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Act of the Union
As a result of the Rebellion of 1798, and the proved willingness of the French to support the Society of United Irishmen, the British increased their grip on Ireland and the Irish parliament was a casualty. Instead of loosen the link the United Irishmen Rebellion caused a tightening of the strings between Britain and Ireland.
Prime Minister William Pitt induced the Irish parliament to vote itself out of existence. In return Pitt and his Irish secretary Lord Castlereagh promised political and religious equality for Catholics and Protestants.
King George III signed the Act of the Union in August 1800, but completely ignored the promises made by William Pitt.
William Pitt
Prime Minister William Pitt did not see the Act of Union as a solution to the Irish problem. He recognised the necessity of social and economic reforms and emancipation of the Irish Catholics. William Pitt was forced to resign when King George III refused full emancipation.
The Act of the Union became effective on 1 January 1801. This Act has no social dimensions at all and the economic problems of Ireland were completely ignored. It was mainly intended to stop the Catholic Emancipation and to extent the grip from Britain on Ireland. Some of the most striking regulations were:
- Ireland was to be joined Great Britain into a single kingdom; the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.
- The Dublin parliament was abolished. Ireland was to be represented at Westminster.
- The Anglican Church was the official Church of Ireland.
- Catholics were not allowed to hold public office.
By this act Ireland became a part of the United Kingdom and a minority of Protestants ruled over the majority of Catholics.
Union Jack
The origin of the Union Jack.
One visible result of the Act of the Union was the birth of the Union Jack, the official flag of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (in 1927 renamed as United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland). Strictly speaking the name Union Jack applies only when the flag is used as jack, which is a small flag on the bow of a ship, otherwise the flag is called Union Flag. However, the name Union Jack is well established and we think we will be forgiven for using this designation.
The United Jack is a combination of three flags.
The origin of the Union Jack is the flag of the Kingdom of England. The Saint George's Cross, a red cross on a white field, is in use since 1277 and was not altered when the English gained control over Wales in 1284. By the Act of the Union from 1536 Wales was just included in the Kingdom of England.
Since 1602, when the King of Scots, James VI, became James I, King of England, England and Scotland are reigned by the same monarch. The Scottish Saint Andrew's Cross, a white saltire on a blue field, was merged with the English flag in April 1606 and the Grand Union Flag was born. The blue field however has changed slightly from royal blue in the darker navy blue. With the Act of the Union of 1707 England and Scotland became the Kingdom of Great Britain.
By the Act of the Union of 1801 Ireland became part of the kingdom. The name was changed in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the Saint Patrick's Cross, a red saltire on a white field, was incorporated in the flag. The Union Jack, sorry Union Flag, was born. The Union Flag was hoisted for the first time on 1 January 1801. Not in London though, but on Dublin Castle.
Obviously merging the Saint Patrick's Cross with the Grand Union Flag gave a lot of trouble, as the Saint Patrick's Cross is barely identifiable, but provides a neat application.
The Union Jack is not symmetrical. Just keep the wide white top and the flag will never fly upside-down or with the wrong side to the mast. Hoisting the United Jack upside-down is, unlike other national flags, not always a foolish and offensive thing to do. If you are in distress all you have to find an Union Jack and a flagpole and hoist the flag upside-down. Some people will understand the distress signal and hasten to help.