Why did Britishers settle in South Africa?

When the Napoleonic War broke out for the second time, the British feared that the Cape could fall into the hands of the French. They attacked Cape Town from Bloubergstrand and retook the Cape from the Dutch in 1806. At the Treaty of Vienna in 1814 the British acquired the Cape permanently.

When did the British start settling in South Africa?

After the Napoleonic wars, Britain experienced a serious unemployment problem. Therefore, encouraged by the British government to immigrate to the Cape colony, the first 1820 settlers arrived in Table Bay on board the Nautilus and the Chapman on 17 March 1820.

Which was the main reason that some Europeans wanted to enter the interior of Africa in the early 19th century?

Europe saw the colonization of Africa as an opportunity to acquire a surplus population, thus settler colonies were created. With this invasion, many European countries saw Africa as being available to their disposal.

Who settled in South Africa first?

European contact. The first European settlement in southern Africa was established by the Dutch East India Company in Table Bay (Cape Town) in 1652. Created to supply passing ships with fresh produce, the colony grew rapidly as Dutch farmers settled to grow crops.

What was the purpose of settling at the Cape?

The settlement at Table Bay became Cape Town, whose purpose was to supply fresh food and water to Dutch trading ships rounding the Cape of Good Hope on their voyages to and from the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia).

Why did the British leave South Africa?

Among the initial reasons for their leaving the Cape colony were the English language rule. Religion was a very important aspect of the settlers culture and the bible and church services were in Dutch. Similarly, schools, justice and trade up to the arrival of the British, were all managed in the Dutch language.

Who is the first white man in South Africa?

Jan van Riebeck
1. The first white settlement in South Africa occurred on the Cape under the control of the Dutch East India company. The foothold established by Jan van Riebeck following his arrival with three ships on 6th April 1652 was usually taken in Afrikaner accounts to be the start of the ‘history’ of South Africa.

Who Colonised the Cape first?

The first Europeans to reach the Cape were the Portuguese. Bartholomeu Dias arrived in 1488 after journeying south along the west coast of Africa. The next recorded European sighting of the Cape was by Vasco da Gama in 1497 while he was searching for a route that would lead directly from Europe to Asia.

Why did the British occupy the Cape in 1806?

When Great Britain went to war with France in 1793, both countries tried to capture the Cape so as to control the important sea route to the East. Although the British relinquished the colony to the Dutch in the Treaty of Amiens (1802), they reannexed it in 1806 after the start of the Napoleonic Wars.

When did South Africa become part of the British Empire?

Following the defeat of the Boers in the Anglo-Boer or South African War (1899–1902), the Union of South Africa was created as a dominion of the British Empire in terms of the South Africa Act 1909, which amalgamated the four previously separate British colonies: Cape Colony, Natal Colony, Transvaal Colony, and Orange River Colony.

How did South African societies change during the colonial era?

In fact, it was the speed with which change occurred that set the colonial era apart from earlier periods in South Africa. Of course, not all societies were equally transformed. Some resisted the forces of colonial intrusion, slavery and forced labour for extended periods.

What happened to the Dutch settlers in South Africa?

The Dutch settlers were therefore forced to look elsewhere for their labour needs. In 1658, a year after the first free burghers had been granted their plots of land, the first slaves were imported into South Africa, specifically for agricultural work.

When did the Cape Colony become a British colony?

In 1795, the Cape Colony became a British colony, before it was returned to the Dutch in 1802. During this first period of British rule, South-East Africa became the main source of slaves.