The History of South Africa: (The Greenwood Histories of the Modern Nations)

To quote the title of Nelson Mandela's 1994 autobiography, it has been a long walk to freedom. The history of South Africa, one of the oldest inhabited places on earth, is also the story of one of the newest nations, made and remade over the last century. This compellingly written history of South Africa, from prehistoric times through 1999, is the only up-to-date history of the nation. Beginning with an overview of the modern nation, this narrative history traces South Africa from prehistory through the European invasions, the settlement by Dutch, the imposition of British rule, the many internecine wars for control of the nation, the institution of apartheid, and, finally, freedom for all South Africans in 1994 and the Mandela years 1994-1999. Twin themes of colonial rule and racism intertwine over the course of the last three hundred and fifty years. Beck, a specialist in the history of South Africa, illuminates the conflicts, personalities, and tragedies of South African history over this period, culminating in the end of apartheid in 1994, the release from prison of Nelson Mandela, and his formation of a new government. Brief sketches of key people in the history of South Africa, a glossary of terms, maps, and a bibliographic essay of suggested reading complete the work. Every library should update its resources on South Africa with this engagingly written and authoritative history. Cover......Page 1 THE HISTORY OF SOUTH AFRICA......Page 4 Contents......Page 8 Series Foreword......Page 10 Preface......Page 14 BEFORE THE COMMON ERA (B.C.E.)......Page 16 COMMON ERA (C.E.)......Page 17 Abbreviations......Page 28 LAND AND CLIMATE......Page 32 POPULATION AND RELIGION......Page 34 FLORA AND FAUNA......Page 35 MINERAL RESOURCES......Page 36 ECONOMY......Page 37 TRANSPORTATION......Page 38 MASS MEDIA......Page 39 FROM THE BEGINNING......Page 40 THE SAN......Page 41 THE KHOIKHOI......Page 42 Changes after European Contact......Page 45 THE BANTU-SPEAKING PEOPLES......Page 47 Changes during the Late Iron Age......Page 49 Changes after the Iron Age......Page 50 Changes after European Contact......Page 53 THE PORTUGUESE AND THE DUTCH......Page 56 A “Temporary” Colony of Freeburghers......Page 57 The Beginnings of a Race-Based Society......Page 59 Growing Conflict......Page 60 THE AFRIKANERS AND THE CAPE COLONY......Page 61 An Increasingly Stratified Society......Page 63 Migrant Farmers and Frontier Life......Page 65 Limits to Colonial Expansion......Page 69 WHITE CONTACT WITH THE SOUTHERN NGUNI......Page 70 4 The British and the Cape Colony, 1795–1870......Page 72 The First British Occupation of the Cape, 1795–1803......Page 73 British Rule Returns, 1806–1834......Page 76 The British Settlers, 1820......Page 80 MISSION SOCIETIES......Page 81 POLITICAL AND SOCIAL CHANGES......Page 84 THE XHOSA WARS......Page 85 THE NORTHERN FRONTIER......Page 90 UPHEAVAL AND CHANGE AMONG THE NGUNI......Page 91 THE GREAT TREK......Page 95 THE BRITISH NATAL COLONY, 1843–1870......Page 99 AFRIKANER REPUBLICS......Page 101 THE ORANGE FREE STATE......Page 104 THE SOUTH AFRICAN REPUBLIC......Page 106 THE MINERAL REVOLUTION......Page 108 THE SCRAMBLE FOR SOUTHERN AFRICA......Page 111 The Zulu Wars......Page 112 The Sotho and the “Gun War”......Page 114 The Pedi and the Swazi......Page 116 THE BRITISH AND THE AFRIKANERS......Page 117 PRELUDE TO WAR......Page 122 THE SOUTH AFRICAN WAR......Page 123 POSTWAR RECONSTRUCTION AND CONSOLIDATION......Page 126 7 White Union and Black Segregation: Preparing for Apartheid, 1910–1948......Page 132 Dominion or Republic?......Page 134 White Labor and Black Labor, 1910–1939......Page 137 The “Race Question” English-Afrikaner Relations, 1910–1939......Page 141 White Rule and Black Response, 1910–1939......Page 144 A WAR FOR DEMOCRACY AND A VICTORY FOR APARTHEID, 1939–1948......Page 150 South Africa in World War II......Page 151 The General Election of 1948......Page 154 8 The Apartheid Years, 1948–1973......Page 156 BAASSKAAP APARTHEID, 1948–1959......Page 157 OPPOSITION TO APARTHEID, 1948–1959......Page 167 VIOLENT RESISTANCE, IMPRISONMENT, AND EXILE, 1960–1964......Page 172 THE HIGH TIDE OF APARTHEID, 1959–1973......Page 177 NEW CHALLENGES TO APARTHEID, 1973–1978......Page 186 Black Labor in a Changing Economy......Page 187 Steve Biko and the Black Consciousness Movement......Page 190 REFORM: THE TOTAL STRATEGY, 1978–1989......Page 193 Black Insurrection, 1984–1986......Page 201 APARTHEID’S DYING DAYS, 1985–1990......Page 204 CONSTRUCTING A NEW SOUTH AFRICA, 1990–1994......Page 212 10 The Mandela Years, 1994–1999......Page 222 THE INTERIM CONSTITUTION......Page 223 ECONOMIC ISSUES......Page 225 THE AFRIKANER POPULATION......Page 226 THE TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION COMMISSION......Page 228 THE NEW CONSTITUTION......Page 229 TESTIMONY ON CRIMES UNDER APARTHEID......Page 233 TRANSITION UNDER THABO MBEKI......Page 235 Notable People in the History of South Africa......Page 238 Glossary......Page 246 Bibliographic Essay......Page 250 Index......Page 254 About the Author......Page 280 Other Titles in the Greenwood Histories of the Modern Nations......Page 281 "The history of South Africa, one of the oldest inhabited areas of the world, is also that of one of the newest nations, made and remade over the last century. This narrative, current through 1999, is the only up-to-date history of South Africa. Beginning with an overview of the modern nation, this narrative history traces South Africa from prehistory through the European invasions, the settlement by the Dutch, the imposition of British rule, the many internecine wars for control of the nation, the institution of apartheid, and, finally, freedom for all South Africans in 1994 and the subsequent Mandela government."--BOOK JACKET.