Abstract Tensions in South Africa between the British and the Boers developed soon after the two populations came together in the region, and this tension would continue until the Boer War at the end of the nineteenth century. One of the more memorable events that took place over this century-long history of conflict was the Great Trek, a migration of Boers from the British territory to another territory in an effort to create their own land and control their own destiny.
From the Paper "Tensions in South Africa between the British and the Boers developed soon after the two populations came together in the region, and this tension would continue until the Boer War at the end of the nineteenth century. One of the more memorable events that took place over this century-long history of conflict was the Great Trek, a migration of Boers from the British territory to another territory in an effort to create their own land and control their own destiny. This trek would have consequences both at the time and in later history leading up to the Boer War.
Throughout the 19th century, Great Britain expanded its possessions in southern Africa, and over this period ill feeling mounted between the Dutch descended population, called Afrikaners, or Boers, and British settlers, leading to the Afrikaner migration called the Great Trek (1835 1843) and the ..."
Abstract This paper examines how the British were affected by the Boer War. It provides an historical timeline of the events leading up to the Boer War and looks at ways that this conflict might have been avoided. The paper focuses on the effects that the war had on the British and concludes with an overview of the consequences of the war.
From the Paper "The clash between Afrikaner and British interests had been growing for many years. The war began in 1899 when the Afrikaners or "boers" (pioneer farmers) of South Africa, as they came to be known, renounced British imperial rule. The Boer republics of the Transvaal and Orange Free State, steadfastly opposed British plans for the dominion of Southern Africa under the British Crown. The general consensus in Britain at the time was that the Boers were generally upstarts and need "a lesson". However it was to take the British 31 months to subdue the defiant Boers into submission that was to be short-lived."
Abstract This paper examines how the period 1870-1910 saw a variety of changes in the relationship between Britain and the Boer Republics. It look at how, although initially there was much animosity between the two groups, the Boer republics were more dependent on the British to protect them from the Zulu tribe. It shows how several changes along this timescale resulted in a number of changes between the two and how a series of economic changes and long term desires to control created a transfer of priorities; Britain was desperately trying to strengthen their Empire to protect their trade and strategic positions, whilst the Boer republics wanted independence from the obstinate British government.
From the Paper "In the latter period of the 19th century, the Political beliefs of the British Government centred around the expansion of the British Empire in South Africa to protect the Empire. By the 1890s, Rhodes had now expanded the British Rule ruthlessly, capturing Northern and Southern Rhodesia and making Nyasaland a British Protectorate. However, much of these political beliefs, including the desire for voting rights, served as reasons to not only strengthen the Empire but to protect the key trade and strategic posts from expanding powers, such as Germany. Source A explains that Britain wanted to establish ?British power and influence over the Transvaal to advance the unification of the region within the British Empire.? Thus it can be argued that political factors were created in order to maintain Britain's status as an empire strategically."
This paper discusses the history of the Afrikaners, the descendants of mainly Dutch settlers who established the first permanent settlement at the southern tip of the African continent.
Abstract This paper explains that the Afrikaners developed a separate identity, identifying themselves as Africans rather than Europeans, adopting a separate language called Afrikaans, which is a dialect of the Dutch, and developing a distinct culture based on Calvinist beliefs honed by the harsh environs of the South African landscape. The author points out that, ever since a group of native Khoikhois first encountered the white men who had briefly disembarked to look for fresh water in about 1488, the relationship between the Europeans and the local inhabitants had been hostile. The paper relates that the politics of the Afrikaners, based on the assumed superiority of the white people, was an interpretation of the Calvinistic philosophy of a "chosen people", meaning the Boers were chosen by God to conquer the desolate land of South Africa and to rule over its "uncivilized" indigenous inhabitants.
Table of Contents
Background
The First Dutch Outpost
The Freeburghers and the Beginnings of a Race-based Society
Interaction with the Natives
The Afrikaner Identity
The Afrikaans Language
Afrikaner Culture and Society
Politics and Apartheid
Significant Events in Afrikaner History
The Great Trek
The Second Boer War: Oct 1999-May 1902
From the Paper "There are different theories about how Afrikaans developed. One is that it arose as a bastard tongue out of a clash between Dutch (the language of the white settlers) and Malay Portuguese (the language of the imported slaves). However, Afrikaans does not show large scale influence of Malay-Portuguese and has incorporated only a few of its words into its fold. The more convincing theory about the origins of the language is that it gradually evolved from Dutch as a result of the interaction among people of various nationalities who settled at the Cape. It later gathered loanwords from other languages such as English, French, German and some African languages, and adopted a simplified grammatical structure to evolve into a separate language. As we have already observed, most of the early settlers at the Cape were Dutch."
Abstract This paper discusses two historical events - the Anglo-Boer War and industrialization (and its link to mineral discoveries where relevant) - and two social changes, labor migrancy and urbanization, in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries in Africa. It explores how these concepts and events contributed to popular political mobilization in the twentieth century. Moreover, it investigates the timing and efficacy of popular resistance to white rule, and the forces that divided black resistance.
Abstract In order to account for the rise of Afrikaner nationalism between 1910 and 1948, this paper considers a number of social, political and economic factors. More specifically, it analyses the significance of historical factors such as the legacy of the Anglo-Boer War. It also considers the significance of the Great Depression and the urbanisation of poor whites as well as the roles of Jan Smuts, James Hertzog and Daniel Malan and the issue of 'Petty White Politics'. It also assesses the significance of social factors such as the Centenary Celebrations of the Great Trek and the role of the Dutch Reformed Church.
From the Paper "A further influencing factor behind the development of Afrikaner Nationalism between 1910 and 1948 was the economic problems facing the Afrikaner community. Many historians contend that the economic plight of the poor rural Afrikaners brought the group together. In 1932 the Carnegie Commission produced a report on white poverty and classified betweens 200,000 and 300,000 whites as very poor - the vast majority of whom were Afrikaners. This figure equated to approximately one fifth of the Afrikaner population being classed as very poor. During the 1930s a large proportion of the Afrikaner population was moving away from the countryside to large industrial towns and cities in search of jobs. However, historians maintain that for many, rural poverty was merely replaced with urban poverty; during the 1930s nearly 40% of Afrikaners were employed in menial jobs such as manual labourers or railway workers. However, T.R.H. Davenport, 'South Africa, A Modern History' claims that the government attempted to reduce white poverty through the introduction of measures such as The Mines and Works Amendment (or 'Colour Bar') Act of 1926 which removed many jobs from Africans and reserved them for whites; R.H. Davies, 'Capital, State and White Labour in South Africa, 1910 - 1960' estimates that between 1924 and 1932 the Hertzog Government transferred over 8,000 jobs from black to white hands. Despite attempts by the government to eradicate white poverty, historians maintain that many Afrikaners still resented the relative prosperity of the British and English-speaking industrialists and mine-owners."
Tags: Broederbond, Dutch, Reformed, Church, smuts, boer, war
Abstract An examination of the changing nature of warfare between 1860 and 1960 and a look at the reasons for these changes. The paper also attempts to define the change in the structure of wars over this period of time by considering whether wars are always decided by one major battle, or if there are more complicated factors to explain the outcomes of each war.
Table of Contents
Analysis of the American Civil War
European conflicts-Austro-Prussian and Franco-Prussian Wars.
The Boer War-colonialism and the development of guerilla warfare.
The surprise victory of the Japanese in the Russo-Japanese conflict.
The reasons for the Allied victories in the First and Second World Wars-how technology was implicated.
The Battle of Dien Bien Phu in 1954-the importance of environmental knowledge in warfare.
From the Paper "In 1909, F.T. Marinetti stated that, 'We will glorify war-the world's only hygiene-militarism, patriotism, the destructive gesture of freedom-bringers, beautiful ideas worth dying for, and scorn for woman.' This belief in the glory of war held by many at the turn of the century, was completely changed with the horrific events of two world wars in 1914 and 1939. Indeed, the basic principle of the concept known as 'total war' practised throughout many twentieth century conflicts was largely unheard of in the previous century. In contrast to the majority of conflicts in the nineteenth century, the distinction between civilians and soldiers of the twentieth century became increasingly blurred. In examining past wars we can observe that changes have taken place both regarding the principles and technology of war. "
From the Paper "Effects of War on British Society 1899-1948
This research paper traces the impact of the three major wars of the 20th century on the British political and social order, the Boer War (1899-1902), the First World War (1914-1918) and the Second World War (1939-1945). The impact of these wars, especially the two world wars, on British society while great was highly variable, causing want, privation and suffering to some segments of society and producing political, economic and social gains, some transitory and others more permanent, for others. Their one common thread was enhancement of the unity of the nation and the power of the state, which proved to be a mixed blessing in some of its long run manifestations.
Effects of the Boer War
The Boer War was fought on distant battlefields in South..."
An analysis of the causes of the Boer War (1899-1902), exploring the roles of the gold-mining magnates, the British and Transvaal governments and individuals such as Joseph Chamberlain, Cecil J. Rhodes and Alfred Milner.
Abstract This essay argues that although the mining magnates had a significant part to play in the build up to the South African War (1899-1902), the underlying causes of the war were the respective governments of Britain and the Transvaal. The paper shows that Joseph Chamberlain, Alfred Milner and C.J. Rhodes may have all contributed, but the cause of the war was greater than the actions of individuals and was the result of regional rivalry and governmental policy.
From the Paper "As with all the principal actors involved in Transvaal politics preceding the Boer War, the gold-mining magnates certainly had a part to play in its causes. Indeed, it would be a difficult task to attribute the Boer War to a single actor, as each of the main contributors played a significant role. Most histories instead attempt to single out the primary driving force behind the war. Since the end of the war different analyses have focused on different issues; the gold-mining magnates, the respective governments in London or Pretoria, the role of the Uitlanders, the individual actions of actors such as Kruger, Milner, Rhodes or Chamberlain, and international financiers. The problem with assigning too much significance to one of these actors is that none of them were in complete control of the situation, and all relied, at least in part, upon the actions of others. Nevertheless, solely naming the different factors achieves little; it is important to try to root out the principal force. Certainly, although it now seems unlikely that the gold-mining magnates were the primary cause of the Boer War, they played an important role, even after the Jameson Raid in 1895."
Abstract The paper focuses on the financial interests central to the advent of the Boer War and how this war impacted on British - Transvaal relations. It also looks at the role Britain had to play in the wider context of the Empire, and how the events that took place between 1886 - 1899 impacted on relations between British and other imperial powers, for example Denmark.
From the Paper "In the 1890's, Captain C Ballard of the Norfolk regiment wrote ' I am afraid we are fighting chiefly for the benefit of a lot of money - grubbing Jews.' This highlights important contemporary conceptions about why the Boer war was being fought and what led to it in the first place. Both at the time and afterwards, many people on both sides felt that Rand capitalists had a worryingly large influence over events in the Transvaal and even Kruger himself. The most famous proponent of the economic, capitalist view of bad relations between the Transvaal and Britain was Hobson. He wrote that British expansion in general was due to 'financial pressure groups in the metropolis finding new fields of investment in order to combat under consumption and circumvent the resultant over - saturated money market in the home country.'"
Tags: beers, de, imperial, uitlanders, south, africa
Abstract This paper examines the historical beginnings of apartheid and discusses how this repressive system gained popularity. Further, this paper discusses the impact of the new system on the lives of white South Africans, from the perspective of both those who benefited from the system, and those who fought against it. Finally, a discussion of the impact of apartheid on black South Africans is presented.
From the Paper "Further segregation was created when the Natives Act of 1923 was enacted, which restricted movement in white urban areas. The laws stated that black were only allowed in urban areas for labor, and that any black township was to be created away from the white urban centers. Further, all blacks and those of mixed decent were required to carry pass cards at all times in white areas, further restricting their access (Falola, 198)."
Abstract The paper outlines the background and history of the racial segregation policies of the United States and South Africa. The paper highlights the similarities of exploitation, slave labor, the eventual abolition of slave labor and the religious beliefs of the two countries. The paper also compares the similarities of the Boer War, the American Civil War, and the period of reconstruction that followed in both countries. Lastly, the paper discusses the dissolution of apartheid and the activity of Martin Luther King in giving the black American status.
From the Paper "The earliest European colonists of South Africa were Dutch though interestingly, a Dutch colony was founded in North America as well, though that colony - New Amsterdam, later New York - was eventually subsumed under English rule. In contrast, South Africa's Dutch colonies would fall under full English control by the early Twentieth Century. Indeed, it was a Dutch warship that, in 1619, landed the first cargo of Black African slaves at Jamestown in return for food supplies. Black slaves from Africa soon became a common sight in Virginia, and throughout the colonies along the Eastern Seaboard. More common in the South than in the North, they became essential in the region's expanding plantation economy."
