istoryworld
Events relating to zimbabwe
A trading centre at Mapungubwe, on the Limpopo, evolves into a state ruled by a king in a zimbabwe
The kingdom of Great Zimbabwe displaces Mapungubwe as the dominant Shona power in this region of southern Africa
The Ndebele chieftain, Lobengula, grants Rhodes mining rights in what is now Zimbabwe
Cecil Rhodes sends colonists to settle the newly won colony of Rhodesia
Leander Jameson, finding a pretext for war, drives Lobengula out of his kingdom in Rhodesia
The territory south of the Zambezi is given the name Rhodesia, in honour of the man who has colonized it
Mineral discoveries on the border of Northern Rhodesia and the Belgian Congo give the first hint of the riches of the Copper Belt
Rhodesia becomes a self-governing colony with political power exclusively in the hands of European settlers
The two Rhodesias and Nyasaland are merged in the self-governing Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland
Joshua Nkomo founds ZAPU, the Zimbabwe African People's Union, in the British colony of Southern Rhodesia
Ian Smith's white supremacist party, the Rhodesian Front, wins power in Rhodesia's election
Robert Mugabe and Ndabaningi Sithole split from ZAPU to found ZANU, the Zimbabwe African National Union
The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland is dissolved, as the three colonies go their separate ways
Ian Smith, now prime minister of Rhodesia, arrests leading black politicians Joshua Nkomo and Robert Mugabe
Ian Smith makes a unilateral declaration of Rhodesia's independence
The United Nations, with the approval of Britain as the colonial power, imposes economic sanctions on Rhodesia
Nkomo and Mugabe merge their guerrilla troops in a more effective disruptive force, to be known as the Patriotic Front
The first multiracial elections held in Rhodesia are won by bishop Abel Muzorewa
A conference in London, at Lancaster House, finally achieves agreement on Southern Rhodesia
Britain agrees to fund the purchase of land of British farmers in Southern Rhodesia willing to sell, for a much-needed land distribution programme
Rhodesia becomes independent, taking the name Zimbabwe, with Robert Mugabe as prime minister
Mugabe and Nkomo merge their two parties as ZANU-PF, making Zimbabwe effectively a one-party state
The Zimbabwean constitution is changed to make Mugabe executive president (with Nkomo vice-president, until his death in 1999)
Britain stops funding Zimbabwe's purchase of land for redistribution, on the grounds that many of the farms are being given to the political elite
A Land Acquisition Act enables Mugabe to purchase land compulsorily, abandoning the 'willing buyer, willing seller' principle agreed at Lancaster House
