HN Mineral Revolution Flashcards
When did the Mineral Revolution happen?
It started in 1867
What was the mineral revolution?
The mineral revolution was the change in the mining industries, which happened because of the Industrial Revolution.
How did South Africans live before the Mineral Revolution?
They lived on subsistence farms.
What are migrant labourers?
Migrant labourers were people who travelled away from their homes to find work.
How did Euorpeans force black people to work on their farms?
They instituted a hut tax.
How did hut tax work?
Chiefs had to pay a certain amount of money to the Europeans for each hut that they had in their village. If they did not, then they were imprisoned. This method encouraged villagers to go and work in the mines to earn enough money to pay the tax.
How were black workers discriminated against?
They were forced to carry labour contracts with them at all times. If they did not have their pass with them, then they were not allowed to go anywhere, or they were arrested.
What influenced the Mineral Revolution in South Africa?
The discovery of diamonds and gold influenced the revolution.
What happened to black workers before they left the mines?
They had to be searched, otherwise they were not allowed to leave.
Where did black workers live?
They lived in compounds.
What are compounds?
Compounds are buildings enclosed with a fence or a wall. They were where mine workers were housed. They were not allowed to leave except to go to work or to go home.
How did the ideas on mining spread during the Mineral Revolution?
Rich diamond mine owners moved into gold mining. They brought new ideas of mining with them.
Why did urbanisation happen during the Mineral Revolution?
The Natives Land Act divided the land between black people and white people, but the white people got more land. Many black people moved to the cities because their land was taken away.
What was an indentured labourer?
An indentured labourer was someone who came to South Africa and worked on farms for a certain amount of time to pay the fee of arrival. After their contract was up, they could either work more to pay for their fee home, or accept a piece of land.
