The First Anglo-Boer War 1880 - 1881

One of the most important wars in the political life of South Africa brought about by the discovery of minerals was the Anglo-Boer war.
The first Anglo-Boer war was the first imperialist war to be fought on the African continent, in other words the war was a white man's affair. It is also called the Gentleman's war.
The Africans were not a factor in causing the war and at best were drivers, cooks, weapon bearers, guides, etc.

Causes of the war

The British Annexation of Transvaal in 1877. When the Boers established the Transvaal state they were a threat to the British. It should be noted that in 1875-76, the Bapedi fought a war with the Boers under ChiefSehkuhkuni. The Boers after this war were very exhausted and in April 1877 the British government annexed Transvaal, which caused bad relations.
The British mal-administration. There was increasing British unpopularity in their Transvaal administration after annexation with harsh, ruthless and cruel rule. This led to the first Anglo-Boer war.
The immediate cause of war was a tax incident. The British sold property of a Boer farmer who had refused to pay taxes. A band of 300 Boers managed to rescue Boer property confiscated which action brought Boer nationalism and the need to struggle for economic survival.
The motives of the British Prime Minister, Lord Gladstone. He came to power after Disraeli. After becoming Prime Minister in Britain, he was interested in continued annexation of Boer areas. Earlier in his election campaigns he had promised end to annexation of Transvaal. The Boers thought that he could end the annexation and when he refused, they were disappointed and they rebelled.
Note, that the war started at the battle of Majuba hill in 1881and after this, the Boers defeated the British. To end the war, the two signed a Convention at Pretoria in 1881.
By 1838, the Boers had penetrated into Zululand and took over the Blood River Territory. The British rejected this, annexed Natal in 1843 and took over Zululand after the battle of Ulundi July 1879 during the Anglo-Zulu war, which annoyed the Boers.
Both the Boers and the British wanted the mineral wealth of Kimberley and Witwatersrand. The long-term hostilities and conflicts between the Boers and British.
The idea of Federation which came up in 1854 provided the Boers with an opportunity to demonstrate their hostility against the British. The Boers considered the attempts by Sir George Grey and Lord Caemarvon as a post Trek British imperialism which was to be opposed.
British land alienation, forced labour and disrespect of the Dutch culture in the Transvaal republic provided a reason for the war in 1880.
The British presence in Transvaal did not have a strong military backing with only 3,500 troops and this encouraged the Boers to use their numerical superiority for an attack.
Boer memory of British mistreatment at the cape before the Great Trek.
The Boers were struggling in an attempt to attain a representative assembly in Transvaal and Natal.
The war was meant to defeat the British and repudiate the loans as far as the Boers were concerned. While to the British it was meant to put the Boers under effective rule so as to recover their loans.
Naturally the Boers of Transvaal had for so long wanted a strong and independent Republic controlled by themselves. Following the discovery of minerals, Paul Kruger was determined to attain self rule. His statesmanship had a forceful personality and could not compromise want could affect Boer independence.

Course of the First Anglo-Boer war 1880-81

From November 1880, the Boers were as time immemorial hostile with provocative moves against the British.
The Boers on a number of occasions had hoisted the Transvaal Republic flag instead of the Union jack of the British. The response of the British to these moves was with mixed feelings.
The British control of Transvaal propelled them to have a tight control over the Boers in the commercial sector. At one time it happened when the British confiscated property of a Boer farmer for failure to pay taxes.
In December 1880, a band of3oo Boer Commando's was dispatched to attack the British to recover property confiscated from the Boer farmer.
The Boers managed to recover the property, which increased and strengthened their desire to be free as people. A British expedition traveling from Lydenberg to Pretoria under Col. Anstruther was even attacked by Boer commandos on horses. By the end of December 1880, the Boers had designed all military garrisons and forts of the British in Transvaal.
In January 1881 a relieving contingent of reinforcements from the state of Natal under Sir. General George Colley was interrupted by the Boers at Laing's Nek, as Sir. George CoUey had to retreat to mountain enclaves to have a brief safety.
In February 1881, Sir. George Colley suffered a disastrous defeat at the hands of the Boers at the battle of Majuba Hill, as he himself died after the battle due serious injuries.
After the battle of Majuba Hill, the British were forced to accept defeat and called for peace. By 22 March 1881, Sir. Evelyn Wood who took over from Sir. George Colley signed a peace treaty.
Despite the treaty, the Boers refused to lay down their weapons, as fighting continued until August 1881 when the Convention at Pretoria was signed to end the war.
The Pretoria Convention therefore concluded the war since the major battle at Majuba Hill had ended as the British were given a bloody nose. The terms of the Pretoria Convention were endorsed in the London Convention of 1884.
The Boers were granted full internal self- government by the London Convention of 1884 while foreign affairs remained in the hands of the British. Although the Boers won the battle, it appeared as if they had lost the war by the terms of the Convention at Pretoria.
Results of the War

The results were positive and negative

British troops suffered great loss of life and the Boers suffered slight casualties. There was also destruction of property and general misery.
The British used the scorched earth policy and concentration camps to weaken the Boers. Many crops and livestock were destroyed or looted, as children and women became homeless.
To end the war, the Pretoria Convention was signed in.August 1881 with the following terms:
(a) The Republican government of Transvaal was recognized.
(b) The British were to have limited authority in Transvaal,
(c) British goods were allowed freely in Transvaal,
(d) The Uitlander civil and political rights were to be protected,
(e) In view of the foreign policy, Transvaal was to contact the Cape.
(f)
(g)
The Boers were not to mistreat Africans,
Equal civil rights were to be extended to all in the Republics and the civil rights of the Uitlanders were to be protected,
(h) Slavery was forbidden in the Republics,
(i) Free right of entry to British subjects into the Transvaal.
The Pretoria Convention did not do much for the Boers because British dominancy remained.
After the-war it appeared as if the Boers had won the battle but had lost the war. The first Anglo-Boer war therefore gave the Boers self rule, but under the British.
The war increased Boer nationalism and esteem.
The war created unity of the two Boer Republics of Transvaal and the Orange Free State.
The Uitlanders by the Pretoria Convention were granted citizenship rights in all the Boer Republics, could participate in politics and not to suffer any more segregation.
The war was a set back to the federation of the South African white states.
The war increased the race for territorial acquisition in South Africa as the British hurried to establish their supremacy in the interior like Bechuanaland 1885 and other parts of Central Africa or (Matebele and Mashonaland).
The war led to the growth of Afrikaaner nationalism and desire for self-rule. The first Anglo-Boer war was a foundation for the future wars between the Boers and British, like the 1895 Jameson's raid and the second Anglo-Boer war 1899 - 1902.
Hostilities and tension between the Boers and British increased.
The war led to the destruction of property, as farms were looted, trade was disrupted, as women and children became homeless.
The London Convention of 1884 granted full internal self- government to the Boers foreign affairs, which remained in the hands of the British.