Expanding the Cape Colony Flashcards
When were slaves first imported to Cape Town, and why?
1658
The demand for labour grew since the trading port was expanding rapidly.
Khoikhoi wouldn’t always work for Europeans since they had their own herds to tend to.
Later the Khoikhoi didn’t trust the Europeans, so wouldn’t work for them.
Where did the slaves come from, originally?
Many different places along the Indian Ocean rim (eclectic) including: Java Malay Peninsula Ceylon Madagascar East African coast
How did the VOC initially increase their herds?
Trade and bartering with the Khoikhoi
What happened to the trading between VOC and Khoikhoi eventually?
Demand for livestock, land and other resources became too much and there was conflict.
What were the European migrant livestock (stock) farmers known as?
Trekboers
What happened to the north and east of Cape Town during the 17th and 18th centuries?
The Europeans encroached (took over) land from the Khoisan so that they could produce more food.
What impact did the expansion of the colonial frontier have on the Khoikhoi?
They lost land and livestock, and died from European diseases such as smallpox. (Similar to Native Americans).
This led to the disintegration of their way of life (social and political)
What did the trekboer think of the San?
They thought that they were backward and uncivilized since they were hunter-gatherers
What happened to the San in the 1770s and 1780s?
Genocide (by trekboers) on north-eastern frontier.
What happened as a result of the Dutch trying to turn the Khoikhoi into slaves?
1656 to 1673: Dutch-Khoikhoi wars
How did slave owners try to prevent their slaves from escaping?
- By locking them up in slave lodges at night (overcrowded, dirty, unhygienic)
- Making them have to carry a pass to leave their place of employment.
- There were harsh laws punishing slaves for wrong-doing
What language did the slaves speak?
Slaves were from lots of different places and sometimes couldn’t speak the same languages. As a result, they learnt Dutch.
What language developed as a result of slavery?
Afrikaans first developed as a slave language that emerged from the mixture of Dutch, English, and other European and Malay languages.
Were slaves allowed to marry?
No, not until after 1823, since they were possessions. Their children belonged to their masters.
After 1823, what was the condition for slaves to be allowed to marry?
They had to convert to Christianity
They had to have permission of their masters
