The Anglo-Irish Treaty

The Anglo-Irish Treaty, signed in 1921, was an agreement between Britain and Irish leaders that established the Irish Free State as a self-governing dominion within the British Empire. It ended the Irish War of Independence, granting Ireland autonomy while remaining part of the British Commonwealth. The treaty allowed Ireland to control its own domestic affairs but required an oath of allegiance to the British Crown. It was controversial, causing division among Irish nationalists—some supported it as a step toward full independence, while others opposed it, believing it compromised Irish sovereignty.