Extracts from a letter from the Irish Ambassador in London to Dermot Gallagher, a senior official in the Department of Foreign Affairs in Ireland June 1998
Context notes
The author of this letter was Ted Barrington, Ireland’s Ambassador to the UK. He was reporting back to his superiors in the Foreign Affairs Department of the Irish Government about a phone conversation with Mo Mowlam. Mowlam was the UK Government’s Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. Paul Murphy MP was a UK Government Minister, a senior UK official, who worked in Mo Mowlam’s department as Political Development Minister of State for Northern Ireland. A major part of Murphy’s job was liaising with officials from Ireland.
A letter from the Taoiseach Bertie Ahern to the UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, 10 June 1998
Context notes
One of many controversial issues in the history of Northern Ireland was the system of policing. Many in the Nationalist community felt that the existing police force, the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) did not represent them properly. As part of the Agreement, the RUC was to be replaced by a new force called the Police Service of Northern Ireland. An Independent Commission on Policing for Northern Ireland was set up to study policing and make recommendations about how Northern Ireland was to be policed in the future. There was a great deal of heated debate about who should be appointed to be part of this Commission. The situation was not helped when a confidential document about the Commission was leaked to the press on 4 June 1998 and revealed how tense and angry the debate was over the Commission.
The text of a speech by the Taoiseach Mr. Bertie Ahern, TD on the Approval of the Multi-Party Agreement in Belfast on Good Friday, 10 April 1998. The speech was delivered on 22 April 1998.
Context notes
Bertie Ahern was the Irish Taoiseach, the Prime Minister of Ireland. In this speech he was setting out the Agreement to the Irish Seanad, the upper house of the Irish Dáil. The Agreement was the culmination of years of political initiatives, negotiations and many setbacks. It involved politicians from Northern Ireland, Britain, Ireland, the USA and the European Union.
Extracts from an opening statement by Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), which was led by David Trimble, at the peace talks in Stormont, Belfast, on 7 October 1997. Catalogue reference: PREM 49/403
Extracts from a Northern Ireland Office (UK government department) record of a morning session during the peace talks on 12 June 1996 in Stormont, Belfast. The notes were recorded by a UK government official. Catalogue reference: CJ4/12228
A letter from Gerry Adams, the leader of Sinn Féin, to Sir Patrick Mayhew, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (a UK government minister) Catalogue reference: CJ4/12383
A letter from Gerry Adams, the leader of Sinn Féin, to John Major, the UK Prime Minister. Catalogue reference: CJ4/12375
Please note, the transcripts of the resources retain any typographical errors included in the original documents.
Historians substantiate their interpretations of the past by supporting their claims with evidence from primary sources. This is why two of the key assessment objectives at A Level are:
- Understanding and evaluating historical interpretations.
- Using and assessing a range of historical sources
Part 1: What role did the key figures in the peace process play? Is it possible to argue that there was one key figure or group?
This task provides A Level students with a collection of sources which will allow them to evaluate the role of key players and perhaps reach a judgement on how the work of these key players came together. Whilst very few historians would argue that only one individual or group was primarily responsible for bringing about the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement, a range of experts were asked to highlight what they consider to be the most important factor. The first task for the students is to really understand the detail and the emphasis of these views before they test them against the sources.
Study each interpretation and summarise the key points made by the historian.
- What do they argue is the most important factor, individual or group?
- How did this contribute to the peace process and Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement?
- What challenges and obstacles had to be overcome?
- What evidence is given to support this interpretation?
- Does the historian’s biographical information help to explain their interpretation?
- From your own knowledge how convincing do you find this interpretation?
- What further evidence would you want to find in the documents to make the interpretation convincing?
- If you were to provide a one-word summary of this individual’s contribution, which of these would you choose, or can you think of a better word?
Obstructive / Unhelpful / Marginal / Constructive / Helpful / Pragmatic / Visionary / Essential
Part 2: Testing the views against the documents
This resource is NOT an exam practice paper. It is designed to explore how historians think about documents and make use of them. Students are introduced to the concept of a line of argument and to testing this against evidence from a range of documents. This will enable them to respond more effectively to the source and interpretation papers in their examinations.
All of the documents come from either:
- The National Archives of the United Kingdom
- The National Archives of Ireland
- The Public Record Office of Northern Ireland
For each document a number of discussion questions are posed which are designed to engage students in focused reading of the text. Students are then asked to consider whether the document could be used as evidence to support a particular view.
Carefully study the pack of 10 documents about the peace process.
- Decide whether each document could be used as evidence to support Views 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5.
- Remember that documents may support more than one view
- Decide whether they constitute strong, convincing evidence or whether more evidence is required to substantiate the interpretation and support the historian’s line of argument.
Download the resource pack below:
Key Stage Five Resources
Please note, the transcripts of the resources retain any typographical errors included in the original documents.
The resource takes a twin-track approach.
Track 1: The significance of the Downing Street Declaration
The six documents raise awareness and understanding of key events, developments and processes which contributed in some way to the Downing Street Declaration and the wider peace process. The main question is :
What was the significance of the Downing Street Declaration?
In one sense the answer to this is simple: the Declaration, as Source 6 clearly states, was designed to offer the Republican movement in Northern Ireland a pathway towards an end to violent action. Of course, the process of reaching a point where the Declaration could be made was far from simple. There were many contributory factors: individuals, groups, movements; developments in Ireland and the USA. These documents provide an insight into the workings and impact of just a few of these factors.
Track 2: How historians use sources
Making effective use of sources is not some mechanical process or skill which is separate from knowledge and context. It is a craft which experts take many years to develop and constantly look to improve on. The examination paper for this part of the CCEA GCSE History course places great stock on asking students to assess how the sources they are given would be useful and/or reliable in the context of particular questions. This resource is NOT an examination practice paper. It is designed to take one step back from the exam question-based approach and to explore how historians think about documents and make use of them. The aim is that by understanding this set of fundamentals, students will be better equipped for the inevitably more limited approaches which examination conditions place on them.
Students are introduced to the two tracks in Slides 1-10 and then they can look at the documents.
Students should look at each document and complete the table, so that they are recording:
- Reasons why the Downing Street Declaration came about, why key groups or individuals were involved, why and progress was difficult;
- Impact of particular events, actions, individuals;
- Changes taking place at the time;
- How the process worked which eventually led to the Downing Street Declaration came – meetings, discussions, documents; and
- Attitudes of the various groups and individuals involved.
For each document, there are additional questions to aid students in their analysis.
Students should complete the table before discussing what they consider to be the significance of the Downing Street Declaration.
Once students have decided on a line of argument, they should develop an extended paragraph in response to the question “What was the significance of the Downing Street Declaration?” Their answer should explain why they have come to their conclusion what evidence from the sources supports their assessment.
Download the resource pack below:
Key Stage Four Resources - Lesson One