African
Resistance
The Boer War
History of the Boers
 1. The Dutch came to the Cape of Good Hope in 1652 to
establish a way station.
 2. Boers (“farmers”) took over the land and established
large farms.
 3. When the British took over the colony in the 1800’s the
groups clashed over land and slavery
 4. Boers move to the North (“The Great Trek”) to escape
British rule
Boer Beliefs
 Believed in the supremacy of the whites
 Believed that blacks were inferior; to be used as slaves
 Established “Afrikaans” as a new language
British Beliefs
 Abolish Slavery (Provide rights to all people)
 Establish the English Language
 Gave rights to “land” and “citizenship”
The Boer War (1899-1902)
 1. Diamonds and Gold discovered in 1866.
 2. Boers make effort to keep outsiders from gaining rights
 3. Boers take up arms against British in failed rebellion
(after 1895 Jameson raid)
 British High Commissioner places “ultimatum” on Boers to
accept citizenship for the “outsiders”
Military Tactics/Strategies
 4. Boers launch commando raids and use guerilla tactics
after ultimatum given by Boers to withdraw.
 5. The British implement “total war” by using scorched
earth policy (burned farms to the ground). Gave rifles to
“Bantu” tribesman to fight against Boers.
 *Blacks told slavery would be brought back under the
Boers.
 *Promised land by the British
Concentration Camps
 Imprisoned women and children in concentration camps
totaling 116,000 (27,000 die from starvation, disease, and
exposure)
 Following British victory, Boer republics form Union of
South Africa in 1902