South Africa Science and Exploration Resources in South Africa
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National Day: 27th April (Freedom Day) Patron St: Our Lady of the Assumption National Emblem: the Springbok, the Blue Crane, the Galjoen, the King Protea, and the Yellowwood Tree Welcome to South Africa Science and Exploration Resources in South Africa Activity Have a look at your resource sheet and answer the questions on resources The Mineral Revolution in South Africa The discovery of diamonds and gold Did you know that 130 years ago Johannesburg didn’t exist? There was no water, and no indigenous population. It was not a great environment to live in. The Great Trek During the 1830s and 1840s Dutch settlers moved from the Cape into the interior, setting largely in the Transvaal and Orange Free State. The discovery of Diamonds Diamonds were discovered in Kimberly in 1867 by Erasmus Jacobs and his friend near Hopetown on the banks of the Orange River Two years later, De Beers Consolidated Mines is established under the Leadership of Cecil John Rhodes. This stone became known as the “Star of Africa” The Eureka Diamond The Cullinan Diamond In 1905, one of the world’s largest diamonds was found in the Cullinan Mine. It weighed 3,106 carat unpolished and when cut, a magnificent 507 carat. It was dubbed the Cullinan Diamond and was donated to King Edward VII. It is valued at 200 million Pounds!!! Cullinan I and II in the British crown jewels Sovereign's Sceptre with Cross, set with Cullinan I Imperial State Crown, set with Cullinan II The Cullinan Mine 300 tons of Diamonds were removed in Cullinan before its closure in 1905 Gold discovered In 1872, a small amount of gold was found on a farm called Spitskop in Lydenburg. The amount was not great and although it did cause some excitement, it never made a large impact of those living in South Africa at the time. However, in 1886 in the Witwatersrand Area, a discovery of gold would change South Africa for ever. Witwatersrand Mine Dubbed the “two George’s”, George Harrison and George Walker found a huge quantity of gold at a farm called Langlaagte. This led to one of the biggest gold rushes the world had ever seen. People from all over the country and later Europe rushed to the area to make their fortune. Activity: What do you think the working conditions were like while in the mines? Witwatersrand Mine (cont.) Tented camps were set up all over the Golden Arc and the Witwatersrand area. These camps would soon develop into Johannesburg. This discovery would also sadly lead to political conflict, which later would be the leading cause of the Boer War in 1899. Johannesburg was Within ten years of its founding it was larger than Cape Town which Johannesburg in 1886 had been 250 years old when gold had just been discovered 20 years later Johannesburg now Why didn’t Johannesburg become a ghost town? Benefits of Industrialisation Modern technology is brought to South Africa Trains are built to connect the coast to the interior Export led development brings in vast amounts of money for the booming economy. Why? Benefits of Industrialisation (cont.) Men who worked on the mines were respected by their rural communities. They had survived the city and were a source of wealth. They brought home new exciting manufactured goods. People learnt about new ideas and new commodities. There was a greater interaction of people in the towns. Negative results of Industrialisation Britain saw that money could be made in South Africa and went to war against the independent African Kingdoms and then the Boer republics in order to gain control of the mines. This era sees black people losing all political right for the first time in South Africa. People are forced to work in the labour market. Negative results of Industrialisation (cont. 2) Most local people did not want to work on the mines or on the commercial farms. But the government took away their land and made them pay taxes in money. This forced people from rural areas to find wage-paying jobs on the towns, or on the commercial farms. The government introduced the 1913 Land Act. This stated that black people could own only 7% of the land in South Africa. These areas were known as the Native Reserves. Negative results of Industrialisation (cont. 3) Black workers were only allowed into white areas if they were employed there. They had to carry a pass stating the terms of their employment. They were given contracts of between 6 and 12 months, which meant they spent long periods of time away from their families. Workers in the mines were housed in male-only compounds. These were horrific places to live. Workers got no insurance if they were injured; they were harshly treated and horribly exploited. National Day: 27th April (Freedom Day) Patron St: Our Lady of the Assumption National Emblem: the Springbok, the Blue Crane, the Galjoen, the King Protea, and the Yellowwood Tree Welcome to South Africa Creative Arts Coat of Arms The role of a Coat of Arms A national coat of arms, or State emblem, is the highest visual symbol of the State. Take a minute to consider the important events in your life – birth, marriage, death and school certificates, your passport – they are all endorsed by the Coat of Arms. Your smallest coin has it on one of its sides. When away from the country seeing a plaque of it on the embassy signals a home away from home. The coat of arms is also a central part of the Great Seal, traditionally considered to be the highest emblem of the State. Absolute authority is given to every document with an impression of the Great Seal on it, as this means that it has been approved by the President of South Africa. A new coat of arms, replaces one that has served South Africa since 17 September 1910. The change reflects Government's aim to highlight the democratic change in South Africa and a new sense of patriotism. Activity Read your sheet to find out what each part of the coat of arms represents Can you work out what coat of arms belongs to what country? Nigeria, Poland, France, Britannia, Ghana, Canada Answers 1. Britannia 2. Ghana 3. Canada 4. Nigeria 5. France 6. Portugal Creating Your Own Coat of Arms WHAT IS A COAT OF ARMS? A coat of arms is the name for the colourful decoration that knights had on their shields and as part of their outfits. They date all the way back to the 1100s, when they were worn over armour during battles and tournaments. They were used so that knights could tell each other apart. A lot of families had their own coat of arms. Sometimes, two families would have the same design. When this happened, a special court - called the High Court of Chivalry - would decide which family would keep it. For anyone to have a coat of arms today, it must have either been given to them or inherited from another member of their family. Create Your Own Coat of Arms WHAT DID THEY LOOK LIKE? Designs for coats of arms included four main things: •A shield divided into sections. Each section would have an image in it that had something to do with the family the coat of arms was made for. •On either side of the shield, there might be objects or animals - such as lions - that look as if they're holding it up. These are known as supporters. •Above the shield was a helmet and a crest. A crest is a special object worn on top of a helmet to help identify who's wearing it. •Below the shield was a phrase, called a motto, about the person's beliefs. Create Your Own Coat of Arms CREATE YOUR OWN DESIGN Now it's your turn to create your own coat of arms. To help you get started, we've created a template that you can download, print off and fill in - just click on the link below. Your design could include drawings of your home, family, pets, favourite superheroes, video games - anything goes! Don't forget to include supporters on either side, a helmet and crest at the top, and a motto along the bottom. The more colourful your design is the better. Option 1: Fill out the template with your own design Option 2: Create a completely new shield template and your own design Invictus A great film to watch that demonstrates the changes following Apartheid.