Expansion in Africa - Relative Power (indigenous societies)

Question 1

Egypt and the Sudan

Answer 1

• 2nd September 1898: Battle of Omdurman with the Mahdist
• British expected the Khalifah’s army to be 60k strong and Kitchener only assembled 25k: British government were expecting victory and considering future political settlement
• British long range rifles, machine gunsa nd artillery killed 11k of Khalifah’s army and wounded 16k
• illustrated difference between industrialised British war tech vs. opponents in Africa

Question 2

Southern Africa (Zulus)

Answer 2

• 1879 22nd January: Battle of Isandlwana climax of Zulu Wars
• 12,000 Zulus vs. 1200 British troops
• Zulus used shields and spears vs. British rifles
• Underestimated and British suffered defeat

Question 3

Southern Africa (Second Boer War)

Answer 3

• Boer War 1899-1902
• British expected it to take 3-4 months, 75,000 troops and no more than £10m
• British ultimately did win however not easily; almost 400,000 British troops, £250m; best part of 3 years
• 31 May 1902: Peace of Vereeniging saw Boers acknowledging themselves as British subjects

Question 4

Southern Africa (Xhosa)

Answer 4

• 1857: tactical error by Xhosa tribe who slaughtered their cattle hoping it would fulfil a prophecy which would bring back their ancestors to drive out the white men
• 1877-78: Xhosa War; British easily disarmed the Xhosa, annexing their land into the Cape Colony

Question 5

Treaties

Answer 5

• Men on the spot overcame indigenous African tribes with treaties or agreements where the native people would gain far less than the British who ultimately manipulated them
• Goldie and Lugard in WA and Mackinnon in EA
• e.g. Lugard manipulated tribal chiefs in Cano after physically overcoming them and went on to take interior West and East; 1890 Lugard signed a treaty with King Mwanga of Uganda on behalf of IBEAC giving British power over revenue trade and administration of justice

Question 6

East Africa (Zanzibar)

Answer 6

• 1896: Zanzibar’s Sultan Khalid refused to stand down after having ascended to the throne without British blessing
• After 38 mins he was overthrown and replaced with a pro-British Sultan