Cecil Rhodes

Cecil Rhodes

Thesis Statement:

Cecil Rhodes (1853-1902) was the main factor in determining the economic and political structure of today’s Zimbabwe (modern day Rhodesia). In the late 19th century, Cecil Rhodes, along with a multitude of armed white settlers, invaded the country of present-day Zimbabwe. All resistance was crushed and the British South African Company was created; this later became the basis for colonization of the entire country. Once Cecil gained control of the diamond and gold industry, he soon gained political power and eventually became the political leader of the area. He soon after disregarded African rights to the land and developed a mandatory labor in the mines that he created. Soon after, Rhodes controlled 90% of the world’s diamond production under De Beers Consolidated Mines, Ltd. The political dictatorship that Cecil Rhodes initiated at the time was to continue; Rhodes’ political system dominated present-day Zimbabwe under British rulers until 1980 when it finally gained independence. Rhodes started an 80-year rule by corrupt and greedy entrepreneurs who’s only goals were that of personal net worth and complete political dominance.

What I already know:

-Cecil Rhodes was a very wealthy man because he had a monopoly of the world’s diamond production; he also controlled many gold mines, which contributed to his wealth

-Rhodes took the area that he sought to control by force and forced the local people to work in the mines that he controlled.

-Present-day Zimbabwe was a prosperous, self-governed area ever since the 12th century until the arrival of such settlers as Rhodes.

-Zimbabwe is a land-locked country

What I would like to know:

-How did the local people finally break free...

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...abwe is an independent and self-sufficient. Zimbabwe has plenty of fertile lands on which to grow crops, and the area, much like other African countries, is full of mineral wealth. Rhodes’ racist, imperialistic form of government seems to have almost disappeared from the political scene in Zimbabwe.

Bibliography:

Works Cited:

Internet:

www.bcpl.net/~dbroida/cole2.html

syllabus.syr.edu/AAS/hgcampbe/aas341/w3-1.htm

193.123.31.186/Rhodes.html

gbgm-umc.org/africa/Zimbabwe/zprofile.html

Books:

Newlon, Clarke Southern Africa: The Critical Land Dodd, Mead & Company, New York © 1978

Farwell, Byron The Great Anglo-Boer War Harper & Row Publishers, New York © 1976

Morris, Donald R. The Washing of the Spears: The Rise and Fall of the Zulu Nation Simon & Schuster Inc. © 1965

Nelson, Harold D. Zimbabwe: A Country Study U.S. Government Printing Office © 1983