Southern Africa - Expanding Eastern Frontiers Flashcards
What is a frontier?
Edge of an area
Not a formal border
can change (border can’t)
What was the British plan for the Cape?
Expand the frontiers to grow their empire
Which were the three groups of peoples in the Eastern Cape between 1780 and 1850?
- Xhosa ( 300 to 400 years)
- Trekboers (moved from Cape, 100 years approx.)
- British (from 1820)
What were the main differences in beliefs of the Xhosa and Europeans?
Xhosa - people didn’t own land, it was communal. Cattle most precious possession
European - important that all adult males own land
What period was known as the ‘100-year war’?
1779 to 1878
How many wars were fought during the ‘100-year war’?
9
Why did the ‘100-year war’ start?
The Dutch governor if the Cape made the Great Fish River the eastern boundary of the Cape Colony. (Xhosa already settled here)
How many wars had already taken place on the eastern frontier once the British took over the Cape Colony?
3
Why did the fighting get worse once the British took over?
British soldiers were sent to get the Xhosa off the land they had been living on for many years
Xhosa were accused of stealing cattle from the settlers
Who was Chief Maqoma?
Son of Xhosa king Ngqika
Loved peace but fought British to defend his people’s land in the 6th Frontier War (1834-45)
When did Chief Maqoma live?
1798 - 1873
How did the 6th Frontier War begin?
1819 - British created neutral zone between Fish and Keiskamma Rivers. All ordered to leave. Only Xhosa left. White farmers given farms in ceded zone.
Chief Maqoma moved to Kat Valley.
1829 - British moved Khoikhoi and freed slaves into Kat river Valley as buffer between settlers and Xhosa
What type of war was the 6th Frontier War?
Guerilla war in forests and valleys along Fish River
When were Chief Maqoma and the other Xhosa chiefs imprisoned on Robben Island, and for how long?
1857
14 years
Who was Andries Stockenström?
A British government official working in the Cape who tried to protect the rights of all parties under the British.
When did Stockenström live?
1792 - 1864
What happened when Stockenström was made Lieutenant Governor of the Eastern Districts?
The conflict calmed
What agreement did Stockenström work out?
British and Xhosa would respect each other.
The Xhosa chiefs would not allow cattle raids by their people and the British wouldn’t go on to Xhosa land if cattle raids took place.
Other neutral parties would sort out the matter.
How many European settlers were in the Cape when the British took over?
25 000 (mainly Dutch)
Why did the British Government settle 4 000 unemployed British and their families in Algoa Bay (Port Elizabeth)?
To defend the Eastern frontier against the Xhosa
When did the British stop the slave trade in their colonies?
1807
Did the end of the slave trade in the colonies in 1807 end slavery?
No, it only meant that no new slaves could be brought in.
When was slavery abolished?
1836
