L7: The Second Boer War and Union of Africa

Question 1

By 1895, how did Britain feel about taking action in South Africa?

Answer 1

Really confident

Question 2

Who got appointed colonial secretary?

Answer 2

Joseph Chamberlain

Question 3

Why did Chamberlain team up with Rhodes?

Answer 3

To try to develop and promote the British empire in South Africa

Question 4

What happened from September 1895 to October 1895?

Answer 4

The Drift Crisis, Cape Colony against the Transvaals

Question 5

What had the Cape finished building?

Answer 5

A railway line to Johannesburg

Question 6

Why did the Cape build a railway line?

Answer 6

They tried to get as much of the Transvaal railway traffic as it could by reducing its rates

Question 7

What did the Transvaal government do once the railway line was built?

Answer 7

They increased rates on part of the railway that ran through the Transvaal once it had crossed the Vaal river

Question 8

What did the Public do to avoid the high rates after crossing the river?

Answer 8

Goods were taken by train to the Vaal river but after they arrived, goods were then taken by Wagon as it was cheaper

Question 9

How did Kruger, a South African politician, react to rates of Transvaal?

Answer 9

He reacted by blocking access to Transvaal, closing the drifts on the Transvaal side

Question 10

What did the British do during the drift crisis?

Answer 10

They demanded that Kruger should open the drifts and directly used it in a way to include them in Transvaal affairs

Question 11

In addition to the Drift crisis, what else happened?

Answer 11

The Jameson Raid was planned but failed under the guidance of Cecil Rhodes

Question 12

What was Rhodes planning in Johannesburg?

Answer 12

Rhodes was planning an uprising of Uitlanders and decided to overthrow the government by taking up arms

Question 13

What was the Johannesburg uprising timed to coincide with?

Answer 13

An invasion of the Transvaal from Bechuanaland (Botswana) by Dr Leander Starr Jameson

Question 14

What did Cecil Rhodes want from the Jameson raid?

Answer 14

Rhodes wanted to take over the government of Transvaal and turn it into a British colony that would join all the other colonies in a federation

Question 15

When does the Jameson Raid begin?

Answer 15

29th December 1895 when Jameson and armed forces crossed the border from Bechuanaland (Botswana)

Question 16

Why was Jameson hasty with the raid?

Answer 16

While Jameson waited on the border, the Uitlander leaders in Johannesburg were arguing amongst themselves about the kind of government to be put in place after the invasion

Question 17

What were the problems with the Jameson raid?

Answer 17

Many of the Uitlanders had no interest in violent uprisings so Rhodes had actually called off the raid but it was too late as Jameson had already crossed the border into Transvaal
Communication was lacking and plans were botched when all telegraph lines were not cut as had been planned

Question 18

What were the consequences of the Jameson raid?

Answer 18

The Boers received warning of the attack and Jameson was forced to surrender on 2 January 1896; the raid had been a failure.
The prisoners were handed over to their own government and Uitlanders leaders who were involved were put on trial in Johannesburg where some were condemned to death but later reduced to fines
Rhodes was forced to resign as the premier of the Cape Colony

Question 19

When was the Second Boer war?

Answer 19

11 October 1899 - 31 May 1902

Question 20

Who fought in the Second Boer war?

Answer 20

Between the British empire and 2 independent Boer states the South African Republic and Orange Free state

Question 21

What was the conflict like in the Second Boer war?

Answer 21

Long and drawn out and the British forces seriously underestimated the Boers guerrilla tactics

Question 22

How did the British respond to these Guerrilla tactics?

Answer 22

Increasingly aggressive measures against the Boers farm as well as civillians

Question 23

What did the British do to the Boer civilians?

Answer 23

They moved civilians into temporary accommodation which were essentially concentration camps

Question 24

Who was driving the Second Boer war?

Answer 24

Boers as they had the latest German rifles, knew how to dig trenches and understood the terrain

Question 25

What tactics were being used by the British?

Answer 25

Barbed wire nets
8,000 block houses
Killing cattle and sheep
Burning crops
Burned houses

Question 26

When and how did the Second Boer war end?

Answer 26

The Boers finally surrendered in May 1902

Question 27

What did Boer leaders do?

Answer 27

They opted to negotiate for peace on the basis of promises for local self-government, restoration of management of goldmines and crucially the alliance of Britons and Boers against Black africans

Question 28

What was the Act of Union 1910?

Answer 28

It brought together the previous separate colonies of the Orange Free State, Transvaal and the Cape to form the Union of South Africa, the British and the Boers

Question 29

What was the South Africa Act 1910?

Answer 29

Granted dominion to the White minority over native (African), and other mixed races.
Under the Act, the union remained British territory but with home-rule for Afrikaners