Act of Union (1801)

A law that made Britain and Ireland one state. The 1798 United Irishmen Rebellion and the threat of a French invasion convinced William Pitt that this was crucial for national security. The Act was passed in August 1800 and came into force on 1 January 1801. It created the United Kingdom, abolished the Irish parliament and united the Church of Ireland and Church of England. Thirty-two Irish peers entered the UK House of Lords and 100 Irish MPs the House of Commons.