED ASSESSMENT TASKS
Question 1:
Explain how the Easter Rising has been remembered .
( 10 marks)
Question 2: The Easter Rising 1916 was a failed rebellion. How far do
the sources agree with this viewpoint? (20 marks)
2
Activities 1-10
Answer all questions
Activity 1
Launch: Look at the extract from the DVD Michael Collins showing
the events of the Rising.
With a partner discuss what you have seen in the video /what the
people are doing /and what buildings can you see? Share this
information with another pair and now write down how the video
makes you feel about the events shown. Suggest ways on which the
creator of the video has done this. Write your answers in the box
below
Activity
Use the blank KWL grid and still working in your pairs fill in the first
two columns only.
Write down words or phrases in Column 1 you are familiar with about
the Easter Rising and any questions which you now have after
watching the video in Column 2.
Share your information with the class and compare answers. Discuss
with your teacher one or two questions to from column two to
research for your homework.
Question 1
KWL Chart
3
Complete the first two columns.
Topic: The Easter Rising 1916
What I Know
What I Want to Know
What I Learned
Activity 2
In this activity you will work pairs to find out about the main events in
Dublin during the Easter Rising in 1916 which will help you complete
the third column of the KWL chart in Activity 1.
Launch
Read the Key Personalities and Main events chart below and discuss
with your partner what each of the events is telling you about the
Rising and who were the key people involved.
4
1.Monday
24th April
1916
Patrick Peace
appeared in
the GPO and
called for an
Irish Republic.
He struck up a
Proclamation
of a Republic
outside the
GPO. In
Dublin, several
important
buildings were
taken over by
the rebels.
2.Tuesday
25th April
1916
British troops
fired on the
rebels.
3.Wednesday
26th April
1916
Many buildings
in O’Connell
Street were
destroyed by
British guns
mounted on
top of Trinity
College and
from a
gunboat on the
River Liffey,
the river which
runs through
Dublin. of the
River Liffey
5
T4.hursday
27th April
1916
British troops
advanced on
the GPO
5.Friday 28th
April 1916
Sir John
Maxwell
arrived from
England. The
GPO caught
fire and
Patrick Pearce
ordered the
Volunteers in
the GPO to
leave
Pearce
ordered a
surrendered to
the British and
the rebels
were arrested
6.Saturday
29th April
1916
7.Sunday
30th April
1916
Sir John Maxwell
Most people in
Dublin were
angry with the
rebels and
blamed them
for the terrible
damage to the
city.
6
8.3rd- 12th
May 1916
The anger of
the Dublin
people
(toward the
rebels)
changed to
support for
the rebels
when the
British decided
to severely
punish all
those who had
been involved
in the Easter
Rising.
15 executions
took place by
firing squad
including the
seven leaders.
3,430 men and
79 women were
arrested.
The British
sent 1,841 of
these people
to England
without trial.
Many were not
involved in the
rising.
Sinn Fein win
four byelections in
Ireland and
demanding full
independence
for Ireland
refuse to take
his seat in
Parliament.
“ The bottom line of De Valera’s policy
was that he asked the voters in Clare
to vote for a man who had fought for
Ireland’s Independence and who if
not elected would not take up a seat
in the British Parliament. On poling
day 11th July 1017.. he won the seat by
a majority of more than two to one,
5010 votes to 2,035”
From De Valera-Long Fellow,Long
7
9.March
1918
10.Novembe
r 1918
This was called
Abstention
and was very
popular with
Irish voters
The Germans
began a huge
assault on the
Western Front
and the British
government
considered
introducing
Conscription.
This was
opposed by
many groups in
Ireland but
Sinn Fein were
seen as
responsible for
stopping its
introduction
into Ireland
and gained
great support.
World War 1
ends and
soldiers return
to Ireland.
Shadow by Tim Pat Coogan 19193
8
Sinn Fein win
11.December the General
1918
election with
73 seats to
Home Rule
Party‘s 6 seats.
This was
because of the
British action
after the rising
and that they
wrongly blamed
Sinn Fein for
the Rising.
12.Beginning
1919
13.1919
Sinn Fein
representative
s attend the
Paris Peace
Conference to
put forward
Ireland’s
support for
independence.
They were
ignored.
Sinn Fein MPs
who refused
to take up
their seats in
Westminster
formed their
own
Parliament in
Dublin called
the Dail
Eireann
Dail Eireann
9
14.January
1919 – July
1921
15.1921
The Irish
Republican
Army – IRA
under Michael
Collins began a
war of
Independence
against British
Home Rule In
Ireland until a
Michael Collins
truce in 1921
Ireland was
divided –
Partition by
the
Government of
Ireland Act
Partition
Activity 2
The Five W's Chart
Fill in each row of the chart with details that answer the questions
using the information you got from The Key Events and Individuals
Chart above.
Who was involved in the Rising?
What happened in Dublin during the Rising?
Why did it happen?
10
When did it happen?
Where did it happen?
.
At the end of this activity share what you have learned with the other
groups in the class.
You may now fill in the third column of the KWL chart in Question 1.
Debrief
What three things have you learned about the Easter Rising?
Which two events stand out for you the most?
Write down one question you still have about the Raster Rising.
Use the bingo sheet below to mark out words which your teacher will
call out. (The first person to get five words in a line may receive a
prize!)
11
Bingo Sheet on Easter Rising for Question 2
“Blood
General
Sacrifice Maxwell
”
Patrick
Pearce
Easter
MacNeill GPO
Poet
Militant
Citizen
Nationalist Army
s
Dublin
Independenc James
e
Connolly
IRB
World War 1
Sinn Fein Unionists
Execution
s
Proclamatio Teacher
n of
Independenc
e
Flag
Flag
British
England’
s
Difficult
y
WB
Yeats
Roger
Casement
1916
“England’s
Opportunit
y”
Activity 3
This question is about the reasons why the Easter Rising is an
important event in Irish History.
Launch
With a partner read each of the eight statements below and rank them
in order of importance in the box on the next page using the number
12
of each statement in the box provided and then compare your answer
with another pair of pupils.
1. Fear that Conscription would be introduced into Ireland
2 Stand up for the rights of workers
3.The promise of Home Rule had not been achieved
4.To drive the British out of Ireland
5.Support was available from the Germans who were happy to help
distract the British from their efforts in World War 1
6.Home Rule would never give Ireland enough power over their own
affairs
7.Ireland would never be free from British Rule without a violent
struggle
8. “Blood Sacrifice”
“Keeping faith with the past and handing a tradition to the future”
13
Now chose the three most important statements from the list above
and write them in order of importance in the Priority Pyramid chart
below. Write the most important statement at the top of the chart
and the least important at the bottom and explain your choices. Were
there any of the three events which you found hard to place? Explain
your reasons.
My Priority Pyramid
14
Activities 4-6 will help prepare you to write your answer to the
Question 1.
Activity 4
This question is about commemoration what it means and how people
both past and present commemorate past events.
Launch




You will work in a group of four or five pupils and use a large
sheet of paper to record your ideas.
Use the images or pictures below showing different forms of
celebrations to discuss the type of things that are being
remembered or celebrated in the images? (For example, special
events / anniversaries / famous people/celebrations.) Make a list
as a group on your large sheet of paper
Each group is then asked to focus on just one of the images and
to discuss the way in which each of the events or celebrations
are being remembered (For example, through medals / stamps /
monuments / statues).
Each group shares its ideas with other groups in the class.
Images of Commemoration
15
Activities

Write examples of other forms of memorials in your own locality
or special occasions in your own lives in the grid below.
Name of memorial
Type of memorial
e.g.(war monument
/wall plaque /statue?)
What is the memorial
remembering? ( For
example war/conflict
etc.)
16
Compare your findings with other groups and look for similarities and
differences.
Debrief
Read the list of statements about national commemorations and then
on your own rank them in order of importance by giving each one a
number. How did your rankings compare with others in the class?
A national commemoration is usually one which




Can take place a long time after an event
could be celebrated by everyone in the country
is organised and funded by the government of a country.
Involves a large public ceremony with members of the
government attending.
Rank your statements
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Now write your own definition of Commemoration in the box
below using all the information you have learned in this lesson.
17
Activity 5
The cards A – H below show how the Easter Rising has been
commemorated over time.
Launch
With a partner read the cards and then write the letter of each card
which shows that the commemoration of the Easter Rising




Was
Was
Was
Was
celebrated in Dublin only and not in Northern Ireland
paid for by the Irish government in the south.
a public celebration with everybody taking part.
not celebrated in Northern Ireland .
B
1923
A committee was formed in
Dublin to commemorate those
who had died in the Easter
Rising and also World War 1 paid
Dfor by public money
1941
This was the twenty fifth anniversary of the Easter
Rising and was celebrated in Dublin only with an
exhibition in the National Museum of Ireland and the
issuing of medals for both the Easter Rising and World
War 1
18
A
1916
The Taoiseach opened a new
commemorative exhibition on
the Easter Rising in the
National Museum of Ireland.
G
1991 H
2006
The ninetieth
This was the 75th anniversary
of the anniversary of the Easter
Rising and was a very Rising
low keyin 2006 was different to previous
Eamon De Valera the Taoiseach
onesand
in that
commemoration in Dublin
not it was the first
had a Roll of Honor drawn
up
in Northern
Ireland.commemoration of the Easter Rising for
showing a list of 1916 garrisons
more than three decades.
and this was signed by survivors
C
1936
of the Rising.
E
1966
F
The fiftieth anniversary of the
Easter Rising in Northern
Ireland was not an official state
sponsored event.
Only Nationalists took part in
the commemoration.
1971
Up until 1971 there were
annual commemorations of
the Easter Rising but then
they stopped during the
Troubles in Northern
Ireland.
Activities on Explaining the 1916 Rising
Read each of the explanations about the Easter Rising below and then
using a set of markers put a red dot at those explanations which are
tell you to understand what happened during the Rising: put blue
dots at the statements which tell you new historical words and terms
about the Rising: a green dot beside those statements which tell you
different opinions about the Rising
It helps to explain
why the 1916
It shows us how
important getting
The execution of
the rebels
It helps us to
understand the
19
Rising is
remembered
today.
independence for
Ireland was to some
Republicans.
explains how
public opinion of
an event can
change within a
short time.
It helps us to
understand the
background to the
Rising ,the key
people involved
and their motives
for going ahead
with the Rising.
It helps us to
understand words and
terms such as legacy,
propaganda, national,
blood sacrifice,
rebellion, treason,
public anniversaries
and commemorations.
It explains why
some events in
history can be
interpreted
differently by
different groups
and at different
times.
effect that
propaganda such
as leaflets, poems,
films, speeches
and art has on
peoples attitudes.
It helps us to
understand how
the Rising was
remembered can
cause offence to
some people
rather than the
actual events in
Dublin in 1916.
It makes us to
make our own
judgments about
these events
based on
historical
evidence available.
Debrief” Discuss why the Rising was significant
Activity 6. This will help you to prepare your notes for Question 1
20
Use Sources 1-7 below to fill in the grid below
Source
Type of
Source
How is the Rising
Commemorated?
Why is the Rising
Commemorated
in this way?
21
Controlled Assessment Tasks
You have now completed the introductory activities for Question 1
and will answer the question below under examination conditions.
Your teacher will explain how much time you have to complete the
question below
Question 1: 10 marks
Explain how the Easter Rising has been remembered
Check that you have Sources 1 - 7
Question 1 (10 marks)
22
Explain how the Easter Rising has been remembered. Your teacher will
explain which of your notes you make use of in this question.
Use Sources 1 -7
Source 1
Commemoration medal and ribbon produced and distributed to those
who fought in the 1916 Rising. In 1966, 964 medals were distributed.
Note that the ribbon was sent ‘With Compliments of the President of
Ireland’ and from the Department of Defence. This creates a sense
of making the commemoration official.
23
Source 2
Mural in West Belfast to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the
Rising. Note the Starry Plough – originally used by the Irish Citizens
Army and later became the symbol of Irish Socialism. James Connolly
is shown at the front suggesting again that this is to remember the
socialist movement. Patrick Pearse is shown looking to the left.
According to the tour at Pearse’s cottage near Ros Muc, Co. Galway,
Pearse had a pronounced squint in his left eye that he was very
conscious about but also due to vanity always posed to show his right
side. Also the imagery of the phoenix rising from the flames giving
hope to the rise of the Republican movement. Eirí Amach na Casca
translates as the Easter Rising.
24
Source 3
17th May 2011, Queen Elizabeth II attended the Garden of
Remembrance in Dublin and laid a wreath to remember those who
died for Irish freedom. This gesture was much praised in the Irish
media. The visit came one hundred years since the last visit by a
British monarch, when her grandfather King George V visited in 1911.
In April 2014, President Michael D. Higgins reciprocated the Queen's
visit when he became the first Irish President to make a state visit to
the United Kingdom.
Source 4
25
This section of Croke Park, Dublin the home of GAA, is known as Hill
16. The section was built in 1917 and was originally known as Hill 60
making reference to the Battle of Hill 60 which was the last offensive
at Gallipoli. At this battle the Royal Dublin Fusiliers suffered heavy
losses. It wasn’t until the 1940’s that the name changes to Hill 16 as
leading figures in the GAA felt it wasn’t appropriate to have a section
named after a battle involving the British Army. A myth developed
that the hill itself was built out of the rubble in O’Connell Street
following the Rising. Yet, the name was officially renamed the Dineen
Hill in 2006 after Frank Dineen, who purchased the land for the GAA
in 1908.
Source 5
26
"Grace", a song written in 1985 by Frank and Seán O'Meara, which
became very popular in Ireland and elsewhere and has been recorded
by many musicians.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lotnXbJP9Gg
Grace Gifford was born in Dublin 1888. She was raised a Protestant
but later converted to Catholicism after she met and became engaged
to Joseph Plunkett. Plunkett was a member of the Military Council
of the Provisional Government and the Provisional Committee of the
Irish Volunteers. He was largely responsible for the planning of the
Rising. The couple, both 28, were due to get married on Easter Sunday
1916 but this was postponed due to Plunkett’s ill health. He had an
operation to treat glandular tuberculosis just days before the Rising.
He struggled out of bed and still bandaged took his place alongside
Pearse, Connolly and Clarke at the GPO.
Following the surrender, Plunkett was held in Kilmainham Gaol while
awaiting a court martial. Seven hours before his execution he married
Grace in the prison chapel. The couple had ten minutes together
heavily guarded by 15 British Officers. Grace’s sister, Muriel was
married to Tómas MacDonagh who was also executed for his role in
the Rising.
Grace Plunkett was elected to the Sinn Fein Executive in 1917. She
joined the Anti-Treaty IRA and was interned in Kilmainham Gaol in
1923, for three months. While there she painted images on the walls in
her cell. Grace made a very modest living through her art work until
her death in 1955. She was buried with full military honours and her
funeral was attended by the then Irish President Sean T O’Kelly. She
never remarried.
Source 6
Two Commemorative parades from Dublin in 1950 and again in 2012.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4pqsxD_4DE - 1950
27
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c76-K_ZsNuo - 2012
There are also many other parades on YouTube and teachers could
select appropriate extracts to show pupils for example parades in
Northern Ireland are less formal and not state commemorations.
Therefore differences can be clearly seen as to how the Rising is
commemorated in different ways and perhaps consider why this is the
case.
Source 7
Easter 1916
W. B. Yeats, 1865 - 1939
I have met them at close of day
Coming with vivid faces
From counter or desk among grey
Eighteenth-century houses.
I have passed with a nod of the head
Or polite meaningless words,
Or have lingered awhile and said
Polite meaningless words,
And thought before I had done
Of a mocking tale or a gibe
To please a companion
Around the fire at the club,
Being certain that they and I
28
But lived where motley is worn:
All changed, changed utterly:
A terrible beauty is born.
Are changed, changed utterly:
A terrible beauty is born.
Yeats wrote this poem around September 1916 and is generally
celebrated as one of his greatest achievements. In the first stanza he
discusses how the people involved in the Rising have been ordinary
people who have stepped out of the crowd in Dublin – from houses,
desks and buildings. This transformation from ordinary citizen to
revolutionary is shown in the refrain ‘All changed, changed utterly: A
terrible beauty is born.’
to their own death and rather than it be a heroic/honourable death it
causes bewilderment.
Yeats doesn’t seem sure if the sacrifice is
worthwhile. Instead the only comfort can come in commemoration –
‘our part’. The naming of the dead very clearly stamps their legacy in
the minds of the reader. The final line again suggests the struggle
faced if the sacrifice was worthwhile and the worry for the future of
Ireland.
‘A terrible beauty is born’
29
Activities 7-10 will help you to prepare your answer to Question 2.
Activity 7 : Key leaders of the Uprising
Task: Complete the table below. Use the Uprising Leaders resource
sheet to help you. You may tick more than one box for each
statement.
Who might
this be…?
Pearse
Clarke
MacDermott
MacDonagh
Ceannt
Connolly
Plunkett
I am the
founder of
the
Irish
Citizen
Army
I
am
a
teacher
I was the
main leader
of
the
Uprising
I am a poet
I
am
a
member of
the IRB
I
am
a
member of
the Gaelic
League
I
am
a
socialist
thinker
I
am
a
Fenian
I founded
the
Irish
Volunteers
I
have
served a 15
year prison
sentence
30
Uprising Leaders Resource Sheet
Patrick Pearse

 Born in 1879
 He was a writer and a teacher
He had been a member of the IRB since
1913
 Main planner of the rising
Thomas
Clarke
 Born in 1857
 He was Fenian who had served a 15 year
prison term for his involvement in dynamite
attacks on police stations in the 1880s
Joseph Plunkett

 Born in 1887
 He was a writer and a poet
He was one of the founders of the Irish
Volunteers
31
Eamonn Ceannt

 Born in 1881
He was a prominent member of the Gaelic
League
 He was a musician
Thomas MacDonagh
 Born in 1878
 He was a poet and teacher
 He was a member of the Gaelic
League
Sean McDermott

 Born in 1884
He was a member of the Gaelic League, Sinn
Fein and the Gaelic Athletic Association.
 He was the secretary of the IRB
32
James Connolly
 Born in 1868
 He was a labour activist and
socialist thinker
 He was the founder of the Irish
Citizen Army
The Easter Rising 1916
Activity 8 : Walking debate on: The Consequences of the Easter
Rising were more important than the Rising itself.
Your teacher will label one side of the classroom AGREE and the
other side DISAGREE . To begin your teacher will read out one of
the consequences below and you will be asked to stand on the spot of
the line that represents your opinion in relation to the statement
above - for example if you stand on either end of the line you are
absolute in agreement or disagreement. You may also stand anywhere
in between the two extremes, depending on how much they do or do
not agree. Be prepared to explain your choices
The Short-Term and Long-Term Consequences
Most people in Dublin were angry with the rebels immediately after
the rising, and blamed them for the terrible damagewhich had been
done to the city during the fighting.
15 of the main leaders of the rising were executed by firing squad.
Others participants were also severely dealt with. This caused the
people in Dublin to be more sympathetic towards the rebels, and angry
towards the government.
33
About 450 people in Dublin had been killed during Easter week.
The people turned against Redmond and the IPP (Irish Parliamentary
Party) and began to give their support to Sinn Fein who by 1918 were
the largest party in Ireland.
In 1918 some Republicans (who became known as the Irish Republican
Army) renewed the military conflict with the British forces that had
started in Easter Week 1916 in order to gain a completely independent
Ireland. This became known as The War of Independence.
While the IRA was fighting The War of Independence, the British
government had set up a committee to try and solve the ‘Ulster
problem’. The committee recommended dividing Ireland into two
parts: Northern Ireland and the Irish Free State.
Northern Ireland and the Irish Free State were born in violence. Even
after the anti-Treaty IRA called a halt to the fighting in May 1923,
political uncertainty continued. The Dublin government made many
calls to see an end to Partition but this ‘temporary’ measure has
remained a permanent fixture.
Sectarian violence continued in Northern Ireland after Partition was
enacted. Nationalists were unhappy with the one-sided nature of the
government and the inequalities that existed in society.
The 1960s brought hope to many people within Northern Ireland as the
radical changes and events taking place throughout the world
encouraged many of those who felt discriminated against that reforms
could be achieved. This saw the birth of the Northern Ireland Civil
Rights Association – NICRA.
Some reforms were achieved but not without bloodshed. From the
1960s a 30-year period of violence called ‘the Troubles’ broke out in
Ulster.
34
In the 1970s and 1980s a republican paramilitary group, the Provisional
IRA, used bombings and shootings to try and force the British out of
Northern Ireland. Loyalist paramilitaries fought to keep the six
counties in the United Kingdom.
In response to the ongoing violence in Northern Ireland the London
government decided to implement Direct Rule which meant that
Northern Ireland was going to be directly ruled from Westminster.
There were a number of attempts at power sharing and moves towards
peace in the 1980s but these ultimately failed.
A breakthrough finally came in 1998 with the signing of the Good
Friday Agreement which ended the 30 year cycle of violence and gave
the country its own power-sharing assembly.
Ireland is still divided and contention remains, particularly around the
area of commemoration.
Activity 9 :Using the resources provided complete the grid below to
give an overview of the Easter Rising
Who
What
Where
When
Why
35
Activity 10
Below are a number of note taking grids on the sources. These will
help you to reach your conclusions about whether the Rising was
failure or not based on evidence from the sources
DO THE SOURCES AGREE, DISAGREE (OR BOTH) WITH THE
INTERPRETATION IN THE QUESTION?
“The 1916 rising was a failed rebellion”.
AGREE
– it was a failed
rebellion
OUTSIDE
RESEARCH AGREES
BOTH – AGREE AND
DISAGREE
- it failed in a way but
succeeded in another
DISAGREE
– it was not a failed
rebellion, it
succeeded
OUTSIDE RESEARCH OUTSIDE RESEARCH
AGREES AND
DISAGREES
DISAGREES
36
AUTHOR RESEARCH
Source
Author
A
EDWIN
POOTS
JUDE COLLINS
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
Research
Their point of view
Nationalist, Republican, British UnionistBalanced?
GENERAL SIR
JOHN
MAXWELL
PATRICK
PEARSE
MARTIN
MCGUINESS
THE IRSH
INDEPENDENT
DG BOYCE
I
MARTIN
WALTON
SERGEANT
JAMES JOSEPH
MAKIN
J
JIM ALLISTER
NOTES
AUTHOR RESEARCH EXEMPLAR
SOURCE K
Historian Dr Russell Rees from ‘Ireland 1905-25’
The extremely hostile reception which the insurrectionists had received from the
citizens of Dublin, as they were being led away by the British troops following
Pearse’s order to surrender, was understandable. Civilians were killed, property
damaged and the lives of Dubliners had been severely disrupted…many of the
women who vented their anger on the captured rebels had husbands serving with
the British Army on the Western Front. Yet this initial reaction was to change
when the British response to the rising became clear.
37
SOURCE
AUTHOR
RESEARCH
THEIR POINT OF VIEW
ARE THEY NATIONALIST, REPUBLICAN, BRITISH, UNIONIST, BALANCED…?
K
R REES
You could offer a relevant website for your students to browse.
In this case Russell Rees’ information was taken from the textbook the source is from.
Dr Russell Rees graduated in History with honours at the University of Ulster and completed a PHD
on relations between Northern Ireland, the Irish Free State and Britain in the period from 1945-51.
He was Head of History at Omagh Academy.
He has written a series of textbooks on modern Irish History.
Therefore, you could argue he is an educationalist who would be trying to give a
balanced, researched view on historical events.
History Year 10 Controlled Assessment Task – Question 2:
You will work with your teacher though this section which gives you
valuable guidance on how to answer the question “The 1916 Rising was
a failed rebellion.” How far do the sources agree with this viewpoint?
Writing your introduction:

Explain what is meant by the statement in the question.

State that there are different viewpoints about this statement.
Structuring your paragraphs.
In question 2 of the CAT, you must be able to demonstrate a range of
skills in your answer. The skills needed are:

Judgement

Extract

Knowledge

Evaluate and analyse
Glossary:
Judgement– Say whether the source agrees or disagrees with the
statement in the question.
38
Extract – Quote or paraphrase key points from the source that
agrees/disagrees with the statement in the question.
Knowledge – Provide brief relevant knowledge about the author
and/or their relationship with the events from your research sheet.
Evaluate and analyse– Outline the key strengths and weaknesses of
the evidence based on your W5 sheet which will help you draw
conclusions.
W5
Who?
Why?
Where?
What?
When?
Questions to consider
Do we know who wrote the source?
Does this make it more or less reliable?
What is their job/position?
Have they a motive for writing this?
Are they biased?
Could emotion affect the accuracy of this
source?
Why did the author write this?
Who is the intended audience?
Do they want to make someone/something look
bad?
Do they want support?
Are they justifying something?
Is it propaganda?
Where did the information come from?
Where was the source created?
What information does the source give us?
Is it useful?
Is it one sided?
Does it only give one point of view?
Is it fact or opinion?
What kind of evidence is it?
(diary/newspaper/speech etc.)
Is there anything else we need to know?
Context- did anything else happen before or
after the event?
When was it written?
Is it primary or secondary?
Did he or she write it down at the time?
Was it written years after and could memory
affect accuracy?
How did the author learn about the events?
39
Did they do a lot of research?
These skills will form the structure of your paragraphs helping you
answer the question. An example paragraph has been done for you
overleaf.
Sample paragraph for CAT Question 2.
Question 2: “The 1916 Rising was a failed rebellion”. How far do the
sources agree with this viewpoint?
Sample source
Historian R Rees from ‘Ireland 1905-25’
The extremely hostile reception which the insurrectionists had
received from the citizens of Dublin, as they were being led away by
the British troops following Pearse’s order to surrender, was
understandable. Civilians were killed, property damaged and the lives
of Dubliners had been severely disrupted…many of the women who
vented their anger on the captured rebels had husbands serving with
the British Army on the Western Front. Yet this initial reaction was
to change when the British response to the rising became clear.
Model answer paragraph broken into skills:
Judgement- Rees both agrees and disagrees with the statement in the
question, that ‘The 1916 rising was a failed rebellion’.
Extract - On the one hand, Rees argues that the ‘insurrectionists’
received an ‘extremely hostile reception’ following the surrender. This
would indicate that the rising had failed. He points out that many
women ‘vented their anger on the captured rebels’ indicating that the
rising was very unpopular with the Dublin citizens. However, he goes
on to highlight the ‘change’ of reaction that took place following the
British response, clearly referring to the executions. This would infer
that in the long term the rising was not the failure that was first
40
thought and indeed the executions was the catalyst that changed
people’s minds on the incident.
Knowledge - Rees, being a reputable historian is bound to take a broad
view given that fact that he has spent many years researching the
Easter rising and it’s implications. This means that he is very unlikely to
be biased in his views.
Evaluation and analysis- Rees is therefore highly reliable as an
historical source because Rees is writing in the modern era for a
student audience and his motive is to educate and inform. This makes
this source a very useful piece of evidence for an historian.
Complete paragraph
Rees both agrees and disagrees with the statement in the question,
that ‘The 1916 rising was a failed rebellion’. On the one hand, Rees
argues that the ‘insurrectionists’ received an ‘extremely hostile
reception’ following the surrender. This would indicate that the rising
had failed. He points out that many women ‘vented their anger on the
captured rebels’ indicating that the rising was very unpopular with the
Dublin citizens. However, he goes on to highlight the ‘change’ of
reaction that took place following the British response, clearly
referring to the executions. This would suggest that in the long term
the rising was not the failure that was first thought and indeed the
executions were the events that changed people’s minds on the
incident. Rees, being a respected historian is bound to take a broad
view given that fact that he has spent many years researching the
Easter rising and its implications. This means that he is less likely to be
biased in his views. Rees is therefore therefor reliable as an historical
source because Rees is writing in the modern era for a student
audience and his motive is to educate and inform. This makes this
source a very useful piece of evidence for an historian.
Sample paragraph for CAT Question 2.
Question 2: “The 1916 Rising was a failed rebellion”. How far do the
sources agree with this viewpoint?
41
Sample source: Michael Collins speaking in 1917 about the Easter
rising in 1916:
“That valiant effort and the martyrdoms that followed it finally awoke
the sleeping spirit of Ireland”.
Model answer paragraph broken into skills:
Judgement – Collins’ statement disagrees with the statement in the
question that the ‘1916 rising was a failed rebellion’.
Extract – He describes the rising as a ‘valiant effort’ thus hinting that
it was a success. His comment on ‘martyrdom’ would suggest the long
term effect of the rising was to create heroes for future generations
to look up to. This could be regarded as a success thus disagreeing
with the question. Collins goes on to say that the rising ‘awoke the
sleeping spirit of Ireland’. This would suggest success as it brought
about change in Ireland.
Knowledge – Collins was an Irish Republican who fought in the rising
but escaped execution.
Evaluation and Analysis – Collins’ evidence is very useful in giving an
historian the view of an Irish Republican in Ireland following the rising
and the executions. His evidence is biased because he was directly
involved in the event and is keen to inspire future generations to
continue the struggle for Irish Freedom. This quote gives his personal
opinion and is not based on Historical fact. Therefore, this limits the
reliability of this source.
Complete paragraph:
Collins’ statement disagrees with the statement in the question that
the ‘1916 rising was a failed rebellion’. He describes the rising as a
‘valiant effort’ thus hinting that it was a success. His comment on
‘martyrdom’ would suggest the long term effect of the rising was to
create heroes for future generations to look up to. This could be
regarded as a success thus disagreeing with the question. Collins goes
on to say that the rising ‘awoke the sleeping spirit of Ireland’. This
42
would suggest success as it brought about change in Ireland. Collins
was an Irish Republican who fought in the rising but escaped
execution. Collins’ evidence is very useful in giving an historian the
view of an Irish Republican in Ireland following the rising and the
executions. His evidence is biased because he was directly involved in
the event and is keen to inspire future generations to continue the
struggle for Irish Freedom. This quote gives his personal opinion and is
not based on Historical fact. Therefore, this limits the reliability of
this source.
Writing your conclusion:
Question 2 requires you to reach a judgement regarding the statement
in the question. In your final paragraph you must:

Make an overall judgement about whether the sources together
agree or disagree with the view in the question.

Explain why some sources agree and others disagree with the
statement in the question.
43
SOURCE PACK SOURCES A-I
SOURCE A
Edwin Poots on Twitter - Easter 2013
"I had forgotten it is the 97th anniversary of a failed rising by
subversives."
SOURCE B
Jude Collins – blog – Easter 2013
The men who seized the GPO were, inside a week or so forced to
surrender. Most people would call that a defeat. Except that it was
a defeat that led to victory in the war. Within six years of the Rising,
republicans had succeeded in achieving independence for twenty-six
out of thirty-two counties.
SOURCE C
Official Report by General Sir John Maxwell on the Easter Rising,
April 1916
There were numerous cases of unarmed persons killed by rebels during
the outbreak have been reported to me.
I wish to emphasize that the responsibility for the loss of life, however
it occurred, the destruction of property and other losses, rests
entirely with those who engineered this revolt, and who, at a time
when the empire is engaged in a gigantic struggle, invited the
assistance and cooperation of the Germans.
Source Records of the Great War, Vol. IV, ed. Charles F. Horne,
National Alumni 1923
SOURCE D
Patrick Pearse at his court-martial, 2 May 1916
“We seem to have lost, we have not lost. To refuse to fight would
have been to lose, to fight is to win, we have kepy faith with the past
and handed a tradition to the future. If our deed has not been
sufficient to win freedom, then our children will win it by a better
deed”
SOURCE E
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Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness April 2014
“I think what we have to commemorate first and foremost is the
Easter Rising and all those heroes who liberated this part of Ireland”
SOURCE F
The Irish Independent newspaper, Thursday 4th May 1916
The men who took the initiative in disturbing the peace of the
country have not, and had not, a shred of public sympathy. Whilst they
held certain strongholds the military were being called for and longed
for by the citizens. These men are now held prisoners in England and
the leaders who organised and the prominently active spirits in this
"rising" deserve little consideration or compassion. So far as we are
concerned when we think of the many valuable lives lost, the
hundreds of innocent victims – many of them buried in unknown
graves because their friends could not be discovered, when we think
of the enormous material damage which has already been done and
the huge loss of trade and employment which must be the
consequence, we confess that we care little what is to become of the
leaders who are morally responsible for this terrible mischief.
SOURCE G
D G Boyce from ‘Ireland 1828-1923’
The rebels had bungled, yet their rising was a turning point in the
history of modern Ireland. They held out for only a week, and
sporadic fighting outside Dublin was easily oppressed by the Crown
forces, but their stand for freedom caught the imagination of
nationalist Ireland.
SOURCE H
Martin Walton from CURIOUS JOURNEY: An Oral History of
Ireland’s Unfinished Revolution,
by Kenneth Griffith and Timothy O’Grady, (Mercier Press, 1998).
After the Rising we started to reorganize immediately – to look for
guns, try and buck up the language, the Gaelic League and any other
organization that wasn’t banned and that we could get into. It was a
terrible time. There were still thousands of Irishmen fighting in France
and if you said you had been out in Easter Week one of their family
was liable to shoot you.
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SOURCE I
Letter home from Australian Catholic soldier in British Army
stationed in Dublin – Sergeant James Joseph Makin
Is it not deplorable that trouble has broken out in Ireland? It is
astounding, in as much as there are thousands of fine men in the Irish
regiments here, who are moved by the highest sense of patriotism.
Who can deny that these Irish regiments are not among the best of
the British fighting units and are fighting to uphold British integrity
and traditions? I have mixed with them for a month and I know their
spirit. And yet they are having their honor and name filched away by a
ruffian horde, blinded by long-past wrongs and kindled by German gold
and influence. Let me hope that the trouble will be stamped out this
time for good and all, as assuredly it will be, but at the expense of
much needed lives at a critical moment.
SOURCE J
Jim Allister (leader of TUV party) on Let’s Talk 2013
“we should not celebrate some foreign, grubby failed rebellion one
hundred years ago in some other place. There is nothing to celebrate
about that other than its failure.”
46
CONTROLLED ASSESSMENT MARK SCHEME
QUESTION ONE = 10 MARKS
Explain how the Easter Rising has been commemorated.
Level One [1-3]

Basic explanation of one method of commemoration

Some inaccuracies

Little reference to evidence from research

Poor presentation of arguments
Level Two [4-7]

Relevant explanation of two or more methods of
commemoration

Some use of evidence from research

Reaching limited conclusions

Some accurate and clear arguments presented
Level Three [8-10]

Very good explanation of four or more methods of
commemoration

Very good use of evidence from research

Well supported conclusions

Accurate and clear arguments presented throughout
Level Four [11-15] THIS IS GCSE LEVEL

Excellent explanation

Precise and detailed use of evidence from research

Fully supported conclusions

Concise and coherent arguments presented throughout
47
QUESTION TWO = 20 MARKS
“The 1916 Rising was a failed rebellion”. How far do the sources agree
with this viewpoint?
Level One [1-6]

Limited understanding of the question asked

Limited understanding of the opinions in the sources

Difficulty in distinguishing between fact and opinion

Little or no evidence of wider research

Information presented in an appropriate form but may contain
some inaccuracies
Level Two [7-13]

General understanding of the question asked

General understanding of the opinions in the sources

Some conscious attempt to interpret the sources

Some evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of the
sources

Some evidence of wider research

Information presented in an appropriate form with some
accuracy
Level Three [14-20]

Very good understanding of the question asked

Very good understanding of the opinions in the sources

Very good attempt to interpret the sources

Very good evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of the
sources

Good evidence of wider research

Information presented with appropriate paragraphs and
considerable accuracy

Offers a conclusion containing a judgement about the question

Explains why people have different opinions on this issue
Level Four [21-25] THIS IS GCSE LEVEL

Full understanding of the question asked
48

Full understanding of the opinions in the sources

Thorough evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of the
sources

Use of sources to enhance arguments

Detailed evidence of wider research

Information accurately presented in an appropriate form
including introduction, paragraphs and detailed conclusion
49