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Catholic Emancipation 

The Catholic Emancipation movement of
the late 18th and early 19th centuries
removed limitations on the political
and civil rights of Roman Catholics in
Britain and Ireland. Following the
REFORMATION, a series of restrictions
known as the Penal Laws had been
imposed on Roman Catholics and
nonconforming Protestants. These
regulations, which were unevenly
enforced, restricted Catholics in the
practice of their religion, barred them
from voting and from political offices,
and placed other limitations upon them.
During the 18th century, such penalties
were gradually lifted, especially by
the Roman Catholic Relief Act of 1791.
In 1828 Irish agitation led by Daniel
O'CONNELL succeeded in getting
Parliament to repeal the TEST ACTS,
which had excluded Catholics from
public office. Powerful anti-Catholic
biases were overcome by fears of a
revolution in predominantly Catholic
Ireland, and in 1829 the government of
the duke of WELLINGTON passed the
Catholic Emancipation Act sponsored by
Sir Robert PEEL. Thereafter, only the
crown, certain judicial offices, and
places in the established church
remained barred to Catholics. DON M.
CREGIER 

Bibliography: Machin, G. I. T., The
Catholic Question in English Politics
(1964); Reynolds, J. A., The Catholic
Emancipation Crisis in Ireland,
1823-1829 (1954; repr. 1970).