IB Eng Boer War Presentation

The Boer War

Who are the Boers ?

Sofiia Terzioglu

Maryam Shaik & Sydney Chislett

- The word Boer is Dutch for "farmer"

- They are the descendants of the first dutch settlers which came to South Africa in 1652

- The boers are often associated with a nomadic lifestyle

- Their society was characterized by strong nationalism and they protected their land from outsiders

- They had strong christian ideals, kept slaves and they were blamed for being racists

They are credited with the racism in South Africa which came to be known as apartheid !

The Timeline of the two Boer Wars

South Africa after the conflict

First Boer War (Transvaal War)

The Boers in South Africa

- 31. May 1902 the two countries signed the treaty of peace

- Both sides had big loses

- In 1907 Great Britain admit Orange Free-State and Transvaal to have their own government

- 3 years later they formed with Natal and the Cape Colony the South African Union

- 1877: Annexation of Transvaal by British troops

- The Boers revolted in 1880 and they issued an ultimatum to Great Britain, that they take-off their troops from Transvaal

- After the Boers tried to announce the declaration of independence, the British troops shoot on them

- After the Boers won the most of the Battles in Transvaal, the British government decided to dispute an armistice

- In 1884 the South African Republic reached the full independence

- In 1652 the dutch Sailor Jan van Riebeck arrives with 90 followers in South Africa

- They had the task to build a station for sailors on their way to India

- The little colony is growing fast because of the good farming oppurtunities

- Because of the immigration from Europe and the importation of slaves, the place around Kapstadt gets smaller and smaller

- A lot of Boers decide to move to the interior of South Africa

- The "Trekboer" get in first little conflicts with the natives

Why did the Boers won this first War ?

1. The British army was only build out of professional soldiers, who didn't fight for their own ground. The Boers did, they fought for everything they had created themselves.

2. The Boers were dressed in their typical Khaki (Camouflage) clothes. In contrast the British troops wore red and white, so they were easy to see

3. Unfamous manouver in Guerilla Warfare.

After the armistice, the new president Cecil Rhodes prepared the recapture of the Boer-States !

1902

1899

1884

1880

1902

1910

The second war (The South African War)

- One of the deciding reasons for the second Boer-War, was the discovery of gold and diamond sources in the north of South Africa.

- Great Britain was interested to control Africa from Egypt to South Africa, but the President of Transvaal Paulus Kruger offered resistance.

- The British Government tried to kill Kruger but he survived

- After Great Britain sent troops near the Borders of Transvaal, Kruger announced the declaration of war (11. October 1899)

- In the first months it seemed like the Boers could beat GB again, but at the beginning of the year 1900 the British army recruited 60.000 soldiers

- In the following months the British captured the capials of Transvaal and Orange Free-State

- With their new leader Christian de Wet, the Boers didn't gave up and started the Guerilla-War

- In response to the new tactic the British implemented the "scorched earth" policy

- To this they also detained about 120.000 people in concentration camps, 26.000 died there

- This war was one of the most brutal ever

1. Who are the Boers ?

2. The Boers in South Africa

3. Great Britain barge in

4. The two Boer Wars

4.1. First War (1888-1890)

4.2. Second War (1899-1902)

5. South Africa after the Conflict

Great Britain barge in

- After the VOC is insolvent, the British Empire takes the dutch bases over (1794)

- In 1806 the Kap is an official Crown Colony of Britain

- In the following 30 years they do a lot of radical reformations

- The Boers didn't wanted to agree and they decided to migrate north-eastward.

- This migration away from British control was called "The Great Trek"

- Over 10.000 boers flew into the north of South Africa

- After a lot of fights with natives they finally established the 4 countries Strellaland, Orange Free State, Utrecht and Transvaal (1844)

- In 1860, these 4 countries built the South African Republic