Question

Who precipitated the Boer War of 1899-1902 and why?

Answer 1

The second Boer war was fought between 1899-1902 The Second Boer War was between the British and the Boers, it started when Kruger demanded the withdrawal of British troops and full independence for the Transvaal, which Britain refused to do causing Kruger to declare war; since the British were prepared and used their 'scorched earth' policy along with concentration camps they claimed victory, which was confirmed by the Treaty of Vereeniging (1902) which placed Orange Free State and the Transvaal firmly under British control.It was also caused South African War.

It was started over a dispute surrounding territory in South Africa between the Boers (Dutch settlers) and the British.The strategic causes included South Africa was a route to India and British wanted to expand their empire in South Africa and didn't want the Boers joining Germany. The economic cause was the the discovery of gold in the Boer regions in 1886. Britishers wanted the gold and were worried the Boers would become to powerful with this new wealth.The political cause was non voting right of Utilanders. Uitlander, Afrikaans for "foreigner", was a foreign migrant worker during the Witwatersrand Gold Rush in the independent Transvaal Republic following the discovery of gold in 1886. The limited rights granted this group in the independent Boer Republics was one of the contributing factors behind the Second Boer War.

The British increased their troops in South Africa ans succeed in relieving several besieged cities and capturing Pretoria, the capital of Transvaal in 1900, but after two years of fighting the Boers the Boers were forced to surrender.