The Boer War and its Effects on the South African People

Nations constantly get put through tests and challenges. They can be as small and unaffecting, or they can be enormous and have physical and emotional injuries on the nation’s citizens. However, no matter the size, problems have consequences. The Boer War, a trifling affair that spans over a course of twenty-two years, 1880-1902, also known as the Transvaal War and the South African War, has good and bad everlasting effects on the people of South Africa by the deterioration of the Boers and Afrikaners and the forcefully implied English rule.

The starting spark of the Boer War was lit over disputes of Great Britain trying to claim and unify all the South African States as their own, but the two Dutch republics, Transvaal and the Orange Free States, would not give in mainly in part to their extreme, chauvinistic nationalism and the numerous deposits of gold. “They were therefore not prepared to become part of a united South Africa under British authority,” says the Anglo-Boer War Museum’s article “Introduction to the War”. They did not want to give up their freedom and independence to an imperialistic nation. Not only did the Boers hate giving up their freedom, they did not want to give up their wealth. According to Michael Willis, Boers disliked the idea of Uitlanders, outsiders, coming in and mining and making a large profit. This opposition caused many fights and disputes. Because of this, the Transvaal government taxed the British heavily in attempts to take from their wealth and made them wait 14 years before having a vote in the Boer republics, but the British did not like this, especially Joseph Chamberlain who successfully obtained 10,000 troops from hesitant British Prime Minister Lord Salisbury (Willis).

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...er War Museum." Official Website | Anglo-Boer War Museum. Web. 14 Mar. 2011. .

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Willis, Michael. "Who was guilty of starting the Boer War? Michael Willis focuses on the origins of the Boer War in a way that could make for a stimulating role-play."History Review 59 (2007): 23+. Gale Student Resources In Context. Web. 1 Apr. 2011.