Evolution of South Africa (1650-1910)



Evolution of South Africa (1650-1910)

Introduction

South African evolution has been dominated by the conflicts between various ethnic groups. The region remained under the Dutch control for the 17th century. In 1815, the Cape colony became officially British, as they annexed there. They also sponsored the people to settle in the disputed area which is now called Eastern Cape. During the same period, in 1820, Boers started their Great Trek to modern South Africa from the northern areas. Various wars between Boers, British and Zulus continued for decades, and finally the South African Union came into being under the treaty of Vereeniging. This paper describes the major events of South Africa's evolution from the period 1650 to 1910.

African native communities

The original natives of South African regions were Dutch, which claimed that they were not Negroes, but Hottentots (Innes, 1912). The tribes of Bantus were also spread inland and around the east coast of Natal; they were spread up to the territory of Portuguese. These people were well developed from social and military perspectives. The Zulus and Matabele, who were ultra military tribes, were pressing the southern, peaceful agriculturist tribes from the north. In addition to the majority of Hottentots, there was a considerable population of black slaves who were imported from other regions of the globe.

Empty land and the founding of Cape Colony 1650

It was believed that South Africa and the Cape Colony were never the “Empty Land”. Even before the arrival of Dutch in the region, or the stepping of British settlers. The Stone Age hunters and Iron Age farmers had a long history of living in the interior of South Africa. For millions of years, the black people (original inhabitants of the region) continued to live with their way of life, associated with the environment and climate of the place (Marks, 1980).

In 1652, Cape colony, which is now a part of South Africa, was founded by Jan van Riebeeck. The major aim of this colony was to serve as a resupply station for the Dutch East India Company. The ships to and from the Spice Islands continued their journeys throughout the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, carrying the most valuable cargoes (British Empire, 2012). The Dutch worked for expanding the colony's growth by allowing the Protestants from Europe to enter the colony. Thus, a large French population also entered the colony in order to supplement the farmers who belonged from the Boer tribe. During the Napoleon war (1795), the colony belonged to the British, but was taken over by Dutch later.

British Arrival to South Africa

British first arrived in the South African region (Cape) in 1806 and their control remained there for the next 104 years. During their stay in the colony, British developed their legal system, abolished the formerly existed slavery system, and fought many wars against the Boers and original inhabitants. British rule created conflicts between the local residents and metropolitan rulers. The British legal system and rules created distance between ...