‘A’ LEVEL PEQ: THE 1893 ANGLO-NDEBELE WAR OF DISPOSSESSION AND

THE FIRST CHIMURENGA 1896/6

1. Did the Mlimo Cult Priests contribute to the defeat of the Ndebele and Shona in the
1896-7 Uprising?
2. ‘The basic cause of the Anglo-Ndebele War [War of Dispossession] 1893-4 was the
simple fact that European imperialism never meant to spare Matabeleland
indefinitely.’ Discuss.
3. Assess the part played by religious leaders during the 1896 uprising in Matabeleland
and Mashonaland. Is it true that the religious leaders contributed to the defeat of the
Africans during the Uprising?
4. Analyse the factors which led to the First Chimurenga/Umvukela in 1896-7 and
explain why Shona resistance lasted longer than that of the Ndebele
5. Assess the developments from 1890 up to 1893 which inevitably led to the Anglo-
Ndebele War
6. Explain the motives behind Cecil John Rhodes’ colonisation of Zimbabwe and assess
the part played by his agents during the occupation of the country
7. Explain the view that the Anglo-Ndebele war of 1893 to 1894 was unavoidable
8. Analyse the reasons for the defeat of both the Shona and Ndebele in the 1896 to 1897
Chimurenga/Umvukela
9. Discuss the role played by Cecil John Rhodes in the colonisation of Zimbabwe.
10. Analyse the view that the results of the Anglo-Ndebele War led to the outbreak of the
First Chimurenga in Matabeleland in 1896
11. Comment on the view that Cecil John Rhodes played a central role in the colonisation
of Zimbabwe
12. Comment on the view that the Victoria Incident of 1893 was simply used as an excuse
by the British South Africa Company to destroy the Ndebele State
13. Analyse the causes of the First Chimurenga. How important was the role played by
the spirit mediums?
14. To what extent did the Victoria Incident lead to the outbreak of the Anglo-Ndebele
War of 1893?
15. Analyse the causes of the Anglo-Ndebele War of 1893-4. How valid is the assertion
that the Ndebele started it all?
16. Why did the Shona take up arms in 1896 and not before?
17. To what extent did the Mlimo cult lead to the defeat of the Ndebele and Shona in
1896-97 uprising?
18. ‘The basic cause of the Anglo-Ndebele War [War of Dispossession] of 1893-4 was
the simple fact that European imperialism never meant to spare the Matabeleland.’ Is
this a convincing explanation of the outbreak of the Anglo-Ndebele War of 1893-94?
19. Discuss the causes, nature and results of the Shona-Ndebele uprisings of 1896-7
20. Why was there no war between the BSAC and the Ndebele in 1890 and why did it
take place in 1893?
21. ‘The most important cause of the Anglo-Ndebele War of 1893-4 was the raid of the
Ndebele regiment into Masvingo in July 1893.’ Assess the validity of this assertion.
22. ‘Rhodes’ imperialism contributed to the outbreak of the Anglo-Ndebele War of 1893.’
Discuss
23. ‘The physical disasters that vexed the country after the advent of the BSAC certainly
played an important role in precipitating Chimurenga I.’ How accurate is this

ANGLO NDEBELE WAR: PEQ prepared by KAPURURA MM Gweshe High Page 1

 assertion?
24. How far do you sustain the assertion that Chimurenga I was not a rebellion but a war
as far as Mashonaland was concerned?
25. How important was the ‘Police Boys’ in contributing towards the outbreak of the
1896-7 Uprising?
26. How important was religion in precipitating the outbreak of the Ndebele-Shona
uprising of 1896-7?
27. Why did the Africans lose in the First Chimurenga of 1896-7
28. ‘The physical disasters in the light of the religious beliefs of the day, were by
themselves, enough to precipitate Chimurenga I.’ Discuss
29. ‘The BSAC brought disaster [Chimurenga I] upon themselves in 1896.’ Discuss.
30. ‘The pivot of the whole First Chimurenga was the Mlimo.’ Discuss
31. Why did the Shona take up arms against the settlers in 1896 and not before?
32. ‘The natives are happy, comfortable and prosperous and Rhodesia’s future must be
magnificent, everything is going smoothly well.’ If this was so, why then did the
Shona and Ndebele rise against the British in 1896?
33. ‘The Ndebele and Shona rose in 1896 because of the imposition of the basis of
capitalism and capitalist relations of production.’ Discuss
34. ‘The priesthood played a central role in the rising of 1896-97.’ Discuss
35. What led Europeans to assume that they would not face Ndebele and Shona resistance
after 1893? Explain how this gave the Ndebele and Shona an early advantage in the
war of resistance of 1896-97?
36. Why did the Europeans eventually defeat the Shona and compromise with the
Ndebele in the 1896-97 uprising?
37. ‘The element of religious leadership in the First Chimurenga was limited and the
element of central planning was non-existent.’ Discuss
38. ‘The risings were pre-planned and simultaneous.’ How accurate is this statement on
the organisation of the Ndebele-Shona uprisings in 1896-7?
39. To what extent did Lobengula benefit from the Rudd Concession up to 1893?

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