British Empire (South Africa) 1857-1914

By ebo3k

  • British took over Cape Colony

  • British abolished slave trade

  • British abolished slave ownership

  • Diamonds discovered near Kimberly on the Vaal river in West Griqualand

  • Basutoland annexed under British claim to protect indigenous from Boers.

  • West Griqualand also taken by British

  • Griqualand East, founded in 1873 by Boer-Khoikhoi settlers, was later annexed by Britain.

  • Boers reject proposed British/Boer federation

  • Bartle Frere, govenor of Bombay became High commissioner and governor of Cape Colony

  • British annex Transvaal to help Boers beat the Pedi tribe in east.

  • Pedi defeated by British

  • British invade Zululand

  • Battle of Ulundi where Zulu capital destroyed. Zululand incorporated into Natal.

  • Battle of Isandlwana- humiliating British defeat.

  • Boers declare total independence from Britain

  • 1st Boer War when Brits refused to grant independence to Transvaal after the British won the Zulu war

  • Humiliating defeat in 1st Boer war at Majuba hill (+150 Brits killed)

  • Convention of Pretoria: Ended First Boer War; Transvaal gained self-rule, Britain kept external control.

  • British annex Bechuanaland to stop German/Boer alliance

  • Gold discovered in Witwatersrand

  • Cecil Rhodes' British South Africa company received a Royal Charter

  • Formation of the Kimberley Diamond Syndicate

  • Cecil Rhodes becomes PM of Cape Colony

  • BSAC provoked Matabele war with Ndebele via expansion northwards into Matabeleland for gold & settlement.

  • King Lobengula loses Matabele war and it was declared part of Rhodesia

  • Jameson Raid

  • South Zambezia changed to Rhodesia

  • 2nd Matabele war: mass uprising of Ndebele and Shona peoples against BSAC rule. Lead by spiritual leaders.

  • Alfred Milner becomes High commissioner for South Africa

  • Cecil Rhodes ended 2nd Matabele war brokering peacefully

  • Bloemfontein conference

  • 2nd Boer war declared by Kruger in his ultimatum

  • Khaki election: 2nd Boer war helped Conservatives win.

  • Hobhouse's findings corroborated by Fawcett Commission: nearly 30,000 Boers died in camps.

  • Emily Hobhouse produced a detailed report on Boer suffering.

  • 2nd Boer war led to the need for national efficiency: Education Act: open more schools, modernise the Navy etc

  • Boers lose the war: Peace Treaty of Vereening: Boers became Brit subjects and Boer Republics became British Colonies with promise of self government.

  • First Chinese ‘coolies’ brought to the Rand to replace labour shortages after Second Boer War.

  • Partion of Bengal triggered the Swadeshi movement.

  • Union of South Africa constitution. Had a single Parliament and became a British dominion.