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Anglo Boer War, 2nd
Cambridge University
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Vereeniging

Jan Christian Smuts
History of South Africa

              


1870
Birth
24th May Bovenplaats Africa Birth of Jan Chris tian Smuts
1870
Education
24th May Cambridge Africa Completes law studies at Chris t's College
1881
Conference of Pretoria
Pretoria Africa The Trans vaal becomes an independent Afrikaner republic at the Convention of Pretoria
1881
Independence
Pretoria Africa The Trans vaal becomes an independent Afrikaner republic at the Convention of Pretoria
1886
Education
Stellenbosch Africa Smuts attends Victoria College, learns High Dutch, German & Ancient Greek & immerses himself in literature, the classics & Bible studies
1891
Education
Stellenbosch Africa Graduates with double First-class honours in Literature & Science
Cambridge Africa Wins the Ebden scholarship for overseas study & reads law at Chris t's College, Cambridge
1895
Legal Adviser Smuts
Appointed Personal Legal Advisor to Rhodes
1895
Profession
June Cape Town Africa Returns to Sth Africa to practise law at Cape Town bar
1896
Jameson Raid
Smuts resigns from public life after his outrage at the James on Raid
1897
Citizenship
Renounces British citizenship
1897
Marriage
Marries Sybella Krige
1898
Conference of Bloemfontein
Bloemfontein Africa Martinus Steyn called for a peace conference at Bloemfontein to settle the Boer & British grievances
Bloemfontein Africa With an intimate knowledge of the British, Smuts takes control of the Trans vaal delegation
1898
State Attorney
Appointed State Attorney, Smuts wrote a legal thesis in support of Kruger, who rewards Smuts as State Attorney
1899
Declaration of War
11th Oct The Boer republics declare war on the United Kingdom
1901
Commander
Commands the Republican forces in the Cape of Good Hope
Smuts serves as Kruger's eyes & ears, handling propaganda, logistics, communication with generals & diplomats
1901
Siege of Cape Good Hope
Cape Good Hope Africa Hopes to raise a rebellion against the British & disrupt their lines of communication
Cape Good Hope Africa Leads a failed Boer raid on the Cape of Good Hope
1902
Conference of Vereeniging
Kroonstad Africa Before the Conference, Smuts met Lord Kitchener at Kroonstad station where they discussed the proposed terms of surrender
Vereeniging Africa Joins Botha in negotiating a peace with Kitchener
Vereeniging Africa Leading role in the negotiations between the representatives from commandos from the Orange Free State & the SouthAfrican Republics
Vereeniging Africa The Conference vots 54 to 6 in favour of peace
31st May Vereeniging Africa Representatives of the Governments meet Lord Kitchener and at 5 minutes past 11 on May 31st 1902 Acting President Burger signs the Peace Treaty
1904
Constitution
Johannesburg Africa The Afrikaaner Het Volk party founds the Responsible Government Association
Johannesburg Africa The Afrikaan party opposes the Lyttelton Constitution
1904
Het Volk
May Trans vaal generals to form a political party, Het Volk, to fight for the Afrikaner cause. Louis Botha is elected leader, & Smuts his deputy
1904
RGA
Johannesburg Africa The Afrikaaner Het Volk party founds the Responsible Government Association
1905
Constitution
Negotiates a constitution with Campbell-Bannerman
1905
Independence
Botha sends Smuts to London to plead with the newly elected Liberal government
Negotiates a constitution with Campbell-Bannerman
Transvaal Africa Smuts joins Botha in London, & seeks to negotiate full self-government for the Trans vaal within British SouthAfrica.
1906
Election
Transvaal Africa Smuts wins a comfortable victory in the Wonderboom constituency, near Pretoria
Transvaal Africa The People's Party win a landslide & Botha forms the government
1907
Colonial Secretary
Transvaal Africa Appointed Colonial Secretary of the Trans vaal
1907
Constitution
Favors unitary rather than federal government for a future unified Sth Africa
1907
Education
Appointed Education Secretary of the Trans vaal
1907
Unification
Favors unitary rather than federal government for a future unified Sth Africa
1908
Constitution
12th Oct Durban Africa 1st day of the convention which determines the government & constitition of Sth Africa
12th Oct Durban Africa Smuts calls for a constitutional convention
12th Oct Durban Africa Submits his scheme for a Sth African Union to the National Convention
12th Oct Durban Africa The constitutional convention represents 4 colonies, natives of Sth Africa excluded
Dec London Africa Smuts & Botha take the constitution to London, where it is passed by Parliament, & signed into law by Edward VII
Dec London Africa The Union of SouthAfrica is born, the Afrikaners hold the key to political power, they forme the largest part of the electorate
1908
Convention Constitution
12th Oct Durban Africa Smuts calls for a constitutional convention
12th Oct The convention represents the 4 colonies but natives of Sth Africa are excluded
1908
Minister of Defense
Appointed Minister of Defense
1908
Minister of Interior
Appointed Minister of the Interior
1908
Minister of Mines
Appointed Minister of Mines
1908
South African Party
To solidify their dominance of SouthAfrican politics, the Afrikaners united to form the SouthAfrican Party, a new pan-SouthAfrican Afrikaner party
1908
Unification
Submits his scheme for a Sth African Union to the National Convention
Dec London Africa Smuts & Botha take the constitution to London, where it is passed by Parliament, & signed into law by Edward VII
1913
Conference of South African Party
At the SouthAfrican Party conference, the Old Boers , of Hertzog, Steyn, & De Wet, call for Botha & Smuts to step down but the 3 resign
1914
Martial Law
A railway strike turns into a general strike & Smuts declares martial law
1914
Rebellion
Government forces under the command of Botha & Smuts put down the rebellion without it igniting into a Third Boer War
The government is faced with open rebellion by Lt Col Manie Maritz and others in the Maritz Rebellion
1914
South African Defence Force
Smuts forms the SouthAfrican Defence Force
1914
Strike
A railway strike turns into a general strike & Smuts declares martial law
1915
Capture of South West Africa
Smuts & Louis Botha lead the SouthAfrican army into German Namibia & capture it
1915
Invasion of South West Africa
Smuts & Louis Botha lead the SouthAfrican army into German Namibia & capture it
1916
Commander
Appointed Commander of the British troops in British East Africa
1916
Invasion of German East Africa
Smuts is put in charge of the conquest of German East Africa
1916
South African Party
Helps lead the SouthAfrican Party, a new pan-SouthAfrican Afrikaner party
1917
RAF
17th Aug Reccomends the creation of an RAF capable of a German bombing offensive
17th Aug Recommends the Royal Flying Corps & Royal Naval Air Service join under an Air Ministry
1917
War Cabinet
Appointed Member of the Imperial War Cabinet by Lloyd George
1919
Conference of Paris
Paris Africa Smuts & Botha are key negotiators at the Paris Peace Conference, they favour reconciliation with Germany & limited reparations
1919
Prime Minister
Appointed Prime Minister of SouthAfrica, 1st term
1919
Rule of Namibia
The treaty of Versailles gives SouthAfrica a mandate over Namibia, which wis occupied from 1919 until 1990
1919
Treaty of Versailles
The treaty of Versailles gives SouthAfrica a mandate over Namibia, which wis occupied from 1919 until 1990
1921
Massacre Bulhoek
Bulhoek Africa The police kill 183 unarmed peasants
1924
Election
Smuts is defeated by the National Party
1926
Publication
Publication of, "Holism and Evolution"
1933
Deputy Prime Minister
Pretoria Africa Appointed Deputy Prime Minister
1933
Minister of Justice
Appointed Minister of Justice
1939
Diplomacy
6th Sep Sth Africa severs relations with Germany
1939
Imperial War Cabinet
6th Sep Appointed Member of the Imperial War Cabinet as the most senior SouthAfrican in favour of war
1939
Prime Minister
5th Sep Appointed Prime Minister of Sth Africa, 2nd term
1940
Economy
The Indus trial Development Corporartion is founded
1940
Industrial Development Corporartion
The Indus trial Development Corporartion is founded
1941
Field Marshal
Appointed Field Marshal of the British Army, the 1st SouthAfrican to hold that rank
1942
Strike
War Measure 145 is introduced to prohibit strikes by Africans
1943
Election
Wins the election with 110 seats, a triumph for the United Party & pro-war coalition
1943
Legislation
Asiatic Trading & Occupation of Land Restriction Act
1943
Prime Minister
Appointed Prime Minister of SouthAfrica, 3rd term
1944
Demonstrations
Johannesburg Africa 20,000 protest against the Pass Laws
1944
Overlord
15th May London Africa Montgomerry presents the Overlord plan to Commanders, the King, Smuts & Churchill
1945
Conference of San Francisco
San Francisco Africa Entrusted with the task of drawing up the Preamble to the United Nations Charter
1945
United Nations
San Francisco Africa Entrusted with the task of drawing up the Preamble to the United Nations Charter
1946
Reform
Judge Fagan is appointed a Commission Chairman to consider reforming the Pass Laws
1947
Diplomacy
Visited by the British Royal family
21st Jan Pretoria Africa Refuses to place Namibia under UN trusteeship
1948
Chancellor
Cambridge Africa Appointed Chancellor of Cambridge University, the first foreigner to hold that position
1948
Election
Daniel Fran‡ois Malan's pro-Apartheid policies win the National Party the 1948 election
National Party 70 seats, Afrikaner Party 9, United Party 65 & Labour 6
1950
Death
11th Sep Doomkloof Africa Death of Jan Smuts , on his family farm of Doornkloof, Irene, near Pretoria, SouthAfrica at the age of 80
1950
Resignation
June Announces intention to resign from the party leadership

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