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1000 BCE
The Bantu Expansion
In the fourth century, there was a group of people living in South Africa. These people were called the Bantu people. The Bantu expansion was a major historical event that happened in South Africa. This happened around two thousand to three thousand years ago (approx 1,000 BC - 1 AD). This was the spread of the Bantu people from North Africa to South Africa. The main reason that the Bantu people were traveling (expanding) was because of overpopulation and the local resources caused fighting. -
500 BCE
The Migration of the Khoisman Tribes
The Khoisman tribe migrated south to the Cape in South Africa and they intermarried with the San tribe along the way. They would be called the Khoisan tribes. They were the first to inhabit the area of the Cape. They were a mix of hunters, harvesters, and gatherers. Before settlers stepped foot there, about 2000 years before, the Khoisan tribes settled. They were very smart with living off the land and hunting animals and they even used plants as medicine to survive. -
1488
Cape is discovered and named the Cape of Good Hope
The Cape of Good Hope in Africa was discovered in the 1480s. It was discovered by a great Portuguese explorer named Bartolomeu Dias. In 1488 Bartolomeu went on a voyage to the Cape of Good Hope, but he had to turn back because of the strong currents he faced on the way. Because of the storms, Bartolomeu named it the Cape of Storms. During his travels to return to the cape the next spring, he spotted land and John II renamed it the Cape of Good Hope. -
1497
Vasco De Gamma stopped at the Cape of Good Hope on route to India
Vasco da Gama was in charge of sailing around the Cape of Good Hope around the southern tip of South Africa to find a better trade route to India. He sailed the Cape of Good Hope from July 8, 1947, through August 1499. When he stopped in a Bay, the tribes there were not friendly and had shot him with an arrow. This route was good for the Portuguese and they could trade spices and goods with India directly without other countries to go through. -
The Dutch set up a settlement at the Cape of Good Hope
The colonization of South Africa by the Dutch started with the Dutch preparing the area for European settlement. The Dutch were worried because Portugal and Spain had almost monopolized trade with Asia, but the Dutch overtook their trade. The growth of trade established a need for a settlement. They chose the area of Table Bay, mostly because of the rare occurrence of available fresh water: the Dutch established Cape Town in 1652 as a place for resupplying ships that were headed to Asia. -
Britain took control of the Cape
In 1795 another large European country came to challenge the Dutch. As a conflict with France and Britain had been going on, one of the goals was to take control of the Cape of Good Hope. The largest benefit was the great trade route it provided. Britain eventually won the conflict, and found even greater benefits within South Africa. Though terrible, the slave system implemented by the Dutch gave the British an idea, thus creating the Atlantic Slave Trade. -
The British won the Boer War and signed a Treaty of Veerniging
The Boer War began with the descendants of the Dutch that first colonized South Africa, who were called Boers. They declared independence in two areas after the British took over. Everything was peaceful between them and the British until precious metals and gemstones were discovered. This caused Britain to desire the land and started the conflict. Fighting raged on from the 1890’s until May 31st, 1902 when the Treaty of Vereeniging was signed and Britain took control, ending the conflict. -
South Africa became divided by race because of the Native Land Act
In 1913 South Africa became divided by race because the Native Land Act was passed three years after South Africa gained its independence back. This was the beginning of territorial segregation, and this was forcing black Africans to live in reserves. This law made it illegal for them to work as sharecroppers. This law also restricted the terms of tenure under where blacks could live on white farms. Due to the land act of 1913, less than 1/10 of South Africa was defined as black reserves. -
South Africa supported the Allies in World War I.
In 1914 some of the South Africans supported the allies in World War I with the population of roughly 6,000,000. 250 South Africans of all races voluntarily served their country. Thousands served in a British army with over 3000 people who joined the British royal flying corps and over 100 South Africans volunteered for the Royal Navy. Those are some of the armies that the South Africans helped during World War I. When the world started, South Africa sent its army to German South-west Africa. -
National Peace Accord Agreement
The national peace accord, also known as the NPA, was critical in reducing the violence during the negotiation process in South Africa. The NPA was to monitor the behavior of the signatories and it addressed the issues of justice and local conflict; the NPA also helped reduce violence in South Africa. Since they relied on non-violent activism to challenge the state, the South African transition to democracy in the early 1900s was not a smooth one as it was seen from the outside.