Botswana †From Ancient Times to Current Democracy

Botswana – From Ancient Times to Current Democracy The Republic of Botswana in southern Africa was once a British protectorate but now is an independent country with a stable democracy. It is also an economic success story, rising from its status as one of the poorest countries of the world to the middle-income level, with sound financial institutions and plans to reinvest its natural resource income. Botswana  is a landlocked country dominated by the Kalahari Desert and flatlands, rich in diamonds and other minerals. Early History and People Botswana has been inhabited by humans since the dawn of modern humans about 100,000 years ago. The San and Khoi peoples were the original inhabitants of this area and South Africa. They lived as hunter-gatherers and spoke Khoisan languages, noted for their click consonants. Migrations of People into Botswana The Great Zimbabwe empire extended into eastern Botswana a thousand years ago, and more groups migrated into the Transvaal. The areas major ethnic group is the Batswana who were herders and farmers living in tribal groups. There were larger migrations into Botswana of these people from South Africa during the Zulu wars of the early 1800s. The group traded ivory and skins with the Europeans in exchange for guns and were Christianized by missionaries. British Establish the Bechuanaland Protectorate Dutch Boer settlers entered Botswana from the Transvaal, sparking hostilities with the Batswana. The leaders of the Batswana sought assistance from the British. As a result, the Bechuanaland Protectorate was established on March 31, 1885, including modern Botswana and parts of present-day South Africa. Pressure to Join the Union of South Africa The inhabitants of the protectorate did not want to be included in the proposed Union of South Africa when it was formed in 1910. They were successful in staving it off, but South Africa continued to pressure the UK to incorporate Bechuanaland, Basutoland, and Swaziland into South Africa. Separate advisory councils of Africans and Europeans were established in the protectorate and the tribal rule and powers were further developed and regularized. Meanwhile, South Africa elected a nationalist government and established apartheid. A European-African advisory council was formed in 1951, and a consultative legislative council was established by a  constitution in 1961. In that year, South Africa withdrew from the British Commonwealth. Botswana Independence and Democratic Stability Independence was secured peacefully by Botswana in June  1964. They established a constitution in 1965 and held general elections to finalize independence in 1966. The first president was Seretse Khama, who was the grandson of King Khama III of the Bamangwato people and a prominent figure in the movement for independence. He was trained in law in Britain and married to a white British woman. He served three terms and died in office in 1980. His vice president, Ketumile Masire, likewise was reelected several times, followed by Festus Mogae and then Khamas son, Ian Khama. Botswana continues to have a stable democracy. Challenges for the Future Botswana is home to the worlds largest diamond mine and its leaders are wary of over-dependence on a single industry. Their economic growth has raised them into the middle-income bracket, although there is still high unemployment and socioeconomic stratification. A significant challenge is the HIV/AIDS epidemic, with a prevalence estimated at over 20 percent in adults, the third highest in the world.​Source: US Department of State Background Notes

Interesting Facts About Laura Ingalls Wilder

Interesting Facts About Laura Ingalls Wilder Are you looking for interesting facts about Laura Ingalls Wilder, author of the Little House books? Generations of children have delighted in her stories. In her Little House books, Laura Ingalls Wilder Wilder shared stories based on her own life and provided a fascinating look at the daily life of a pioneer girl and her family in the latter part of the nineteenth century. Here are some interesting facts about the beloved author. A Real Pioneer Girl Laura really was a pioneer girl, living in Wisconsin Kansas, Minnesota, Iowa and Dakota Territory while she was growing up. Her Little House books are closely based on her life, but they are not an exact account; they are historical fiction rather than nonfiction. The Ingalls Family Laura Ingalls was born on February 7, 1867 near Pepin, Wisconsin, the child of Charles and Caroline Ingalls. Laura’s sister, Mary, was two years older than Laura and her sister, Carrie, was more than three years younger. When Laura was 8, her brother, Charles Frederic, was born. He died less than a year later. When Laura was 10, her sister, Grace Pearl, was born. Laura Grows Up After she passed the test and received her teaching certificate at the age of 15, Laura spent several years teaching school. On August 25, 1885, when Laura was 18, she married Almanzo Wilder. She wrote about his childhood in upstate New York in her Little House book Farmer Boy. The Difficult Years The first years of Almanzo and Laura’s marriage were very difficult and included illness, the death of their baby son, poor crops and a fire. Laura Ingalls Wilder wrote about those years in the last of her Little House books, The First Four Years, which was not published until 1971. Rose Wilder One joyous event in the early years was the birth of Laura and Almanzo’s daughter, Rose, in 1886. Rose grew up to be a writer. She is credited with helping to convince her mother to write the Little House books and helping with editing, although exactly how much is still somewhat in question. Rocky Ridge Farm After several moves, in 1894, Laura, Almanzo and Rose moved to Rocky Ridge Farm near Mansfield, Missouri, and there Laura and Almanzo remained until their deaths. It was at Rocky Ridge Farm that Laura Ingalls Wilder wrote the Little House books. The first was published in 1932 when Laura was 65 years old. Laura Ingalls Wilder, Writer Laura did have some writing experience before she wrote the Little House books. In addition to working on their farm, Laura held several part-time writing jobs, including serving for more than a decade as as a columnist for Missouri Ruralist, a bimonthly farm paper. She also had articles in other publications, including Missouri State Farmer and St. Louis Star. The Little House Books In all, Laura Ingalls Wilder wrote nine books that came to be known as â€Å"Little House† books. Little House in the Big WoodsFarmer BoyLittle House on the PrairieOn the Banks of Plum CreekBy the Shores of Silver Lake The Long WinterLittle Town on the PrairieThese Happy Golden YearsThe First Four Years The Laura Ingalls Wilder Award After four of the Little House Books won Newbery Honors, the American Library Association established the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award to honor authors and illustrators whose childrens books, published in the United State, have had a major impact on children’s literature. The first Wilder Award was awarded in 1954 and Laura Ingalls Wilder was the recipient. Other recipients have included: Tomie dePaola (2011), Maurice Sendak (1983), Theodor S. Geisel/Dr. Seuss (1980) and Beverly Cleary (1975). The Little House Books Live On Almanzo Wilder died on October 23, 1949. Laura Ingalls Wilder died on February 10, 1957, three days after her 90th birthday. Her Little House books had already become classics and Laura delighted in the responses of young readers to her books. Children all over the world, particularly 8 to 12 year olds, continue to enjoy and learn from Lauras stories of her life as a pioneer girl. Sources Bio.com: Laura Ingalls Wilder Biography, Laura Ingalls Wilder Award Home Page, HarperCollins: Laura Ingalls Wilder Biography Miller, John E., Becoming Laura Ingalls Wilder: The Woman Behind the Legend, University of Missouri Press, 1998