Early Explorers
Mungo Park: Scottish surgeon, explored the Niger region and the river Gambia +
Timbuktu. Late 18th century -> primitive. Disappeared.
Richard Burton: English explorer, translator, writer, soldier, orientalist, ethnologist,
linguist, poet, hypnotist, fencer and diplomat. Spoke 29 languages. Explored Eastern
Africa and the Middle East. Got into Mecca. Had a genuine interest in cultures.
Translated the Kama Sutra and 1001 Nights.
Burton + Speke: Expedition to find the source of the Nile. They were coupled by the
Geographical Society. Didn’t travel to Lake Victoria together. Burton contested
Speke’s findings because he had failed to take bearing properly. Ended in Speke’s
death.
David Livingstone: Missionary in South Africa turned explorer. Rags to Riches.
Anti-slavery, wanted to open up inner Africa; science, commerce (to end slave
trade), religion, civilization; imperial reformer. Named Victoria Falls. 1 st Non-African
to cross the continent East to West. Inspired Burton and many others.
Henry Morton Stanley: Welsh journalist turned explorer. Ambitious, power hungry
and violent. Sponsored by the American newspaper; exploration media-hype.
Expedition to ‘find’ Livingstone in Tanzania. Later explored the Congo River and
secured it for King Leopold II (Heart of Darkness).
South-Africa
Homelands: The policy of separate development sought to assign every black
African to a 'homeland' according to their ethnic identity. There were 10 -> to rid
South Africa from black citizens.
Group Areas Act (1950): Set aside desirable city properties for whites, while
banishing non-whites to the townships.
Free Burghers: In 1657, 9 VOC workers were released from there services to start
farming (on Khoikoi lands) and the first slaves were brought in.
Jan van Riebeeck: Was sent with 3 small ships and 125 men to build a fort and a
hospital and to take care of provisions for passing VOC ships.
VOC: Verenigde Oost Indische Compagnie, at the time one of the largest
multinationals of the world, headquarters in Jakarta (Batavia).
Refreshing Station: The Cape was a refuelling station, here they could replenish
their ships, make loads of money from others and generally control the valuable
shipping lane.
Kimberley Diamond Rush: Area where diamonds were found. Huge profit for
Rhodes.
, Gold Rush: 1886, Witwaterstrand in Transvaal, huge quantities of gold were found
and taken.
Rand Rebellion/Revolution: Armed rebellion of White Trade Unions, Communists
and right-wing Afrikaners.
Boere: Dutch descent, some German and French Huegenots, original white settlers.
Scramble for Africa: In 1878 Africa was carved up by the European colonial
powers. France and Britain benefited most but Germany, Italy and Belgium also took
their shares.
White Man’s Burden: The idea that white people had to help and manage the
affairs of ‘less developed’ non-white people. By Rudyard Kipling.
Cecil Rhodes: English immigrant, left at age 18 for Kimberley. Sold equipment,
founded small companies (including diamond company). Railroad from Cape to
Cairo.
Freedom Charter: Adopted by the Coloured People’s Congress, The Indian
National Congress and the ANC. Demands for non-racial democratic South-African
state. Is still central to the ANC’s vision.
Commonwealth: Association of member states who almost all are former British
colonies.
Bantu Education Act: Passed in 1953. Meant that the government would spend
$180 a year to educate a white child and only $25 to educate a black child.
Soweto Uprising: (South Western Townships) 16th June 1976 -> Demonstration
against Afrikaans in schools and Bantu education. 2 children were shot, escalated
further and led to more than 500 deaths.
Steve Biko: Leader of the South African Students’ Organisation. Lead strikes.
ANC: First political party for Black Africans. Not very successful because they only
opted vote for middle-classes. Founded in 1912.
INC: Indian National Congress. Adopted the Freedom Charter together with the
ANC.
Pass Laws: (Pass Laws Act in 1952) required black South Africans over the age of
16 to carry a pass book. (Like a passport).
Calvinists: Supporter of church reformer Calvin.
Khoi and San: Relatively light-coloured Khoikhoi (Hottentots) and San (Bushmen).
Were both nomads. Khoikhoi were taller and kept herds of cattle. San were small
hunters who never stayed in one place too long.
Mungo Park: Scottish surgeon, explored the Niger region and the river Gambia +
Timbuktu. Late 18th century -> primitive. Disappeared.
Richard Burton: English explorer, translator, writer, soldier, orientalist, ethnologist,
linguist, poet, hypnotist, fencer and diplomat. Spoke 29 languages. Explored Eastern
Africa and the Middle East. Got into Mecca. Had a genuine interest in cultures.
Translated the Kama Sutra and 1001 Nights.
Burton + Speke: Expedition to find the source of the Nile. They were coupled by the
Geographical Society. Didn’t travel to Lake Victoria together. Burton contested
Speke’s findings because he had failed to take bearing properly. Ended in Speke’s
death.
David Livingstone: Missionary in South Africa turned explorer. Rags to Riches.
Anti-slavery, wanted to open up inner Africa; science, commerce (to end slave
trade), religion, civilization; imperial reformer. Named Victoria Falls. 1 st Non-African
to cross the continent East to West. Inspired Burton and many others.
Henry Morton Stanley: Welsh journalist turned explorer. Ambitious, power hungry
and violent. Sponsored by the American newspaper; exploration media-hype.
Expedition to ‘find’ Livingstone in Tanzania. Later explored the Congo River and
secured it for King Leopold II (Heart of Darkness).
South-Africa
Homelands: The policy of separate development sought to assign every black
African to a 'homeland' according to their ethnic identity. There were 10 -> to rid
South Africa from black citizens.
Group Areas Act (1950): Set aside desirable city properties for whites, while
banishing non-whites to the townships.
Free Burghers: In 1657, 9 VOC workers were released from there services to start
farming (on Khoikoi lands) and the first slaves were brought in.
Jan van Riebeeck: Was sent with 3 small ships and 125 men to build a fort and a
hospital and to take care of provisions for passing VOC ships.
VOC: Verenigde Oost Indische Compagnie, at the time one of the largest
multinationals of the world, headquarters in Jakarta (Batavia).
Refreshing Station: The Cape was a refuelling station, here they could replenish
their ships, make loads of money from others and generally control the valuable
shipping lane.
Kimberley Diamond Rush: Area where diamonds were found. Huge profit for
Rhodes.
, Gold Rush: 1886, Witwaterstrand in Transvaal, huge quantities of gold were found
and taken.
Rand Rebellion/Revolution: Armed rebellion of White Trade Unions, Communists
and right-wing Afrikaners.
Boere: Dutch descent, some German and French Huegenots, original white settlers.
Scramble for Africa: In 1878 Africa was carved up by the European colonial
powers. France and Britain benefited most but Germany, Italy and Belgium also took
their shares.
White Man’s Burden: The idea that white people had to help and manage the
affairs of ‘less developed’ non-white people. By Rudyard Kipling.
Cecil Rhodes: English immigrant, left at age 18 for Kimberley. Sold equipment,
founded small companies (including diamond company). Railroad from Cape to
Cairo.
Freedom Charter: Adopted by the Coloured People’s Congress, The Indian
National Congress and the ANC. Demands for non-racial democratic South-African
state. Is still central to the ANC’s vision.
Commonwealth: Association of member states who almost all are former British
colonies.
Bantu Education Act: Passed in 1953. Meant that the government would spend
$180 a year to educate a white child and only $25 to educate a black child.
Soweto Uprising: (South Western Townships) 16th June 1976 -> Demonstration
against Afrikaans in schools and Bantu education. 2 children were shot, escalated
further and led to more than 500 deaths.
Steve Biko: Leader of the South African Students’ Organisation. Lead strikes.
ANC: First political party for Black Africans. Not very successful because they only
opted vote for middle-classes. Founded in 1912.
INC: Indian National Congress. Adopted the Freedom Charter together with the
ANC.
Pass Laws: (Pass Laws Act in 1952) required black South Africans over the age of
16 to carry a pass book. (Like a passport).
Calvinists: Supporter of church reformer Calvin.
Khoi and San: Relatively light-coloured Khoikhoi (Hottentots) and San (Bushmen).
Were both nomads. Khoikhoi were taller and kept herds of cattle. San were small
hunters who never stayed in one place too long.
