The Battle of Isandlwana
Cape Colony, Natal under British rule
 The Transvaal (also known as SAR) and
Orange Free State under Boer control
 Different African kingdoms, including the
Zulu Kingdom (Zululand)
 The British wanted even more land in
Southern Africa

Rich mineral deposits found in Kimberley
made South Africa more desirable
 They later claimed this area
 Zululand on trade route to the East and
was next on their list
 They wanted South Africa as a whole
 The British knew that the Zulus would
resist their authority

The British wanted to overthrow the king
of Zululand, King Cetshwayo
 They put British Soldiers on border of
Zululand
 Ultimatum: demanded that Cetshwayo
disband his army
 January 1879: Cetshwayo refused –
British invaded
 Zulu suffered great losses next few days

20 000 Zulu soldiers came across British
Soldiers at a valley near Isandlwana Hill
 British were unprepared and completely
overwhelmed
 Bloody battle, fought at close range
 More than 1200 British Soldiers were
killed in this battle and almost as many
Zulu.
 One of the worst British army defeats they
have suffered.

“We...killed a great
many of them by
throwing our
assegais at short
distance. We
eventually
overcame them in
this way.”
The Zulu force attacked the mission station
Rorke’s Drift – 500 Zulu killed
 Zulu were seen as powerful and savage
 British took revenge:

› Battle of Khumbula
› Battle of Gigindlovo
Final defeat at Battle of Ulundi
 Cetshwayo went into hiding and was later
exiled
 The British finally took over in 1887

Why did this war happen?
2. When did it happen?
3. How did it happen?
4. What were the consequences?
1.
Source Evaluations
&
History on Film
They knew that the Zulu King Cetshwayo
would refuse the British to take control of
the entire South Africa including
Zululand.
2. The Cape Colony and Natal
3. King Cetshwayo
4. Rorke’s Drift, Khumbula, Gingindlovu
and the final defeat at Ulundi.
5. Own answer.
1.
The Battle of Isandlwana depicted by a British Artist
The British are using guns and the Zulus are
using assegais and shields.
2. Today weapons are more destructive and can
kill many people at once.
3. Own answer. (fierce, powerful, savage)
4. More British dead than Zulu (is that an
accurate depiction?)
The British look more afraid and also
reserved against the Zulu’s fierceness
The Zulu’s are everywhere and the British is
surrounded
1.
•This
is part of a
History Channel
documentary
•The ‘Real Zulu’
•Based on accounts
of British people
•Historians put
this film together
•‘Zulu Dawn’
•Film made in 1979
•Made for the public
•Filmmaker’s
viewpoint
Do you think the first or second film is
more accurate, and why?
 Do you think that one of these films are
one-sided to either of these groups?
 Who is the victim?

 We
always have to choose our
sources carefully!
Dabulamanzi, brother of King Cetshwayo and the Zulu
commander who massacred the British Army at Isandlwana
Uniforms of the 24th Regiment
Zulu warriors