Zambian History


Figure 1.--This photograph was taken in the village of Lwaranba, Zambia, on June 29, 1922. The children seem engaged in some sort of military drill. It does not seem to have been organized by the Brirish. It may be a school function or a tribal based group. Strangely an older girl seems to be participating in the drill with the boys.

Eastern Zambia touches on the southern teminus of the Great Rift Valley. As a result, evidence has been found of early Homonoids, including Homo rhodesiensis. The area was terrorized by Arab slave traders operating from Zanzibar durung the 18th and 19th centuries. The capitves were transported to both the Middle East through Zanzibar and European colonies (especiually Portuguese cilonies) through Mozambique and to a lesser extent Angola. Europeans did not enter the interior until the mid-19th century. Dr. David Livingston passed through Barotseland (werstern Zambia). He eventually discovered Vicoria Falls (1855) as part of his explorations of East Africa. His writings inspired missionaries to enter the area north of the Zambezi. They were followed by explorers, hunters and prospectors with varied motives. The European prospectors discovered deposits of copper in the area now known as the Copperbelt. Empire builder Cecil Rhodes obtained mineral rights from African chiefs (1880s). The area became known as Northern Rhodesia and was administered by the British South Africa Company which Rhodes owned (1890s). Zambia blocked the route of Rhodes great dream, an unbroken British rail line from Cairo south to Capetown. Britain made Barotseland a protectorate (1891) and governed it from Rhodesia. It was controlled by the British South Africn Company (1911), The British separated the colony into northern and southern colonies (1923). It was Northern Rohodesia eventually became Zambia. Direct British rule was established (1924). The colony after World war II became part of the Federation Rhodesia and Nyasaland (1953). Britain granted independence (1964). Zambia with its vast mineral resources is one of the great failuresin Africa. Dr Kenneth Kaunda became President and remained so for the next 27 years. The great hopes of independence proved illusionary inder Kaunda, inept and corupt rule. Criticism and opposition was not allowed. Kaunda declared hisUNIP the only legal party and himself the sole presidential candidate (1972). Governmental corruption and mismanagement along with debilitating civil wars in neighbouring states, left the Zambian economy in tatters.

Pre-history

Eastern Zambia touches on the southern teminus of the Great Rift Valley. As a result, evidence has been found of early Homonoids, including Homo rhodesiensis.

Early History

The area of modern Zambia was originally inhabited by a hunter–gatherer people--the Khoisa. Small groups of more techonolgically advanced Bantu people from the Congo basin began migrating south into what is now Zambia (1st century AD). They gradually displaced the Khoisan people. Another large wave of Bantu people arrived (14th century). The Bantu groups were small dipersed griups with cultural and ethnic ties, but no centralorganization. The dispersed Bantu groups began to organize into powerful tribes led by dynastic rulers and with claims to specific territories..

Slave Trade

The area was terrorized by Arab slave traders operating from Zanzibar durung the 18th and 19th centuries. The capitves were transported to both the Middle East through Zanzibar and European colonies (especiually Portuguese cilonies) through Mozambique and to a lesser extent Angola.

European Contacts

The Portugese set up trading along the coast of Mozambique to the southeast (16th century). They made little effort to enter the interior. One source suggests that Portuguese explorers followed long-established routes first forged by Swahili-Arab slave-traders. Europeans did not enter the interior until the mid-19th century. The renowned British missionary and explorer Dr. David Livingston trveled up the Zambezi River and through Barotseland (werstern Zambia) into the African interior. He eventually discovered a huge waterfall to Queen Victoria's delight he named Victoria Falls (1855). His writings inspired missionaries to enter the area north of the Zambezi. They were followed by explorers, hunters and prospectors with varied motives. The European prospectors discovered deposits of copper in the area now known as the Copperbelt. Indigenous people using primitive techniques had mined there for centuries, however now large European-style opencast pits were being dug. The main sources of labour were the Africans who had to earn money to pay the new ‘hut tax’; in any case, most were driven from their land by the European settlers. In 1924 the colony was brought under direct British control.

British Colonization

Empire builder Cecil Rhodes obtained mineral rights from African chiefs (1880s). The area became known as Northern Rhodesia and was administered by the British South Africa Company which Rhodes owned (1890s). Zambia blocked the route of Rhodes great dream, an unbroken British rail line from Cairo south to Capetown. Britain made Barotseland a protectorate (1891) and governed it from Rhodesia. It was controlled by the British South Africn Company (1911), The British separated the colony into northern and southern colonies (1923). It was Northern Rohodesia eventually became Zambia. Direct British rule was established (1924).

World War II


Federation

After World War II, African nationalists began to more forcibly demand self rule and independence. Britain's initial response was the Federation Rhodesia and Nyasaland (1953). Dr. Kenneth Kaunda who opposed the Federation organized the United National Independence Party (UNIP) (late-1950s).

Independence

Britain granted independence to Northern Rhodesia (1964). Kaunda became the new country's first president. He changed the name to Zambia. Kaunda remained president for the next 27 years, largely because in 1972 he declared UNIP the only legal party and himself the sole presidential candidate. Zambia with its vast mineral resources is one of the great failuresin Africa. The great hopes of independence proved illusionary inder Kaunda, inept and corupt rule. Criticism and opposition was not allowed. Kaunda declared hisUNIP the only legal party and himself the sole presidential candidate (1972). Governmental corruption and mismanagement along with debilitating civil wars in neighbouring states, left the Zambian economy in tatters. Finally violent street protests over the apauling conditions coalessed into a wide-spread demand for multi-party democratic politics. Real elections were finally held (October 1991). President Kaunda and his UNIP were decisively defeated. Frederick Chiluba and the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) won the election. Kaunda bowed out gracefully, a rare action on the part of Afriocan dictators. Chiluba became Zambia's second president. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank (WB) provided support andhelped craft an economic plan for the new government. The Govrnment liberalized financial controls in an effort to attract needed foreign investment. To meet the IMF and WB terms, austerity measures were introduced. This proved difficult for the Zambian people exisiting on a virtual subsistence basis. Food prices rose sharoply, inflation increased, and inefficent state industries were privatised or simply shut because they were so unproductive. This resulted in increased unemployment. Popular dusatisfaction with the new government embolded Kaunda who missed the trappings of power to reenter politics. Some wre happy with his return, but he evetually withdrew protesting alleged MMD irregularities. Chiluba won in a landslide (November 1996). There were charges of voter fraud, but the elections results were generally accepted. Chiluba made little progress in addressing Zambia's deep-seated pronlems, largely created by Kaunda's long, corrupt rule.








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Created: 9:16 AM 11/8/2012
Last updated: 9:16 AM 11/8/2012