Why Remember the Boyne?

This volume is part of a series which explores 12 key developments in the history of Ireland from the earliest times to 1990. The first volumes have been written for 11 year-olds and the series is then graded so that the final books on 20th-century topics contribute to courses followed by students of 14-16. This volume sets the Battle of the Boyne in the context of Europe and Ireland in the later 17th century. It begins with a general survey of social life, religion and political and economic power. The major issues which divided England and troubled Europe at this time provide a background to the siege of Derry and the Battle of the Boyne. The final units look at the consequences of William of Orange's victory for the Irish. The topics of land ownership and penal laws aim to prepare the student for a later study of the "ascendancy". The books in the series are written in short units, each introduced with a summary of the key issues which are taken up again in end-of-unit activities. Each unit includes source material coupled with questions and activities, and the British and European context is stressed wherever relevant.