Rise of Empires in Africa

1200-1600s -Monomotapa empire had risen and declined, it was thought to have been associated with Great Zimbabwe and to have been convoluted in gold mining and international trade.1830s - Ndebele people were fleeing Zulu violence and Boer migration in present-day South Africa they moved north and inhabited what becomes known as Matabeleland.1830-1890s - European hunters, traders, and missionaries toured the area from the south. A great example can be Cecil John Rhodes.

1889 - Rhodes’ British South Africa Company (BSA) got a British order to colonize Southern Rhodesia.1890 - Pioneers of white settlers came from the south where the future capital Harare was.1893 - Ndebele revolting against the BSA rule is trampled.

1922 - BSA administration ended, the white minority settles on a self-government.1930 - Land Apportionment Act confined black access to land, driving the colored minority into wage labor.1930-1960s - Black opposition to colonial rule blooms. Appearance in the 1960s of nationalist groups - the Zimbabwe African People’s Union (Zapu) and the Zimbabwe African National Union (Zanu).1953 - Britain constructs the Central African Federation, incorporates Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe), Northern Rhodesia (Zambia) and Nyasaland (Malawi).1963 - Federation dismantles when Zambia and Malawi achieve independence.1964 - Ian Smith of the Rhodesian Front (RF) acquires the status of prime minister, he tries to convince Britain to grant independence.1965 - Smith unilaterally announces independence under white minority rule, pulling the trigger on international outrage and economic sanctions.

1972 - Guerrilla war against white rule escalates, with competitors Zanu and Zapu working out of Zambia and Mozambique.1978 - Smith gives in to pressure for a negotiated settlement. The new government of Zimbabwe Rhodesia, led by Bishop Abel Muzorewa, doesn’t succeed in gaining international recognition. Civil war persistent.

1979 - British parties converse at the Lancaster House in London and lead to a peace agreement and new constitution, which guarantees minority rights.1980 - Veteran independence leader Robert Mugabe and his Zanu party be the victor in British-supervised independence elections. Independence on 18 April is internationally acknowledged.1982 - Mugabe turns on Nkomo, blaming him of preparing to overthrow the government.

1987 - Mugabe, Nkomo join together their parties to form Zanu-PF, putting an end to the violence in southern areas.1987 - Mugabe alters the constitution and becomes the executive president.1991 - The Commonwealth selects the Harare Declaration at its summit in Zimbabwe, reaffirming its aims of fostering international peace and security, democracy, freedom of the individual and equal rights for all.1998 - Economic crisis as well as riots and strikes.

1999 - Economic crisis is sustained, Zimbabwe’s military involvement in DR Congo’s civil war becomes progressively unpopular.

2000 - February - President Mugabe’s crushed and suffers defeat in referendum on draft constitution.2000 - June - Parliamentary elections: Zanu-PF hardly fights off a challenge from the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) led by Morgan Tsvangirai, and loses its power and authority to modify the constitution.