Table of Contents
Who were the people at the Cape when the Dutch arrived?
The region of the Western Cape which includes the Table Bay area (where the modern city of Cape Town is located) was inhabited by Khoikhoi pastoralists who used it seasonally as pastures for their cattle. When European ships landed on the shores of Table Bay they came into contact with Khoikhoi.
Why were the slaves brought to the Cape?
In later years the Cape indigenous population was decimated by smallpox and other diseases to which they had no immunity, and so, as in European colonies in the Americas, imported slaves instead provided the main source of labor.
Where did the slaves at the Cape come from?
The very first two shiploads of slaves to arrive at the Cape aboard the Hasselt and the Amersfoort, both came from the West Coast of Africa, namely Guinea and Angola. But these slave shipments were in fact, with the exception of a few individuals, the only West African slaves to be brought to the Cape during VOC rule.
Who settled in South Africa in 1652?
Jan van Riebeeck
In 1652, Jan van Riebeeck established a small colony on the Cape of Good Hope as a refreshment station for the Dutch East India Company. The station soon became a town as Dutch settlers, attracted by the area’s climate that made the cultivation of European crops possible, continued to arrive.
Who Colonised the Cape first?
The first Europeans to reach the Cape were the Portuguese. Bartholomeu Dias arrived in 1488 after journeying south along the west coast of Africa. The next recorded European sighting of the Cape was by Vasco da Gama in 1497 while he was searching for a route that would lead directly from Europe to Asia.
When did slavery exist in South Africa?
1 January 1834
Slavery in South Africa existed from 1653 in the Dutch Cape Colony until the abolition of slavery in the British Cape Colony on 1 January 1834. This followed the British banning the trade of slaves between colonies in 1807, with their emancipation by 1834.
When did slavery start in the Cape?
The slave trade started in Cape Town in 1652 after the arrival of Jan van Riebeeck. Slaves from South East Asia were brought to work on the farms after Van Riebeeck set up the supply station of the Dutch East India Company.
When did the first slaves arrive in South Africa?
1658
Between 1652, the year of Jan van Riebeeck’s landing at the Cape, and 1658, when the first slave shipment arrived, between 11 and 20 slaves had already been brought to the Cape colony.
When did the first slaves arrive in the Cape?
March 28 1658
On March 28 1658 the Dutch merchant ship the Amersfoort anchored at Table Bay with 174 Angolan slaves in her hold.
Who established South Africa?
The first European settlement in southern Africa was established by the Dutch East India Company in Table Bay (Cape Town) in 1652. Created to supply passing ships with fresh produce, the colony grew rapidly as Dutch farmers settled to grow crops.
When did the Dutch arrive in the Cape?
1652
The first European settlement in southern Africa was established in 1652 by the Dutch East India Company at Table Bay, 30 miles (48 km) north of the cape.
When did the Dutch settlers arrive in the Western Cape?
6 April 1652
They arrived in the bay of today’s Cape Town – later named Table Bay/Tafelbaai – on 6 April 1652 on board of five ships: the “Reijger”, the “Oliphant”, the “Goede Hoop”, the “Walvisch” and the “Drommedaris”.