Figure 1.--This painting (we think a watercolor) is from English statesman Sir John Barrow (1764-1848). He wrote a book,
'An Account of Travels into the Interior of Southern Africa, in the Years 1797 and 1798,' 2 vols. (London, T. Cadell and W. Davis, 1801-1804). The painting was entitled, 'A Boor's Wife Taking Her Coffee'. A servant boy is fanning her. We are not sure how to describe the role of the boy. The author calls him a 'servant' boy. This may be case, but sometimes household slaves were described as 'servants'. He could be a slave or he could be the child of aborers hired by the family. Perhaps readers will know more. A South African reader writes, "It is very probable that native children didn�t wear any clothing. However, these European women had an attitude different from the colonial authorities and the Christian missionaries at the time."
The Dutch settlement of what would become the Cape Colony began inadvertently when the ship Nieuwe Haarlem went aground in Table Bay (March 1647). They constructed a crude fort-- "Sand Fort of the Cape of Good Hope". They were marooned there almost a year. They were finally rescued by a fleet of 12 Dutch trading ships commanded W.G. de Jong. One of the merchants aboard was Jan van Riebeeck. After returning to the Netherlands, van Riebeeck and others worked to persuade the Dutch East India Company (Vereinigte Ostindische Kompanie--VOC) to found a trading center at the Cape. The VOC had a monopoly on trade with the East and the idea of a secure base at the Cape made good sence. Thus the VOC decided to do just that, establish a permanent settlement at the Cape. They gave van Riebeeck the assignment and his fleet of five vessels (Reijer, Oliphant, Goede Hoop, Walvisch, and Dromedaris) landed at the Cape of Good Hope and founded the first European settlement (1652). It was located at the base of Table Mountain. The Dutch were not interested in founding a colony in the modern sence. Their primary interest was in creating a base to support Dutch shipping involved with the Asian trade. By the time Dutch ships reached the Cape either sailing east or west back home, they needed provisions. This created a lucrative market and Dutch settlers began farming to supply that market. Gradually Dutch Cape settlers looking for more grazing land, began spreading out from the coast treking toward the east and the north.
Europeans at the Cape (1498)
The Portuguese were the first Europeans to reach the Cape. They began sailing south along the coast of Africa to find a sea route to the Wast. Vasco da Gama finally rounded the Cape and reached India (1498). Opening trade with the East brought great wealth to tiny Portugal. During this period they demostrated little interest in the Cape itself. They saw the fierce weather with storms from the south and rocky shoreline as a threat to their ships. Nor did trade with the natives prove profitable. The Portuguese found the Mozambique coast to the east more attractive. The bays offered better protection and the storms were more moderate. The prawning and gold in the interior also attracted them. Portugal had a monopoly on the trade for only a short period. The Dutch, Spanish, English, and French followed the Portuguese to the East. By the late-16th century, the English and Dutch in particular began to challenge the Portuguese supremecy. Thus European maritime trade around the Cape increased with ships of several countries
moving both ways. While the Portuguese had resupply points in Mozambique, other countries did not have access to supply points as they rounded the Cape. Some would try to trade with the natives.
Dutch Traders (17th Century)
The Dutch settlement of what would become the Cape Colony began inadvertently when the ship Nieuwe Haarlem webt aground in Table Bay (March 1647). They constructed a crude fort-- "Sand Fort of the Cape of Good Hope". They attemoted to salvage whst the could from their dhip. Thry were marooned there almost a year. They were finally rescued by a fleet of 12 Dutch trading ships commanded W.G. de Jong. One of the merchants aboard was Jan van Riebeeck. After returning to the Netherlands, van Riebeeck and others worked to persuade the Dutch East India Company (Vereinigte Ostindische Kompanie/Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie--VOC) to found a trading center at the Cape. The VOC was one of the principal European trading houses plying the maritime spice route to the East. The VOC had a monopoly on trade with the East and the idea of a secure base at the Cape made good sence. The idea was not to found a colony in the modern sence, but to establish a secure trading post where ships could both shelter from the weather as well to provide fresh provisions (meat, fruit, and vegetables). Thus the VOC decided to establish a permanent trading post at the Cape. The are was the territory of the Khoekhoe. The Dutch at first trades with the Khoekhoe, bit this began to change as Riebeeck allowed VOC persainnel to become free burgers (citizens) and begin farming. [Brown]
Founding the Colony (1652)
The VOC gave van Riebeeck the assignment and his fleet of five vessels (Reijer, Oliphant, Goede Hoop, Walvisch, and Dromedaris) landed at the Cape of Good Hope and founded the first European settlement (1652). [Nobel, p. 141.] The settlers at the base of Table Mountain built a small wooden fort with four bastions for security along the Salt River. The site is now in the middle of modern Cape Town where the Central Post Office is located. They subsequently built two redoubts closer to the coast--Kyckuit and Duinhoop. After a few years, the growing colony began building a more substantial stone fort--castle of "Goede Hoop" (1666). It was a imposing structure using evolving European archetectural technology. It was pentagonal shape with a moat and bastions placed at each of the five corners. The bastions were christened: Nassau, Leerdam, Oranje, Katzenellenbogen and Buren. The fort was more designed to protect against other European attackers than the very limited local African population. The Dutch at the time had won their independence from Spain, but faced a growing French threat. The English were sometimes allies, but also rivals. van Riebeeck played a major role in creating South Africa. He helped establish the free burgher system. By the time Dutch ships reached the Cape either sailing east or west back home, they needed provisions. Trade with the Hotentots/Bushmen was unreliable and they often did not have the standard European provisions the ships wanted. Relations with the natives deteroriated, especialy when stealing livestock became a problem. VOC authorities thus attempted to avoid problems by restricting contact with the natives. This created a labpor problem. VOC officials began released a few settlers from their labor contracts and allowed them to begin farming. This created the harbests to feed the colony and to trade with passing ships. Soon the Cape Colony was producing bountiful harvests of fruit, vegetables, and wheat. Eventually they also began raising livestock. These men became known as "free burghers". van Riebeeck and the VOC also began to import large numbers of slaves. This included women from Madagascar and Indonesia. Many married Dutch settlers, in part because of the shortage of Diutch women brought to the Cape by the VOC. This was the origins of the groups which became known as the Cape Coloureds and the Cape Malays. Color barriers at the time were still loose. Lighter skinned offspring from the White and slave unions could be absorbed into the local Dutch (developing proto-Afrikaans) speaking White population. This augmented the labor beyond the number of Dutch immigrants. Allowing the Colony to expand.
Dutch Colonial Empire
The Dutch during this period were attempting to founding trading centers/colonies in many areas, including the West Indies (Surinam and Caribbean islands), Brazil, North America, India, Ceylon, and the East Indies (modern Indonesia). The Dutch were a small country, the smallest of the European colonial powers. While they had a powerful fleet of armed merchant vessels, they did not have a large population needed to sustain a colonial competition with large rivals. The Cape Colony evolved very didderently than most of the other Dutch colonies. The only colony similar to it was New Amsterdam founded by the Dutch West Indies Company in Noth America (modern New York/New Jersey). Unlike most of the other colonies, the Cape colony had a subtropical and areas of the interior was amenable to European-style agriculture amd live stock grazing. And it was not heavily settled. The Hotentots/Bushmen to the north were hunter gathers, not agriculturists. As a result, European along the lines of the New Netherlands was feasible at the Cape. And unlike the New Netherland, there was no neraby rival European colonies. [Boxer] The first Dutch child was born (1652). This was the beginging of a Dutch community of free citzens.
Hotentots/Bushmen/Khoikhoi
The African Hottentot/Bushmen population was not large. Nor were they well organized so that they were a security threat eventhough the Dutch population was very small. They were, however, an economic threat, especially to free-ranging cattle. This was an imprtant part of the colony's income as fresh meat was much in demand by the merchants calling at the Cape for provisions. The cattle was also much desired by the natives who began stealing or kiling them much as they might kill game.
The Dutch addressed this problrm by building a fence around the farms. The fence was built from Blauwberg across the Bay to the Salt River and then on to Groote Schuur and ending at Wynberg Hills. The settlers built three watch-houses along the perimiter. Saldanha Bay, Dassen Island and Robben Island were developed as trade outpost and stock raising areas, in part because they were secure locations.
Early Development
The VOC was not interested in founding a colony in the modern sence. Their primary interest was in creating a base to support Dutch shipping involved with the Asian trade. This involved both shipping services and provisions.
The settlers launched the first coastal vessel made of local Cape timber (1655). The Colony was able to offer the provisions needed by the trading ships moving both east and west. Gradually Dutch Cape settlers looking for more grazing land, began spreading out from the coast treking toward the east and the north. Two groups of farmers moved abbout 3 miles from the security of the castle, settlong at at Groenevelt (Dutch Garden) and Rodenbosch (1657). The colony was still very small. A reports indicated that therte were 162 people and this included a few slaves (1658). Large families increased their numbers and they began to establish more farms north and east of the original settlement. This of course increased conlicts with the natives. The Dutch experimented with different crops. The crews of the merchant ships of course wanted wine. So the Dutch introduced grapes. The Dutch of course are not known for wine production. Juice pressing and wine production began (1659). The Cape authorities opened a school to teach Dutch and religion to the children of the White settlers as well as Mulattos, and Hottentots. We are not sure about slave children, but at the time there were very few.
Slaves
The first shipment of captured Africans from Angola arived aboard a Dutch ship (1660). The slavers landed 150 Africans who were purchased by the Dutch settlers. Another ship landed a smaller group of Africans in the same year. This brought the number of slaves to 187. Major sources os slaves became the East Indies (Indonesia) and Mozambique. The East Indies were of course a major Dutch trading vcenter and eventual colony (modern Indonesia) and of course Mozambique controlled by the Portuguese was nearby.
Slow Growth
The Cape Colony became known as Kaapstad (as well as "De Kaap") and was growing slowly. Van Riebeeck served as govenor for 10 years. He was a firm leader. He resigned (1662). The individuals who followed were not as strong leaders and served shorter periods. The farming community continued to be very small. One report at the time listed 39 free farmers, of whom only 15 were married. They employed 54 free workers. In all the farming community consisted of 130 persons,in addition to servants and VOC officials. Then Louis XIV's wars which in part focused on acquiring the Netherlands began. This complicated trade and communications with the Netherlands. This was a major factor in the decesion to build the stone Castle of Goode Hoop (1666). It was completed (1674). The European population had grown to 600 people (1672), only 64 was, however, male free-burghers. A major event was laying the cornerstone of the Dutch Reformed church of Cape Town (1678), it was completed (1703). Gradually the number of free Burgers increased. We are not yet sure what brought this about. The population was 289 Europeans, about half (142) were free-burghers along with 191 slaves. The Colony grew slowly and at the beginning farming was only a limited activity. At first the Colony was more like the Dutch Ceylon colony. The two colonies weee disimilar in that Ceylon had a thriving, organized society. But they were similar in that during the 1670s, the free-burghers were in most cases tavern-keeping or in some cases craftsmen and shopkeepers.
New Govenor: Simon van der Stel (1679-99)
The VOC appointed Mauritius born Simon van der Stel the new governor (1679). He proved to a strong leader, served for 20 years, and and did much to put the Cape Colony on a sound footing. After becoming giovenor he founded Stellenbosch, which thus becamne the second oldest town in South Africa. He helped promot the immigration of more Dutch families. He founded a new hospital and took many other steps to develop the colony. The majority of the settlers were of Dutch ancestry and belonged to the Calvinist Reformed Church of the Netherlands. There were also some Protestant Germans as well as a few Scandinavians, also Protestants. French King Louis XIV revoked the Edict of Nantes (1685) and supressed the Huguenots (French Protestants). Some of France's most industrious citizens fled the country, taking their expertise and skills with them. The Huguenots sought refuge in countries all over Europe. A group of about 200 French Huguenots arrived and added to the ethniccdiversity of theCapevColony. They settled in Stellenbosch, Drakenstein, Paarl, and Franshhoek (1688). They introduced advanced farming techniques. They played a particularly important role in developing South African vineyards and wine industry. The population grew to 1,000 Europeans and 400 slaves (1691). Another report lists 340 free-burghers (1695). The European popuklatiion was not just Dutch, buth many Germans. And the slave population was not just local Adricams, but Africans imported from other sreas. EWe also see Asians being imported from other areas of the Ditch Empire (India, Idonesians, and Sri Lanka. This was the origin of the South African colored community. [Brown]
18th Century Developments
Simon van der Stel's son William Adrian became govenor (1699). He experienced problemsd with the Huguenot settlers.
Govenor Maurice de Chavonnes (1714-1724) had problem with Hottentots raids. The Govenor had a series small outposts contructed at important locations in Tulbagh, Klapmuts, Groenekloof and Saldanha Baai. The population grew to 5,000 people (1717). About 2.500 Cape residents were Europeans. By this time, farming and livestock husbandry had become the major economic activity. There were also 2.500 were slaves. By this time with the growing population and the end of Liuis XIV's wars against the Dutch, the Netherlands and the Cape Colony were more secure. The pace of expansion seeking new agriculturqal or grazing land expanded. The settlers expanded into the Breede and Oliphant's valleys (1720). Jan de la Fontainene was appointed governor (1724). He proved to another forceful leader. The settlers reached the Little Karoo valley (1730). Fontaineneto organized the colonization of the Mossel Baai area. Henry Swellengrebel was the first Cape-born givenor (1739). He helped found Swellendam. Ryk Tulbagh (1751-1771) was another important govenor. During his administration, the settlers reached the Orange River. French astronomer Abb� de la Caille came to the Cape Colony to make a catalog of the southern hemisphere skies.
The next govenor, Joachim van Plettemberg (1771-1785), completed the organization of the Orange River valley. The Cape population had grown to 11,000-12,000 free-burghers. About 3,000 lived in Kaapstad. The Dutch Cape settlers had by the late-18th century begun to identify themselbes as Boers, related to but not identical with the European Dutch. A new governor, van de Graaff, was appointed just before the French Revolution (1785). He founded the town of Graaff-Reinet. The population of Kaapstad reached 4.300 permanent settlers. The authoritoes did not count Africans and transient sailors. The most important farm areas was Stellenbosch.
Evolving Afrikaaner/ Trekboers-Boer Culture
The free burghers as they continued expandng into the hinterlands or frontier to the north and east of the original Cape Colony began to change. They moved away from a settled Dutch lifestyle and adopted s semi-nomadic pastoralist lifestyle. Somelike this to the life style of the natives who they replasced. Boer familybpastoralists would not only have a heard, but a a wagon and a tent. This gave them the mobility to follow the livestock seeking good graizing land. They also had a Bible as religion was very impottant to them and a few guns for security. Gradually they became more settled and mud-walled cottages began to appear. They often had a few natives wuith them. We are not entirely sure to what extent the natives were slaves or paod laborers. Gere we see the inside of a Boer cottage at the end of the 18th century (figure 1). Often these farmers would located at some distance from urban settlements. This was the foundation of the Trekboers (Wandering Farmers--Boers) who would after the English seized the Cape Colony play an importan role in South African history.) They were thus completely independent, beyond the control of first the VOC and later the English. In this kind of slendid isolation they became self-sufficient. The lifestyle produced individualists who were closely connected with the land. The Calvinist orientation of the Dutch Reformed Church fit their life style neatly. They model their lives on the patriarchs they read about in the Bible and sought to build a theocratic society. The Old Testament became more important than is the case foe many other denominations. The Boers increasingly viewed themselves as a destinct, chosen people. Fewer saw themselves as European Dutch. (The same process that occurred in America at the same time.) Many Boers looked askance at Kaapstadvand other urban settlements which often had an increasing European feel.
French Revolution/Napoleonic Wars (1789-1815)
The French Revolution broke out in France (1789). As in Eureope, it brought fundamental change in the Cape Colony. After executing King Louis and the Queen, Revolutionary armies seized the Netherlands. The Futch this became controlled by Revolutionary France whicgh was a war with Britain, The Dutch East India Company went bankrupt, largely as a result of English seizures of Dutch ships. The next British step was to seize the Cape Colony (1795). the Dutch surrender to the British is known as the Capitulation of Rustemburg. Kaapstad had grown to 14,021 people, 4,357 were Europeans. The slave population in the Colony had grown to 16,839, about the same as the 16,000 Europeans. The British in a peaceful interlude with Napoleon negotiated the Amiens Treaty which returned the Cape Colony to the Netherlands (Batava Republic) (1802). The Dutch appointed Jacob de Mist to resume the Dutch administration. After renewed war with France the position of the Colony chanhged again. The Nritish destroyed the Allied French-Spanish fleet at Trafalgur (1805). This gave the British command of the sea and the ability to seize ememy colonies. And the Cape of Good Hope in the end was to strategic a position for the Royal Nacy not to control.
John Willians Janssens suuendered the Cape Colony to the British at Blauwberg (1806). British possession after the Napoleonic Wars was confirmed at the Congress of Vienna (1814-15).
The majority of the white South Africans are Afrikaners. They were formerly known as the Boers. The term 'boer' is the Duch word for farmers. The Boers today are the descendents of the Durch who founded Cape Colony in southern Africa (1652). The Dutch settlers initially estblished a colony at Cape Town near the strategic Cape of Good Hope to support shipping around Africa to Asia. French Huguenots (Protestants) fleeing religious supression arrived (1687) and inter-married with the Dutch. The strict Calvinism of the Boers and their conflict with the vast native population as well as conflivts with the despotic Dutch East India company developed a spirit of rugged independence in the Boers. The Dutch ceeded the Cape Colony to Britain (1814) near the end of the Napoleonic Wars in Europe. Conflict with the British began almost at once, but intensified after the British freed the slaves that the Boers still held (1834). The nationality question was finally settled by the Boer War (1899-1902). After World War II (1939-45) the Afrikaners, as blacks were not allowed to vote, gained political control and expanded the already existing Apartheid system. This was not ended until 1994 and Nelson Mandela's victory as the first democratically elected president of South Africa.
Sources
Barrow, John. An Account of Travels into the Interior of Southern Africa, in the Years 1797 and 1798, 2 vols. (London: T. Cadell and W. Davis, 1801-1804).
Noble, John. Illustrated official handbook of the Cape and South Africa; a r�sum� of the history, conditions, populations, productions and resources of the several colonies, states, and territories (J.C. Juta & Co., 1893).
