Grade 12
History
Summaries
© 2026 Knap Opsommings
All notes, summaries, and study materials are owned by Knap Opsommings. Please use them only for your personal school learning. Do not copy,
share, or sell our content without permission.
, Index
Unit 1 — Politics and Economics
Mineral revolution, Union, nationalism, workers, communism and the Great Depression.
Unit 2 — The National Question
Organisations, segregation/apartheid, Bantustans, Sobukwe, Biko and Black Consciousness.
Unit 3 — Cold War
Origins, Berlin/Cuba, South Africa and international solidarity, Angola and Cuito Cuanavale.
Unit 4 — Liberation Struggles in Africa
OAU, Frontline States, comparative state study, Namibia, Angola, SADC, Harare
Declaration, NAM and UN.
Unit 5 — Individual Leaders
P.W. Botha, O.R. Tambo, the Four Pillars, Soweto, youth exile and SOMAFCO.
Unit 6 — Freedom and Democracy
Negotiations, 1990–94, democracy, Constitution and TRC.
Unit 7:
Vietnam
Unit 8:
Civil Rights Movement in America
© 2026 Knap Opsommings
All notes, summaries, and study materials are owned by Knap Opsommings. Please use them only for your personal school learning. Do not copy,
share, or sell our content without permission.
, Unit 1: Mineral Revolution and Industrialization
Key question
How did imperialism and
industrialisation affect
Mineral revolution South Africa in the late
Diamonds were discovered at Kimberley from 19th and 20th centuries?
1867.
Gold was discovered on the Witwatersrand in
1886.
Mining accelerated industrialisation and Imperialism and resistance
attracted international capital. British expansion increased during the mineral
Large-scale mining required capital, technology, revolution.
transport infrastructure and labour. The Anglo-Zulu War took place in 1879.
Mining connected South Africa closely to British The Anglo-Pedi War took place in 1879.
imperial and international financial interests. The First Anglo-Boer / Anglo-Transvaal War took
place in 1880–1881.
The South African War took place from 1899–1902.
Unit 1: Union, Land, Labour and Gender
Treaty of Vereeniging — 31 May 1902 Union of South Africa — 31 May 1910
Ended the South African War. South Africa became a British dominion.
Created conditions for political cooperation A central political system was created from the
between British authorities and Afrikaner former colonies.
leaders. The political settlement was dominated by white
The later Union settlement remained racially interests and excluded the African majority from
exclusive. equal national citizenship.
Land and segregation
Natives Land Act, 1913: restricted African land
ownership and settlement.
Native Trust and Land Act, 1936: further
developed the reserve system.
© 2026 Knap Opsommings
All notes, summaries, and study materials are owned by Knap Opsommings. Please use them only for your personal school learning. Do not copy,
share, or sell our content without permission.
History
Summaries
© 2026 Knap Opsommings
All notes, summaries, and study materials are owned by Knap Opsommings. Please use them only for your personal school learning. Do not copy,
share, or sell our content without permission.
, Index
Unit 1 — Politics and Economics
Mineral revolution, Union, nationalism, workers, communism and the Great Depression.
Unit 2 — The National Question
Organisations, segregation/apartheid, Bantustans, Sobukwe, Biko and Black Consciousness.
Unit 3 — Cold War
Origins, Berlin/Cuba, South Africa and international solidarity, Angola and Cuito Cuanavale.
Unit 4 — Liberation Struggles in Africa
OAU, Frontline States, comparative state study, Namibia, Angola, SADC, Harare
Declaration, NAM and UN.
Unit 5 — Individual Leaders
P.W. Botha, O.R. Tambo, the Four Pillars, Soweto, youth exile and SOMAFCO.
Unit 6 — Freedom and Democracy
Negotiations, 1990–94, democracy, Constitution and TRC.
Unit 7:
Vietnam
Unit 8:
Civil Rights Movement in America
© 2026 Knap Opsommings
All notes, summaries, and study materials are owned by Knap Opsommings. Please use them only for your personal school learning. Do not copy,
share, or sell our content without permission.
, Unit 1: Mineral Revolution and Industrialization
Key question
How did imperialism and
industrialisation affect
Mineral revolution South Africa in the late
Diamonds were discovered at Kimberley from 19th and 20th centuries?
1867.
Gold was discovered on the Witwatersrand in
1886.
Mining accelerated industrialisation and Imperialism and resistance
attracted international capital. British expansion increased during the mineral
Large-scale mining required capital, technology, revolution.
transport infrastructure and labour. The Anglo-Zulu War took place in 1879.
Mining connected South Africa closely to British The Anglo-Pedi War took place in 1879.
imperial and international financial interests. The First Anglo-Boer / Anglo-Transvaal War took
place in 1880–1881.
The South African War took place from 1899–1902.
Unit 1: Union, Land, Labour and Gender
Treaty of Vereeniging — 31 May 1902 Union of South Africa — 31 May 1910
Ended the South African War. South Africa became a British dominion.
Created conditions for political cooperation A central political system was created from the
between British authorities and Afrikaner former colonies.
leaders. The political settlement was dominated by white
The later Union settlement remained racially interests and excluded the African majority from
exclusive. equal national citizenship.
Land and segregation
Natives Land Act, 1913: restricted African land
ownership and settlement.
Native Trust and Land Act, 1936: further
developed the reserve system.
© 2026 Knap Opsommings
All notes, summaries, and study materials are owned by Knap Opsommings. Please use them only for your personal school learning. Do not copy,
share, or sell our content without permission.
