Rise of Imperialism

Task 3 Part A

South Africa’s main experience with imperialism begins around the 17th century with both the Dutch then British rule.   It was initially more tightly governed than North America.   Colonists began to move into the area and them and their decedents claimed Africa as their permanent home.   They became known as Afrikaners.   During the 18th century many whites became known as Trek Boers or pastorial farmers.   They interacted with the Khoikhoi and San groups of herders and hunters.   The Khoikhoi were relatively easy to assimilate into European farm ways.   Their attachment to the capitalist Dutch community brought dramatic, lasting cultural and economic changes.   The Khoikhoi’s abandonment of their culture led to the ultimate loss of African control over the lands.   Culturally, the Europeans turned to their Christian ancestors to claim privilege and advantage based on color.   The Europeans attempted to colonize the indigenous people there.   Fierce resistance to the Europeans presence took the shape of resurgent African Kingdoms.   The Europeans won the land but not the people.   Expanding the frontier of culturally mixed African and European pastoralists, a frontier that included slaves and impoverished lower class immigrants.   The discovery of Gold and Diamond in the African mines brought a large amount of immigrants.   In the beginning Africans worked their own claims but the imperialist system put an end to that.   Africans lost their claims and eventually were only allowed to work as labors.   Colonists began to encroach on their territories.   Africans were eventually forced into smaller and smaller pieces of land.   Through a series of laws passed in the 1870’s, African laborers were required to carry passes and live in all male compounds and sign contracts for work.   In 1895 “Pass Laws” were extended beyond mining areas to all of South Africa.   Any African caught without a pass could be detained and beaten.
Imperialism shaped and changed the destinies of...