Oliver Cromwell was an excellent leader and soldier for Britain "Puritan" forces (this was the name that called Calvinists for themselves). He was at the command of the best army of that moment. In 1640 approximate, Cromwell begun to fight against Irish people. He and his "New Army" had the eastern half of the island in only two months. This incredibly and fast conquest went on, and in September they took, by the force and carrying a lot of blood and horror, Drogheda. In October they had the same treatment with the people of Wexford. They were fighting without resistance against all the towns which were in their way. In 1652 they had all Ireland. Then, Cromwell began a dispossession of all the lands of the Irish Catholic landowners.England and the puritans began to settle millions and millions of Irish acres. Only a little part was kept for the Catholics who neither escaped to the continent nor been shipped off to West Indies. No one catholic landowner kept with any own land, and Protestants had all the land control and power of the land that before the war was Irish. This is called with "Protestant Ascendancy". This was possible by the brilliance of Sir William Petty, the Surveyor-General of Ireland. He surveyed the whole island.  The Cromwellian plantation was in their possession until early 20th century. In 1658 Oliver Cromwell died, and, two years later, Charles II was bid home from his travels to take his place upon his father's throne.
 

Questionnaire

 

1)     Why Cromwell won so easily, against Catholic people?

2)      Why did Cromwell want to give land to protestant people?

3)      What was the name of the British surveyor ?

4)      When did Cromwell conquest Wexford?

5)      When was Drogheda taken?

6)      When did Cromwell die?

7)    When did Charles II come back to Ireland?