Editing Transvaal Colony (section)

== History ==
{{Further|South African Republic}}
Both the [[Boer]] republics, the [[South African Republic]] (ZAR) and the [[Orange Free State]] were defeated in the Anglo-Boer War and surrendered to the UK. The peace treaty ([[Treaty of Vereeniging]]) contained the following terms:
# That all [[Burgher (Boer republics)|burghers]] of the ZAR and Orange Free State lay down their arms and accept King Edward VII as their sovereign.
# That all burghers outside the borders of the ZAR and Orange Free State, upon declaring their allegiance to the King, be transported back to their homes.
# That all burghers so surrendering will not be deprived of their property.
# No Civil or Criminal proceedings against burghers for acts of war, except Acts contrary to the usage of war. In such cases, there is to be held an immediate court-martial.
# That High Dutch be taught in schools and that the use of the [[Dutch language]] will be allowed in law courts.
# That the possession of rifles be allowed under license.
# That Military Administration be succeeded at the earliest possible date by representative institutions leading up to self-government.
# That the question of granting franchise to natives not be discussed until after self-government.
# That no special tax be introduced to cover the costs of the war.
# That various commissions be established to process and pay valid claims for war expenses and to honor script issued by the countries of the ZAR and Orange Free State during the period of the war. The commission would also feed the homeless and assist with the reconstruction of homes affected by the war. To that end, the crown agrees to a free grant of £3,000,000 as well as loans at no interest for two years to be repaid at 3 percent interest over years thereafter.

In 1902, with peace following the signing of the [[Treaty of Vereeniging]], the new Transvaal colony was faced with intertwined economic and political issues that needed to be resolved. The economic issues faced included the restoration of the mining industry to pre-war levels, then growing it further with the need for extra labour, the restoration of the Boers to their lands and increasing the agricultural output of those farms. The political issue faced depended on what side of politics one stood on. The existing British administrators under [[Alfred Milner, 1st Viscount Milner|Alfred Milner]] wished to anglicise the population through two main means. One by increasing the English-speaking population of the Transvaal and the other by teaching the Boer children in English with very little Dutch used, followed by self-rule. The Transvaal Boers' political objectives were the restoration of self-rule in the colony and the political environment to be dominated by the Boers.