Colonial Period
1652-1910
The arrival of European colonizers fundamentally transformed Southern Africa, originating with a logistical station that mutated into a settler colony defined by land dispossession and racial capitalism.
Key Themes
Population
Grew from indigenous thousands to a complex multi-racial society of millions
Sources & References
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Interactive Timeline
4 major events to explore. Tap to reveal more.
Explore the Timeline
Tap on any event to learn more. Each branch reveals deeper layers of history.
Jan van Riebeeck establishes a refreshment station that quickly expands into the first act of permanent land alienation.
The importation of human beings creates a brutal labor system and a vibrant new culture.
A century of conflict between the Xhosa Kingdom and the British Empire over land and sovereignty.
Industrialization, the compound system, and the devastating South African War.