The Treaty (Anglo-Irish Treaty)

The Anglo-Irish Treaty, signed in 1921, was an agreement between Britain and Irish leaders ending the Irish War of Independence. It established the Irish Free State as a self-governing dominion within the British Empire, with its own government but remaining part of the British Commonwealth. The treaty allowed for partition, creating Northern Ireland as a separate entity that could opt out of the Free State. While it granted Ireland independence, it also caused division among Irish nationalists, leading to a civil war. Overall, it marked Ireland’s transition toward full independence while retaining certain ties to Britain.