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Life Before Imperialsim (before 19th Century)
Before the Boers (Dutch) came to South Africa, also known as the Cape Colony, it was a culturally diverse land full of many cultures and subcultures. The people were in many different tribes, and were not unified as one nation, many tribes even had rivalries; this made it easier for the Dutch, and eventually the British to conquer them, because they would not resist the colonization together. -
The Dutch Colonize the Cape
In 1652, Duthc settlers known as the Boers made South Africa one of the earliest spots in Africa to be colonized. It was Imperialized for economic reasons. At the city known today as Cape Town, the Dutch East India Company set up a supply on the shore of Table Bay. The Boers (Dutch word meaning "farmers") continued to colonize this area over the next century in a half. It became known as the Cape Colony, because of its location on the Cape of Good Hope. -
British Take Control
In 1795, the Britsh took control of the colony, only to lose it to the Dutch in 1803, reclaiming it by 1806. The British settlers extended their territory along the East Coast, making the colony much larger. Even as South Africa, as the British called it, prosepered from increased farming export and other factors, the Dutch settlers grew resentful of the British Rule. -
Discovery of Diamonds, and Gold
In 1867, 550 miles away from modern-day Cape Town, South Africa, near the Vaal River, Diamonds were found. The small town of Kimberly was populated by people all over the world. Within five years, there were 50,000 people living in the town, this is known as the "diamond rush". Nineteen years later, near the Boer capital of Pretoria, the worlds most abundent deposit of gold ore(at the time) was found. This made the colony even more economically successful. -
Treatment of Native Africans
The effects of Imperalism are not all positive, however. The native people of Africa were stripped of their culture, and religions, and had European culture forced upon them. They also were made to work on farms and in mines, under poor conditions. -
Zulu Resistance
In the 1800s, the Zulu, a subgroup of the Bantu, stayed indepedent and resisted British rule, until 1877 when they accepted the British colonization. -
Anglo-Boer War
In the late 1890s, with tension between the Dutch and British building up, the Boers attacked the Brits. The Boers used a guerilla war style, but the British defeated them with the scorched earth policy. -
Union of South Africa is Formed
Under the South Africa Act of 1909, the British and the Boers united their several colonies, to form the Union of South Africa. Native Africans were granted more land in the process. While the union was officaially formed at this point, it wasn't until 22 years later, in 1931, that the Union gained independence from England. -
United Party is Formed(and Split)
Three years after South Africa became independent of Britain, there were two main parties, the African Party, and the National Party. In 1934 the two came together to form the United Party. However, in 1939, just five years later, the party split. This was due to South Africa's involvment in WWII as an ally to the UK, which the National Party was opposed to. -
National Party Elected into Power
In 1948, the National, or Nationalist Party was elected into power. This resulted in more racial segregation. The Nationalists favored the whites. and were unfair to the majority, which was the native and black people. This Party ruled from 1948-1994. -
The Republic of South Africa
On May 31, 1961 Charles Robberts Swart became the first State President of the Republic of South Africa. This was an important date, but it still did not end apartheid, which is the name of the system of segregation in South Africa. -
The End of Apartheid
In 1990 South Africa took the first step in abolishing apartheid, by lifting the ban of black Africans in the National Congress and other governmental positions. Nelson Mandela, a black man who had served twenty-seven years for sabotage was released. In 1994, Mandela, an anti-apartheid activist and politician, was elected President. He was the first black President of South Africa, which is significant, since the majority of South Africa's people are black. This ended an era of discrimination.
