GRADE LEVEL THEME TOPIC DURATION
7 SOUTH AFRICAN HISTORY EMERGING COLONIAL FRONTIERS x LESSONS

Emerging colonial frontiers
The Basotho and the birth of Lesotho

BACK TO LESSON MENU

In the early 1800s or 19th century the Mfecane caused enormous migration and change in Southern Africa. At the time there was also a severe drought resulting in the Mahlatule famine. People suffered great hunger and some even turned to cannibalism.

Who are the Basotho?

Picture A: Basotho riders on Basotho ponies
(Source: www.ansi.okstate.edu/breeds/ horses/basotho/boso2.JPG)

Sotho people came to Southern Africa in about 1400 from central Africa. They had been scattered into small tribes as a result of the Mfecane and Moshoeshoe, a young chief, united these groups into the Basotho nation and created the country Lesotho. He ruled a group of his peers as a sub-chief, and had a mountain stronghold called Butha Buthe in northeastern Lesotho.

It was a time of upheaval and, although his fortress was well positioned and protected, enemies attacked his tribe. He didn’t feel safe and started looking for a site for a new home.

Thaba Bosiu

One of Moshoeshoe’s loyal followers started exploring the region for possible locations to where the Basotho people could be moved. Eventually a spot was found on the Qiloane plateau where the lowland rivers had worn away sandstone and created freestanding mountains with flat tops. Their new home was about 30 km from Maseru and was called Thaba Bosiu or Bosigo, which means “mountain of the night”.

Picture B: Thaba Bosiu
(Source: www.geoffstravelscrapbook.co.uk/ .../lesotholowframe.htm)

Thaba Bosiu was an excellent fortress. There were only 7 paths to the top of the mountain, all easily protected, and it had enough fresh water to support 3 000 people and their livestock. The Ndebele, Griquas, Boers and British unsuccessfully attacked Moshoeshoe in his new home. More and more people streamed into his kingdom for safety and so Lesotho was born. By 1848 Moshoeshoe led 80 000 people.

Map A: Lesotho
(Source: http://www.link2southafrica.com/gifs/rsamap.jpg)

Click here for our Special Project on African Treks.
Click here for our Special Feature on The Broken String

Learning Outcome: The learner is able to compile and organise information from images to obtain evidence about the Basotho people, to use that information to present answers to questions and to describe and make links between reasons for and results of events and changes.

Activity

  1. What caused the serious migration in Southern Africa in the early 1800’s or 19th century?
  2. Around what year did the Sotho people arrive in Southern Africa?
  3. Where did they come from?
  4. Who are the people in Picture A?
  5. Who was the king or chief who united all the Sotho people to become the Basotho and who created Lesotho?
  6. From where to where did the Basotho people move?
  7. What is the mountain in Picture B called?
  8. Why was it such a safe place to live?
  9. Indicate Lesotho on Map A.

 

< PREVIOUS / NEXT >

 

BACK TO LESSON MENU