South Africa and Inland Countries

Zulu and Xhosa tribes establish large kingdoms in South Africa.

May 6, 1400

Zulu is an African ethnic group that lives in South Africa. However, they were such a big tribe that their defenses were so strong. Eventually, they were constantly leaving and changing homes because of all the land they won, when they won a war. Xhosa is the second biggest cultural group in South Africa. The Xhosa tribe rules over half of South Africa. The Zulu and Xhosa tribe have been around since the 1400 and still around till this day. Also they have increased by big numbers.

Portuguese explorer Bartholomeu Dias reaches Cape of Good Hope

Aug 8, 1487

In August 1487, Bartholomew Diaz was sent to depart from the port of Lisbon, Portugal. Diaz followed another explorer Diogo Cao who had gone to the coast of Africa. He sailed on with Good hope in 1488. However, he soon died after his house burned down in Lisbon in 1755.

The Dutch establish the port of the Cape Town.

Apr 6, 1652

The Dutch East India Company in Vereenigde Oost-Indische (voc) found Cape Town in 1652. The voc were sailing to Asia and soon found Cape Town. The Dutch acted as helper or “agents” so that the voc could have more land, trading routes, and trading post. In the year of 1651, the voc provided fresh food and supplies for the Cape Town. In 1652, the voc sent Jan Van Riebeeck, to make a one-way station route for Dutch ships. When the Dutch could not find enough labor for the developed area they imported slaves from Madagascar. The Dutch was in control at the time, until the British took over a few years after. That is when the Dutch decided to settle in South Africa.

First Frontier War

Sep 14, 1779

It is the first series of Cape Frontier Wars between Boers, the Dutch colonists and Xhosas. The location is Cape Colony, which a British colony established in 1806 in what is now South Africa. This war was caused by disagreements regarding the cattle trade that dominated the colonial economy and ended in 1781. Dutch colonists fought against Xhosa that had moved westward from the main body of the Xhosa east of the Great Kei River into the area known as the Zuurveld, between the Great Fish and Boesmans rivers. First Frontier war was not as big as the later disputes, but it aroused more and more problems. It caused nine wars for a hundred years of history. First Cape Frontier War shows the first flare-up between the Xhosa tribes and European settlers. Since this event is the start of series of Cape Frontier Wars, the longest-running military action in African colonialism history; therefore, it’s very significant not only in Southern African history, but also in the rest of Africa.It is the first series of Cape Frontier Wars between Boers, the Dutch colonists and Xhosas. The location is Cape Colony, which a British colony established in 1806 in what is now South Africa. This war is caused by disagreements regarding the cattle trade that dominated the colonial economy and ended in 1781. Dutch colonists fought against Xhosa that had moved westward from the main body of the Xhosa east of the Great Kei River into the area known as the Zuurveld, between the Great Fish and Boesmans rivers. First Frontier war was not as big as the later disputes, but it aroused more and more problems. It caused nine wars for a hundred years of history. First Cape Frontier War shows the first flare-up between the Xhosa tribes and European settlers. Since this event is the start of series of Cape Frontier Wars, the longest-running military action in African colonialism history; therefore, it’s very significant not only in Southern African history, but also in entire African history

Fifth Frontier War; War of Nxele

Mar 31, 1818

[http://www.sahistory.org.za/dated-event/fifth-frontier-war-sangoma-makana-attacks-grahamstown-under-patronage-xhosa-chief-ndlamb](The Fifth Frontier War occurred in South Africa, developed from 1817 because of the difficulty between Cape Colony government and the Xhosa. As Xhosa was under British rule since 1811, the time when the Fourth Frontier War occurred, there was a lot of tension between Xhosa and British. This difficulty caused by an attempt of colonial authorities to enforce the restitution of stolen cattle. Even though the British commander told the Xhosa chief Ngqika, he could not fix this problem because he did not have any power. The British decided to assist the Ngqika to attack Ndlamba, which is another group of Xhosa who stole Ngqika’s people’s cattle, and eventually, the Ndlamba was defeated. However, the Xhosa prophet chief, Nxele, who is also called Makana said that the god would be on their sides. He even said that the bullets of British would turn to water, and people believed him; because they thought that Makana was in communication with the spirits of the mighty dead. Because the people believed that Makana was in communication with the spirits of the mighty dead, they believe everything he said, even that the bullets of the British would turn to water. Unfortunately, Ndlamba defeated to British army and forced to surrender. The picture is the drawing of Nxele who drove Xhosa into catastrophe. It tells us the long tension based on the cattle threat from the authority and shows us that British was strongly commanding the Xhosa.)

Sixth Frontier War; Hintsa's War

Dec 9, 1834

It is the war right after the War of Nxele and ended in South Africa in 1836. It is called “Hinsta’s War” because the Hintsa’s murder by British authorities became the main reason to provoke the Xhosa. British governor Sir Benjamin d'Urban knew that Hinta is the chief of the Xhosa and went to his residence across the Kei River to make him dictate treaty. The treaty says, “The Great Kei River was annexed as the British “Queen Adelaide Province”, and its inhabitants declared British subjects.” The new province was declared for the settlement of loyal tribes, so make them loyal and faithful. However, 2 years later, with the help of missionaries, tribal authority weakened and finally died down in 17 September 1836. After the treaty negotiations, Hinta held hostage and pressured with the demands for cattle restitution, which means that British tried to seized a lot of cattle from Xhosa. He tried to escape from the Britain, but eventually, he killed by them very cruelly. The War of Hinta shows that British aimed Xhosa in the War of Nxele to compel Hinsta and end the sixth Frontier war. Also this occasion made Hintsa a national hero and helped to foster patriotism amongst his people.

Cattle Killing Movement

Jan 28, 1856

The Cattle Killing Movement occurred by a prophecy of teenage Xhosa girl Nongqawuse in Eastern Cape Province in what is now the Republic of South Africa. The girl who is sitting on the right is Nongqawuse. She said that she received a message from the ancestors that they would return from the afterlife, drive all the Europeans into the sea, and give the Xhosa a lot of gifts. However, she declared that the ancestors told her that the people of Xhosa need to destroy all of their subsistence first, which means they have to kill cattle and burn all the crops. At first, no one believed her prophecy, but once the Chief Sarhili began to kill the cattle, more and more people started to believe the prophecy. At that time, the British commander dispossessed Sarili and his people, since they are becoming poor and a lot of people died because of starvation. The prophecy was predicted to occur on 18 February 1857, but nothing happened and everyone was disappointed. Even though the people of Xhosa continued the cattle killing into 1858, nothing changed and more and more people died because of famine. Eventually, the people of Xhosa lost all of their power, and the teenage girl Nongqawuse arrested by British. The Cattle Killing Movement shows that Xhosa is getting collapse after the continuous wars, while British is keep seizing the authorities; therefore, it greatly impacted to the British government as this event gave a great power and authority.

British Annexation

Apr 12, 1877

British tried to expand the territory into Southern Africa because of several reasons: first, the desire to control the trade routes to India; second, the discovery of huge minerals on the borders of the South Africa and the Cape Colony; third, the race against other European colonial powers to get a territory of Africa. Basically, British thought that annexing the Transvaal would be the first step to confederation. On 12 April 1877 a proclamation of annexation was read out in Church Square in Pretoria, the capital of the Transvaal Republic. The picture on the right shows the present Church Square in Pretoria. Actually, before Britain annexes the Transvaal, they also annexed the Lesotho in 1868 because Lesotho is completely surrounded by South Africa and has economic relationship with South Africa. At that time, other European colonizers included Portugal, Germany, and Belgium already seized some African countries. Since Boers of the Transvaal revolted against the British annexation of 1877, the Anglo-Boer happened. British annexation is the root of Anglo-Boer war, which is a great impact; it shows the desire of Britain to expand their territories and take the power.

Johannesburg Gold Rush

Jun 21, 1886

In 1886 the city of Johannesburg, South Africa became rich because of the findings of Gold, which started the gold rush called “Witwatersrand Gold rush”. Witwatersrand was the name of the city, but the gold rush lead to the establishment of Johannesburg. People came from all over the world to get their hands on the gold. However, it was not until 1886 that the massive wealth of the Witwatersrand would be uncovered. Scientific studies have pointed to the fact that the “Golden Arc”, which stretches from Johannesburg to Welkom was once a massive island lake, depositing gold and silt. In June 1884, a man named Jan Gerrit Bantjes on the farm Vogelstruisfontein, discovered the gold. By 1889, Johannesburg had a new population of over 3,000 and become more modern and then later getting a new population of somewhere around 102,000. This gold rush made South Johannesburg the wealthiest city in Africa.

2nd Anglo-Boer War

Oct 11, 1899

The Anglo-Beor War or the freedom war was fought from October 11, 1899 until May 31, 1902 with Britain taking charge of South Africa. The British war effort was supported by troops from all over the British Empire. This war was mainly started because both wanted more control of the Witwatersrand gold mines, which at this time were full of gold. Another large reason of this war was the Boer’s disliking on Britain slave trades. This was not the first Boer war, though the first one lasted for about a year (1880-81). The gold rush made South Africa the wealthiest, but they had neither the manpower nor the industrial base to develop resources on its own.

The Aparthied

Feb 18, 1948

Apartheid is the separation of black and white people in South Africa. This was the time when segregation was at its worst. The British invaded South African territory and took over their land so segregation was introduced in South Africa. From 1960 to 1983, 3.5 million non-white South Africans were removed from their homes and forced in to segregated neighborhoods making it one of the largest mass removals in all of history. Starting that year, Black people were deprived of their citizenship in South Africa. The apartheid sparked much violence and internal resistance, and a long arms and trade embargo against South Africa. This caused many uprisings and riots in the 1950s, and the government responded with violence. The apartheid was finally ended in 1994 with a multi-racial democratic election. Through this event, South Africa got their land back and freedom.

South Africa became an independent nation

May 31, 1961

In the year of 1961, South Africa became its own nation. South Africa was under Britain’s control in the Year of 1875. 1795 is the year that Britain came and took over the Cape of Good Hope. From 1960 to 1983, people who were not white were removed from there homes. The government realized that South African’s were being treated unequally and that is why the government decided to grant South Africans independence as a nation. So on May 31, 1961, South Africa was free from Britain’s control and was granted the wish of being an independent nation.

Lesotho became an independent nation

Oct 4, 1966

In the 1930s, Britain tried to cut down the number of chiefs, but after the World War 2, nationalist parties pushed for independence. However, the chances outweighed the need for changes. Later in the year of 1966, Lesotho became a free nation and had its independence from Britain.

Swaziland's Independence

Oct 3, 1968

Throughout the period from 1906 to 1968, Swaziland was governed by a commissioner who ruled according to decrees issued by the British High Commissioner for South Africa. King Sobhuza repealed the 1968 constitution on April 12, 1973 and assumed all powers of the government. After WWII, however, South Africa’s racial discrimination induced the United Kingdom to prepare Swaziland for independence.

End of Aparthied

May 28, 1990

South Africa’s President Frederick Willem de Klerk addresses the Parliament on February 2, 1990, calling for reforms that would end the division of the country. Nelson Mandela was then released from prison. Mandela, working as a lawyer, was repeatedly arrested for seditious activities. Then, from 1956 to 1961, he secretly joined the South African Communist party and sat on its central committee. Although it being committed to non-violence, Nelson led a sabotage campaign against the apartheid government. Mandela served 27 years in prison on Robben Island, and later in Pollsmoor Prison and Victor Verster Prison. After his release, he partnered with F.W. de Klerk to abolish apartheid and establish the multi-racial elections in 1994. Nelson later led the African National Congress and then became the first black president in South Africa.