Skip to main content Accessibility help

We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.

Close cookie message
×
Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-m6dg7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-09T13:00:27.153Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

10 - Colonial South Africa and its frontiers

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 March 2008

By
J. D. Omer-Cooper
Edited by
John E. Flint
Get access

Summary

WHITE EXPANSION AND THE BRITISH OCCUPATIONS

When the British took possession of the Cape in 1795 they inherited from the Dutch East India Company a situation which already exhibited many of the most significant features which were to characterize the history of South Africa until well into the nineteenth century. Outside the wheat and wine-growing areas of the Cape, the settlers had developed a system of stock ranching, requiring the exploitation by individual white farming families of large farms worked with the assistance of non-European labour. This resulted in a continuous territorial expansion of the white settlement, which by 1795 had already resulted in the extension of the original tiny settlement around Cape Town to the Fish river, the Sneeuwbergen and the Khamies Bergen. This vast expansion, by scattering the white population so thinly that the growth of urban areas was severely restricted, inhibited the development of alternative economic opportunities for whites and encouraged further expansion.

At first there was little resistance from San and Khoi, but white expansion at length resulted in a situation of endemic frontier conflict. In the north-eastern districts of Tarka, Sneeuwberg and Agter Bruintjies Hoogte, the San hunters mounted a ferocious resistance against further encroachment on their hunting grounds. In the Zuur-veld, where white and African farmers were settled alongside each other, two frontier wars had left the issues between them unresolved.

Type
Chapter
Information
The Cambridge History of Africa , pp. 353 - 392
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 1977

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Agar-Hamilton, J. A. I.The native policy of the Voortrekkers: an essay on the history of the interior of South Africa, 1836–1858. Cape Town, 1928.Google Scholar
Agar-Hamilton, J. A. I.The road to the north. London, 1937.Google Scholar
Arnot, D. and Orpen, F. H. S.The land question of Griqualand West. Cape Town, 1875.Google Scholar
Attree, E. M. ‘The Closer Union Movement between the Orange Free State, South African Republic and Cape Colony (1838–1863)’, Archives Year Book for South African History, 1949, 1.Google Scholar
Aylward, A.The Transvaal of today. Edinburgh, 1881.Google Scholar
Baines, T.The gold regions of south eastern Africa. London, 1877.Google Scholar
Barnard, B. J. ‘'n Lewensbeskrywing van Majoor Henry Douglas Warden’, Archives Year book for South African History, 1948, 1.Google Scholar
Barnard, Lady Anne, South Africa a century ago: letters written from the Cape of Good Hope 1797–1801. Cape Town, 1901.Google Scholar
Bell, K. N. and Morrell, W. P.Select documents on British colonial policy, 1830–60. Oxford, 1928.Google Scholar
Bennie, J.An account of a journey into Transorangia and the Potchefstroom-Winburg Trekker Republic in 1843, ed. Williams, D.. Cape Town, 1956.Google Scholar
Bird, J.The annals of Natal. Pictermaritzburg, 1888. 2 vols.Google Scholar
Boyce, W. B.Notes on South African affairs from 1834 to 1838. Graham's Town, 1838.Google Scholar
Brookes, E. H.The history of native policy in South Africa from 1830 to the present day. Cape Town, 1924.Google Scholar
Brookes, E. H. and Webb, C. B.A history of Natal. Pietermaritzburg, 1965.Google Scholar
Burchell, W. J.Travels in the interior of southern Africa (reprint of 1822–4), ed. Schapera, I.. London, 1953. 2 vols.Google Scholar
Campbell, W. B. ‘The South African frontier, 1865–1885: a study in expansion’, Archives Year Book for South African History, 1. Cape Town, 1959.Google Scholar
Cathcart, G.Correspondence of Lieut.-General the Hon. Sir George Cathcart, K.C.B., relative to his military operations in Kaffraria (reprint of 1856 ed.). New York, 1969.Google Scholar
Chapman, J.Travels in the interior of South Africa. London, 1868. 2 vols.Google Scholar
Chase, J. C.Natal papers. Graham's Town, 1843. 2 vols.Google Scholar
Cloete, H.The history of the Great Boer Trek, ed. Broderick-Cloete, W.. Cape Town, 1899.Google Scholar
Collins, W. W.Free Statia: reminiscences of a lifetime in the Orange Tree State, 2nd ed. Cape Town, 1965.Google Scholar
Cory, George E. SirThe rise of South Africa (reprint of 1910 ed.) Cape Town, 1965. 6 vols.Google Scholar
De Kiewiet, C. W.British colonial policy and the South African republics, 1848–1872 (Imperial Studies, 3). London, 1929.Google Scholar
De Kiewiet, C. W.The imperial factor in South Africa. Cambridge, 1937.Google Scholar
De Kiewiet, C. W.A history of South Africa, social and economic. Oxford, 1941.Google Scholar
De Vaal, J. B. ‘Die Rol van João Albasini in die Geskiedenis van die Transvaal’, Archives Year Book for South African History. 1. Cape Town, 1953.Google Scholar
Delegorgue, A.Voyage dans l'Afrique australe, notamment dans le territoire de Natal, dans celui des Cafres Amazoulous et Makatisses, et jusqu'an tropique du Capricorne, exécuté durant les annés 1838, 1839, 1840, 1841, 1842, 1843 et 1844. Paris, 1847. 2 vols.Google Scholar
Dicke, B. H. ‘The Northern Transvaal Voortrekkcrs’, Archives Year Book for South African History, 1941, 4.Google Scholar
Du Plessis, A. J. ‘Die Republiek Natalia’, Archives Year Book for South African History, 1942, 5, 1.Google Scholar
Du Plessis, J. A.A history of Christian missions in South Africa (facsimile reprint of 1911 ed.). Cape Town, 1965.Google Scholar
Du Toit, A. E. ‘The Cape Frontier’, Archives Year Book for South African History, 1. Cape Town, 1954.Google Scholar
Duly, L. C. ‘The failure of British land policy at the Cape, 1812–28’, Journal of African History, 1965, 6, 3.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
EybersWelfling, G. von ed. Select constitutional documents illustrating South African History, 1795–1910. London, 1918.Google Scholar
Foster, W.British rule in South Africa. Cape Town, 1868.Google Scholar
Fryer, A. K. ‘The government of the Cape of Good Hope, 1825–1854: the age of imperial reform’, Archives Year Book for South African History, 1. Cape Town, 1964.Google Scholar
Fuller, C.Louis Trigardt's trek across the Drakensberg, 1837–38, ed. Fouché, L. (Van Riebeeck Society, 13). Cape Town, 1932.Google Scholar
Furneaux, R.The Zulu war. London, 1963.Google Scholar
Gailey, H. H. Jr. ‘John Philip's role in Hottentot emancipation’, Journal of African History, 1962, 3, 3.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Galbraith, J. S. ‘The "turbulent frontier" as a factor in British expansion’, Comparative Studies in Society and Histoty, 1960, 2,2.Google Scholar
Galbraith, J. S.Reluctant empire. Berkeley, 1963.Google Scholar
Godlonton, R.A narrative of the irruption of the Kaffir hordes into the eastern province of the Cape of Good Hope, 1834–35. Graham's Town, 1836.Google Scholar
Godlonton, R.Case of the colonists of the eastern frontier of the Cape of Good Hope, in reference to the Kaffir wars of 1835–6 and 1846. Graham's Town, 1846.Google Scholar
Godlonton, R. and Irving, E.Narrative of the Kaffir war (reprint of 1851 ed.). Cape Town, 1962.Google Scholar
Goodfellow, C. F.Great Britain and South African Confederation 1870–1881. Cape Town, 1966.Google Scholar
Grobbelaar, J. J. G. ‘Die Vrystaatse Republiek en die Basoetoe-Vraagstuk’, Archives Year Book for South African History, 11. Cape Town, 1939.Google Scholar
Halford, S. J.The Griquas of Griqualand. Cape Town, 1941.Google Scholar
Hattersley, A. F.More annals of Natal. London, 1936.Google Scholar
Hattersley, A. F.Later annals of Natal. London, 1938.Google Scholar
Hattersley, A. F.Portrait of a colony: the story of Natal. Cambridge, 1940.Google Scholar
Hattersley, A. F.The British settlement of Natal: a study in imperial migration. Cambridge, 1950.Google Scholar
Hockly, H. E.The story of the British settlers of 1820 in South Africa, 2nd ed. Cape Town, 1957.Google Scholar
Holden, W. C.History of the Colony of Natal (reprint of 1855 ed., Africana Collectanea, 4), Cape Town, 1963.Google Scholar
Kirk, A. ‘Progress and decline in the Kat River Settlement, 1829–1854’, Journal of African History, 1973, 14, 3.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Leibbrandt, H. C. V. ed. The rebellion of 1815, generally known as Slachters Nek. Cape Town, 1902.Google Scholar
Lewin, J. ‘Dr. John Philip and liberalism’, Race Relations Journal, 1960, 27, 2.Google Scholar
Leyds, W. J.The first annexation of the Transvaal. London, 1906.Google Scholar
Lichtenstein, M. H. C.Travels in southern Africa. Van Riebeeck Society, 10 and 11. Cape Town, 1928–30. 2 vols.Google Scholar
Lindley, A. F.Adamantia, the truth about the South African diamond fields. London, 1873.Google Scholar
MacCrone, I. D.Race attitudes in South Africa. London, 1937.Google Scholar
Macmillan, W. M.The Cape Colour question. London, 1927.Google Scholar
Macmillan, W. M.Bantu, Boer and Briton, revised and enlarged 1929 ed. Oxford, 1963.Google Scholar
Macquarrie, J. W. ed. The reminiscences of Sir Walter Stanford (Van Riebeeck Society, 39), 1. Cape Town, 1958.Google Scholar
Malan, J. H.Die Opkoms van 'II Republiek. Bloemfontein, 1929.Google Scholar
Marais, J. S.Maynier and the first Boer republics. Cape Town, 1944.Google Scholar
Marquard, L.The peoples and policies of South Africa, 4th ed. Cape Town, 1969.Google Scholar
Martineau, J.The life and correspondence of Sir Bartle Frere. London, 1895. 2 vols.Google Scholar
McCracken, J. L.The Cape parliament, 1814–1910. Oxford, 1967.Google Scholar
Mentzel, O. F.A geographical and topographical description of the Cape of Good Hope, ed. Mandelbrote, H. T. (Van Riebeeck Society, 25), in. Cape Town, 1944.Google Scholar
Midgley, J. F. ‘The Orange river sovereignty (1848–1854)’, Archives Year Book for South African History, 11. Cape Town, 1949.Google Scholar
Molteno, P. A.The life and times of Sir John Charles Molteno. London, 1900. 2 vols.Google Scholar
Moodie, D.The Record, or a series of official papers relative to the condition and treatment of the native tribes of South Africa (photostatic reprint). Amsterdam, 1960.Google Scholar
Muller, C. F. J.Waarom die Groot Trek geslaag het (communication of the University of South Africa, B. 12). Pretoria, 1960.Google Scholar
Nathan, M.The Voortrekkers of South Africa. London, 1937.Google Scholar
Neumark, S. D.Economic influences on the South African frontier, 1652–1836. Stanford, 1957.Google Scholar
Orpen, J. M.Reminiscences of life in South Africa from 1846 to the present day. 2nd ed. Cape Town, 1946.Google Scholar
Orpen, J. M.History of the Basutus of South Africa. 1857. Facsimile reprint, Cape Town, 1955.Google Scholar
Payton, C. A.The diamond diggings of South Africa. London, 1872.Google Scholar
Pelzer, A. N.Geskiedenis van die Suid-Afrikaanse Republiek. Cape Town, 1958.Google Scholar
Philip, J.Researches in South Africa. London, 1828. 2 vols.Google Scholar
Phillips, T.1820 settler, his letters, ed. Keppel-Jones, A.. Pietermaritzburg, 1960.Google Scholar
Potgieter, F.J. ‘Die Vestiging van die Blanke in Transvaal 1837–86’, Archives Year Book for South African History, 11. Cape Town, 1959.Google Scholar
Preller, G. S.Voortrekkermense. Cape Town, 1920–5. 4 vols.Google Scholar
Preller, G. S. ed. Voortrekker wetgewing: notule van die Natalse Volksraad, 1839–1845. Pretoria, 1924.Google Scholar
Pringle, T.Narrative of a residence in South Africa. London, 1835.Google Scholar
Rutherford, J.Sir George Grey, K.C.B., 1812–1898. London, 1961.Google Scholar
Schoeman, A. E.Coenraad de Buys: the first Transvaler. Pretoria, 1938.Google Scholar
Scholtz, G. D.Die Konstitutie en Staatinstellings van die Oranje Vrijstaat, 1854–1872. Amsterdam, 1937.Google Scholar
Scholtz, J. du P.Die Afrikaner en sy taal, 1806–1875, 2nd ed. Cape Town, 1965.Google Scholar
Smith, H. G. W.The autobiography of … Sir Harry Smith, ed. Smith, G. C. Moore. London, 1903. 2 vols.Google Scholar
Smith, K. W. ‘The fall of the Bapedi of the north-eastern Transvaal’, Journal of African History, 1969, 10, 2.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stccnkatnp, Anna ‘Record or journal of our migration from our mother country to Port Natal’, Die Dagboek van Anna Steenkamp (Pictermaritzburg, 1939).Google Scholar
Stockenstrom, Andries Sir. Narrative of transactions connected with the Kafir war of 1846 and 1847; embracing correspondence between Sir P. Maitland, Lieutenant-Colonel M. Johnstone, Sir A. Stockenstrom, and others.Grahams-town, 1848.Google Scholar
Stockenstrom, Andries Sir. The autobiography of.… Sir Andries Stockenstrom, ed. Hutton, C. W. (reprint of 1887 ed.). Cape Town, 1964. 2 vols.Google Scholar
Theal, G. M.History of South Africa 1795–1828 (London, 1903).Google Scholar
Theal, G. M., Basutoland records, 1883. Facsimile reprint. Cape Town, 1964. 4 vols.Google Scholar
Theal, G. M.The Republic of Natal. Cape Town, 1886.Google Scholar
Theal, G. M.History of South Africa. London, 1892–1919. 11 vols.Google Scholar
Theal, G. M.Records of the Cape Colony. London, 1897–1905. 36 vols.Google Scholar
Theal, G. M.Documents relating to the Kaffir War of 1835. London, 1912.Google Scholar
Thompson, L. M. and Wilson, M.The Oxford history of South Africa, vol. I. Oxford, 1969.Google Scholar
Trapido, S. ‘The origins of the Cape franchise qualification of 1853’, Journal of African History, 1964, 5, 1.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Uys, C. J.In the era of Shepstone. Lovedale, 1933.Google Scholar
Van der Merwe, P. J.Die noordwaartse beweging van die Boere voor die Groot Trek, 1770–1842. The Hague, 1937.Google Scholar
Van der Merwe, P. J.Die Trekboer in die geskiedenis van Kaapkolonie, 1657–1842. Cape Town, 1938.Google Scholar
Van Jaarsveld, P. A. ‘Die Veldkornet en sy aandeel in die opbou van die Suid-Afrikaanse Republiek tot 1870’, Archives Year Book for South African History, 1950, 13.Google Scholar
Van Jaarsveld, F. A.Die Tydgenootlike Beoordeling van die Groot Trek, 1836–1842 (communications of the University of South Africa, C. 36). Pretoria, 1962.Google Scholar
Van Ryneveld, H. B. ed. Willem Stephanus van Ryneveld (Van Riebeeck Society). Cape Town, 1942.Google Scholar
Walker, E.The frontier tradition in South Africa. Oxford, 1930.Google Scholar
Walker, E.The Great Trek, 4th ed. London, 1960.Google Scholar
Walker, E.A history of southern Africa. Rev. ed. London, 1965.Google Scholar
Walker, E. ed. South Africa, in The Cambridge history of the British Empire, VIII. 2nd ed. Cambridge, 1963.Google Scholar
Welsh, D.The roots of segregation: native policy in colonial Natal, 1845–1910. Cape Town, 1971.Google Scholar
Wichmann, F. A. F. ‘Die Wordingsgeskiedenis van die Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek 1838–1860’, Archives Year Book for South African History, 11, V-XII. Cape Town, 1941.Google Scholar
Wilmot, Count A.The life and times of Sir Richard Southey. London, 1904.Google Scholar

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure [email protected] is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×