Lesotho: An Independent Mountain Kingdom
Look at a map of southern Africa, and you may notice a country completely surrounded by another country. That smaller country is Lesotho, a mountain kingdom within the borders of South Africa. Although the two countries are close neighbors, Lesotho is not part of South Africa. It has its own government, laws, and national flag.
Lesotho became an independent country on October 4, 1966. Before then, it was known as Basutoland and was under British rule. Independence meant that Lesotho could govern itself rather than be ruled by Britain.
A kingdom in the mountains
Long before independence, the Basotho people built a kingdom in the mountains of southern Africa. In the 1800s, King Moshoeshoe I brought together groups of people and helped establish the Basotho kingdom. The mountains provided places of protection during conflicts with neighboring groups.
As settlers from nearby lands pressed into Basotho territory, the kingdom faced growing pressure. In 1868, Moshoeshoe sought British protection. Basutoland became a British protectorate, a territory under Britain's protection and control. Later, Britain governed the territory directly.
The road to independence
Over time, Basotho leaders worked toward greater control of their country's affairs. When independence arrived in 1966, Basutoland took the name Lesotho. The new country continued as a kingdom, with its own leaders and institutions.
- territory:
- An area of land controlled by a group or government.
- conflicts:
- Serious disagreements or struggles between groups.
- settlers:
- People who move to live in a place.
- institutions:
- Organizations that have important roles in a country or community.
- highlands:
- Areas of high land, often with hills or mountains.
- resource:
- Something useful that people can use.
- generate:
- To produce or create something, such as electricity.
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Preview questions from this passageShowHide
- 1Why is Lesotho independent even though South Africa surrounds it?
- 2How did the mountains help the Basotho kingdom during conflicts?
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About this explanatory article passage for Upper Elementary
“Lesotho: An Independent Mountain Kingdom” is a explanatory article reading passage about Lesotho's independence, written for Upper Elementary. It takes about 3 minutes to read (454 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.