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The Dutch United East India Company, establishes the "Cape Colony". The Colony was originally created as a re-supply and layover port colony for merchants traveling to Asia. -
The settlement would grow from the arrival of farmers and slaves. They would begin to develop their farming communities, create a market for wine made of Cape grown grapes, and build an economy as an intermediate trading settlement for European and Asian trade. While the settlement grew, they would come to face many hardships and disputes with the locals that they had originally built good rapport with. The colony would continue to expand and would eventually come to appoint their own governors.
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1652- The first Dutch child would be born on Cape soil.
1666- the first Central Post office and stone fort named Castle of Good Hope were built. These would be the first stone laid establishments built by the Dutch in the Cape.
1739- Henry Swellengrebel became the first governor born in the Cape.
1794- the Dutch colony's population numbers are estimated to be 16,000 whites and 16,900 slaves. -
Since the settlement of the VOC, the Xhosa people were in constant battle with the Dutch and British who were enslaving the Xhosa people and stealing their land along with resources.With the expansion of the Dutch came more conflict. The Xhosa would eventually fight in approximately 15 wars between them and the Europeans who sought to continuously grow their influence and power.
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The Dutch East India Trading company goes bankrupt due to corruption and debt. As a result of the bankruptcy, the VOC relinquish power to the British who assume control of the Cape Colony. -
During the late 18th century and early 19th Century, control of the colony shifted between the hands of the British and the Dutch multiple times. After the initial transfer of power after the VOC's bankruptcy, the British would give power back to the Dutch in 1803 via the Treaty of Amiens. 3 years later, after the Napoleonic Wars, they would turn around and take it again. In 1814 the Dutch surrendered to the British who would come to claim the Cape.
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With impeding British rule and change of policy, most notably being the abolishment of slavery in the colonies, the Boers (Dutch) would begin to resent the British and begin to migrate north inland. This great migration would come to be known as the "Great Trek" and its participants as the "Voortrekkers". It would also become a pivotal event that led to growth of the sub group of Dutch settlers who later became known as the Afrikaners. -
As the Voortrekkers sought to escape British rule, they would stumble into an area owned by the Zulu people (currently known as Lesotho). As the Dutch would try to settle in this area, the Zulu king would order his people to go to the settlements and kill the Dutch in masses. The Dutch would stand and fend for their lives but would ultimately lose this battle before they could be provided assistance from another group of Voortrekkers. -
The Boers of Transvaal who were a byproduct of the Great Trek sought to migrate and establish their own republic away from British rule. -
As the Boers began to migrate and expand, they would eventually discover gold and diamond reserves. These reserves would soon become vital to Boer wealth as well as the focal point of many conflicts. -
With the Transvaal in financial trouble after war, the British took the opportunity to annex them and renamed the colony to the Transvaal Colony. -
Due to unreasonable taxation from the British setting the Boers over the edge, 10000 of them gathered together to retake the Transvaal Republic back into Dutch power. The Boers would go to completely slaughter the British and the reinforcements.
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A reserve of gold is found near Johannesburg, this plunges South Africa into the lead as the highest producer of gold in the world. With this discovery, comes a growth in jobs and prosperity for the Boers. -
With the Boers anticipating an attack from the British, who were attempting to regain control and gain control of the gold and diamonds discovered by the Boers, they initiated attacks on the British and initiated the war. The Boers would eventually go on to lose the war due to being outnumbered. -
The Boers lose the second Boers War which results in British rule over The Transvaal, Orange Free State, Natal and the Cape Colony. The British unite them all under the "Union of South Africa". -
The Afrikaner community is currently derived of a group European (primarily Dutch and British) descendants who settled in South Africa. Although the descendant pool is mixed, modern Afrikaners still operate and prosper off of the ideals and basis set by their forefathers.
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The African National Congress is created to "bring all Africans together as one and to defend the rights and freedoms of said people". -
Nelson Mandela was one of South Africa's very first lawyers, and an activist who fought against Apartheid for the South African people. He spent time as a leader for the ANC and fought hand in hand with other activists to overturn Apartheid and for the equality of all South Africans. He would later come to be the very first president of South Africa.
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With the National Party gaining power in South Africa, came a newfound, strictly enforced policy called "Apartheid". The premise of the policy was to create a separation in power and opportunity between white and black South Africans. This included controlling the blacks access to resources to things such as education, jobs, homes, proper healthcare and much more.
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The Population Registration Act is created and demands that all South Africans are classified by either being White, Black, or Coloured. -
A peaceful demonstration that ended with police violence and the deaths of 69 people and 200 others injured. It would come to be known as one of the most violent demonstrations. This would ultimately result in the banning of the ANC. -
The National Party holds an "all whites" vote to have SOuth Africa move from being a Union to a Republic. -
Nelson Mandela and the ANC began orchestrating non-violent sabotages towards the National Party in attempts to financiaslly cripple them and overturn Apartheid. They put heavy emphasis on keeping the campaign non-violent to reduce violent backlash from the National Party.
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Nelson Mandela and other activists are put on trial and lose. They are sentenced to life or exiled for their crimes of sabotage against the National Party. -
After the appointment of Frederik Willem de Klerk, South Africa slowly begins to shift from towards the abolishment of Apartheid. With desegregation as the start, the fight to reverse the damage and hate begins to grow especially with South Africa's plight in the lens of the UN.
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Frederik Willem de Klerk is appointed as president and begins his campaign to end Apartheid. He begins to free activists who were imprisoned and desegregates public facilities. -
After spending 27 years in prison, Nelson Mandela is freed by President F.W. de Klerk. -
Due to their accomplishments in fighting and abolishing Apartheid, President F.W. de Klerk and Nelson Mandela are awarded the Nobel Peace prize. -
In 1994, Apartheid is officially repealed. Nelson Mandela is appointed as President and begins his fight with the ANC to heal the scars Apartheid left on the nation of South Africa. Mandela is able to restore SA's membership to the commonwealth, get the sanctions from the international community lifted and returns South Africa to the United Nations.
