Unit 3: Patterns and roots of sectarianism

PDF file: Lesson ideas

The aim of this unit is to introduce pupils to important events which contributed to the rise of sectarianism in Scotland.

Key information to include

• The Reformation and it's impact on Scotland, e.g. the fear of Rome and a mistaken belief that to allow Catholics power or position in society would lead to Rome rule.
• The Famine in Ireland between 1845 and 1850 and forced migration across the Atlantic and also to Australia, England and Scotland. The result of this was an influx of Irish people into Scotland. To find out more about the Famine, visit  http://www.historyplace.com/worldhistory/famine/.
• You may also find the website about The Glasgow Story interesting and useful in providing information about the Irish immigration and sectarianism - http://www.theglasgowstory.com/storyc.php.
• It is important to distinguish between racism and sectarianism. Much of the negative reaction to the Irish was based on their ethnicity but coupled with that were faith issues and this affected Irish Catholics. The anti Irish feeling is connected with the suspicion of Catholicism which made anti-Irish and anti-Catholic prejudice and bigotry to be so easily encouraged.
• It is equally important here to dispel myths, e.g. many people assume it was just Irish Catholics that came to Scotland but Irish Protestants also came. Another common myth was that the Irish were prepared to work for low wages and were strike-breakers. It is important here to explore the reasons behind this. Abject poverty was faced by many Irish immigrants coupled with discrimination which prevented them for acquiring jobs or decent housing and this forced them to accept low wages and at times to strike-break. However, both Irish Catholics as well as Protestants took part in strike-breaking and equally there were many Irish Catholics and Protestants who did not.
• A reference to the Act of Settlement as an example of how divisions have become constitutional matters.
• Brief discussion about the 1872 Education Act and the 1918 Education (Scotland) Act.
• Clear statements that both Catholics and Protestants are part of the Christian faith. Teachers who have provided comment to this resource have commented that there are pupils who still perceive Catholics and Protestants to be of different faiths rather than two denominations of the same faith.

Purposes of the curriculum 3-18 

In addition to the key contributions of the whole the course, these activities also contribute toward young people becoming:

• responsible citizens able to develop knowledge and understanding of the world and Scotland’s place in it and to develop informed, ethical views of complex issues

Activity 1

Pupils could be asked to consider the topic of 'Leaving Home' and to imagine themselves as part of an Irish family during the time of the potato famine. They could write an account of what their family might be going through due to the famine and how they felt having to leave their home. Links could be made here to refugee and asylum seekers today, forced to leave their homes for a variety of reasons. Links could also be made to the Highland Clearances where people were forced to leave their homes set up new somewhere else.

Activity 2

Pupils could be asked to create a role play or mini-drama that will help people to understand what happened to the Irish families who had to leave due to the Famine.

Pupils could be asked to consider:

• Were you scared, excited?
• Was the journey an easy one?
• How were you treated by other people?
• What was it like when you arrived at your destination?
• Did you make friends?

Bias and stereotypes

Activity 3

Pupils could be asked to consider the following two extracts:

After reading these two extracts, pupils could be asked to analyse and comment on the extracts. Pupils are then asked to write down which one they think is more sympathetic and why, and why the other is against the Irish in Scotland.

The purpose of this activity is to discuss issues of bias and prejudice and how this in turn leads to discrimination. Equally it assists pupils to question what is fact and what is bias.

Some questions that pupils could investigate:

• What is the Reformation?
• What happened to Catholics in Scotland during the Reformation?
• What became the official denomination in Scotland after the Reformation?
• What happened in Ireland between 1845 and 1850 that caused the Irish to emigrate to other countries?
• Which countries did the Irish migrate to? (http://www.theglasgowstory.com/storyc.php)
• Why were the Irish resented in Scotland?
• What do you think made the Irish immigrants work for low wages?
• How did discrimination occur against the Irish?

Post 1900

Things did not improve as time moved on. Anti-Catholic prejudices grew and these culminated in some strong anti-Catholic sentiments being voiced by Prominent people within Scotland, such as the Reverend John White (who later became the first Moderator of the United Presbyterian Church). He led a ferocious verbal attack on the Irish. This attack bore both the hallmarks of racism as well as sectarianism. In particular, he told the Scots that they were a superior race to the Irish and he campaigned to stop any further Irish Catholic immigration. He wrongly believed that the Irish and Catholicism were a threat to the Protestant communities of Scotland.

It is important to bring things up to the present day and be clear that the Church of Scotland has long since then not held the same views as John White. In fact, when White was espousing his views, many of his fellow ministers did not agree. The quote by Norman Shanks in the Context section can be used here to show present-day attitudes from the Church of Scotland to sectarianism.

Activity 4

Pupils could find out at least five new facts about the Irish people's contribution to Scotland. They could then depict what they have learnt, on a storyboard, mind map or poster.

Resources might include:

• Text books
• Internet
• Encyclopaedias
• CD-Roms on Scottish history

Some of the ways in which Irish people have contributed to make Scotland the country it is today include helping to build:

• the railways
• the motorways
• the Clyde tunnel
• power stations
• schools and hospitals

They have worked as doctors, lawyers, politicians and teachers, and fought in wars on behalf of Scotland and so on. A useful website to find out what is available about the Irish diaspora is http://www.bradford.ac.uk/acad/diaspora/reviews/scottish.shtml. Do also visit The Glasgow Story website http://www.theglasgowstory.com/storyc.php

Activity 5

To bring matters more up-to-date, pupils might be asked to look at the breakdown of different faith and belief groups as a result of the Census 2001. Pupils could be asked to consider why it is now very important to tackle sectarianism and religious intolerance.