The Boer War was a war between the British and the Boers over the colonization of South Africa. Dutch settlers came to South Africa in the 17th century. Their descendants, along with Portuguese and French settlers, were known as the Boers. In the late 19th century, the Transvaal Republic and the Free State of Orlanz discovered the largest diamond and gold mines in the world. The British colonists coveted these treasures and went to war with the Boers in August 1899.

In the autumn of that year, Britain declared victory in the war, but the Boers continued to attack the British army. The British army forcibly imprisoned the Boers in concentration camps, killing 20,000 women and children. Kitchener, commander in chief of the British army during the Boer War, became a national hero of Britain.

The first Boer War took place from 1880 to 1881, and the second Boer War took place from 1899 to 1902.

Canada became a French and British colony in the 16th century, and was later ceded to Britain by France. A self-governing federation was established in 1867. The newly born country did not have full autonomy, and its suzerain, Britain, still had a high degree of influence over its internal affairs. Canada helped participate in the Second Boer War in England.