What were the causes of the Boer War?

• During the Napoleonic Wars, Britain seized the southern tip of South Africa from the Dutch, and British settlers joined the Dutch as farmers and traders
• In 1833, the British abolished slavery across the empire. The Dutch farmers (or Boers) disliked this reform and British control, and began to move north.
• British power followed them, and in the 1840's Natal was annexed
• The Voortrekkers established 2 dutch states beyond the GB empire: The Orange Free State and the Transvaal Republic
• The British acknowledged these states, provided they abolish slavery
• The dutch were dependant on communication through British territory

• In the 1870's, Britain simed to tidy up their control of South Africa by weakednin gthe dominant native power (the Zulus) and federating the 4 white states (Natal, Transvaal Republic, Orange Free State and cape province)
• The Boer states were annexed the face of Zulu Power
• Transvaal very poor
• War began with disaster at Islandhlwana- most of one GB regiment wiped out (shortage in screwdrivers led to a delay in opening ammunitions)
• days later a comapny of the same regiment used the Martini Henry Rifle to win at "Rhorke's Drift"
• 4th 1879- Zulu Power destroyed at Ulandi

• The "first Boer War" took place as after the Zulu threat had been removed, the Boers of the Transvaal demanded their independance back
• Boers defeated the British at the battle of Majuba Hill (the first boer was, feb 1881)
• The British conceded to the Boer demands- but were going to even before the battle took place, as Gladston (PM) and the liberal government had decided Britain was overstretched due to troops in Afghanistan
• Boers thought that their show of strength had paid off when really they were going to be granted independance anyway
• Kruger: had this opinion, thought that any future demands could be gained by swift military victory. His standing within the TR rose.
• He was leader of the Boer militants and from 1883 President of the TR

• In 1886, vas gold deposits were found in the Transvaal republic
• It became very rich and therefore a threat to the British Empire
• Produced 27% of the world's gold by 1898- suddenly independant, could be the centre of a new, rich Boer Empire
• The TR bought in weapons from the German Empire and also sought diplomatic help and protection from them
• Many "uitlanders"- British immigrants- went to the TR to find jobs and money
• But were not treated very well and were unhappy about high taxes, corruption in the TR and the fact that they were denied political rights
• Uitlanders and mine owners preferred British rule to the old fashioned, protestant rule of the Boer Farmers.
• GB pressed for better rights for uitlanders and the High Commissioner, Milner, used this as an excuse to take over
• BOER ULTIMATUM, 9th October 1899

Marxist Historians often see the war as capitalist, fought for gold and the profits of mine owners

Other historians say it was a struggle for British power dominance in South Africa- they sought establish their superiority over the Transvaal Republic on a firmer basis