Kenyan independence — how it was achieved
Practice Flashcards
Flip to reveal answersWhat was the Mau Mau Uprising?
Track your progress — Sign up free to save your progress and get smart review reminders based on spaced repetition.
All 12 Flashcards — Kenyan independence — how it was achieved
Sign up free to track progress and get spaced-repetition review schedules.
Question
What was the Mau Mau Uprising?
Answer
An armed uprising (1952–1960) by mostly Kikuyu fighters against British colonial rule in Kenya, driven above all by loss of land to white settlers.
Question
When did Britain declare a State of Emergency in Kenya, and why?
Answer
October 1952, in response to the Mau Mau Uprising — it allowed mass detention without trial, protected villages, and a major military crackdown.
Question
What happened at Hola camp?
Answer
A British detention camp where Kikuyu prisoners were forced into hard labour; several detainees were beaten to death, exposing the brutality of the Emergency.
Question
What were the Lancaster House Conferences?
Answer
A series of negotiations in London (1960, 1962, 1963) between British and Kenyan leaders that agreed a new constitution and the path to Kenyan independence.
Question
What did Lancaster House I (1960) achieve?
Answer
It ended the ban on African-led political parties and agreed Africans would hold a majority of seats in Kenya's legislative council.
Question
Name the two rival parties that emerged from multi-party politics after 1960.
Answer
KANU (Kenya African National Union), led by Kenyatta, and KADU (Kenya African Democratic Union), representing smaller ethnic groups.
Question
When did Kenya achieve full independence?
Answer
12 December 1963.
Question
Why was Jomo Kenyatta imprisoned in 1953?
Answer
He was convicted of managing the Mau Mau Uprising, though most historians consider the evidence against him unreliable.
Question
What roles did Kenyatta hold between 1963 and 1978?
Answer
First prime minister of self-governing/independent Kenya (1963), then first president when Kenya became a republic (1964), until his death in 1978.
Question
What does 'Harambee' mean and why did Kenyatta use it?
Answer
'Let's all pull together' — Kenyatta's slogan for national unity, aimed at healing divisions after the violence of the Emergency.
Question
Compare: how did Mau Mau and Lancaster House each contribute to independence?
Answer
Mau Mau (1952–60) made continued colonial rule too costly militarily and politically; Lancaster House (1960–63) then negotiated the actual constitutional path to independence.
Question
For Paper 1 Q3, what must a top-band answer do with source perspectives?
Answer
Show insightful understanding of ALL the sources and effectively examine the similarities and differences between their perspectives, linked to the inquiry question.
Read the notes
Full study notes for Kenyan independence — how it was achieved
Topic 2.2 hub
Kenyan independence (1945–1978)
More from Topic 2.2
All flashcards in this topic
History (2028+) exam skills
Paper structures & tips
Track your progress with spaced repetition
Sign up free — Aimnova tells you exactly which cards to review and when, so you remember everything before your IB exam.
Start Free