South Africa and Botswana
The most prevalent theme in colonialism is the exploitation of peoples and their resources for the economic gains of the colonists. While the colonisation of South Africa and Botswana was less bloody than the colonisation of other areas of Africa, it wasn't without its own violence or exploitation.
Main Theme
Route to Independence
South Africa was settled in 1652 by the Dutch East India Company in order to provide stopping points along the trade route from Europe to Asia. After the British assumed control of the colony, many Dutch settlers moved northward in an attempt to maintain their independence from the British, resulting in a new colony: Botswana. Although the two colonies were under British rule and consisted of many Dutch immigrants, the two countries experienced very different issues.
South Africa
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Colonial power transferred from the Dutch to the British in 1806 during the Napolenic Wars. The Dutch had lost the ability to look after their colonies in southern Africa and the British stepped in and assumed control.
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Full independence from colonial rule was obtained in multple steps:
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The British formed the South African Union in 1910, a United'Nations of sorts for its colonies in southern Africa. It was agreed that Britain would slowly pull away from controlling the region.
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The country achieved self-governance in 1931, but still was subject to British influence.
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The Republic of South Africa was formed on the 31st of May of 1961.
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Botswana:
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After the Boer War in which Dutch settlers trying to avoid British rule attacked the British encroaching on Botswana, control of the area was assumed by the British.
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Botswana was given independendence on the 30th of September of 1966
Economic Motivations:
South Africa was originally settled on what would become Cape Town in 1652 by the Dutch. Their reason for establishing a settlement there was to provide a station for trade ships travelling to and from Asia to stop and collect food and resources for the remainder of their trip: the first instance of southern Africa's exploitation for the economic gain of others.
As more Europeans settled in South Africa, they moved northward, away from the ocean and towards farmable land. In their expansion for the sake of agriculture, Europeans encroached on the holdings of the native Khoikhoi people. By 1780, the Khoikhoi people as a recognizable ethnicity and culture were entriely wiped out by Dutch settlers and armed forces, as well as smallpox. Before smallpox wiped out the last of the Khoikhoi, their numbers were dashed by battles against the Dutch who continually encroached on the land inhabited by the Khoikhoi. After proving victorious in battle against the Khoikhoi, the Dutch confiscated 14,000 cattle and 32,000 sheep from them.
Botswana was settled by the British after they took control of the Dutch southern African colonies. Dutch settlers of southern Africa did not approve of the new leaders of their colony and sought to move north, where they could be independent. These settlers encountered the Tswana people and attempted to obtain their holdings through war. The Tswana people called to the British colonists to help them defeat the Afrikaners (Dutch settlers). The British agreed to do so, under the guise of humanitarian aid, but in reality only sought to expand their empire. The British defeated the rebel Afrikaners and assumed control of the region.
Unfortunately for the natives of Botswana, the country was very flat and appeared to have no notable resources. For these reasons, the colony was largely ignored by the British, while still being taxed. Due to its lack of resources, the colony became almost entirely dependent on the colony of South Africa to support it financially. The only development that occured in the country was the construction of roads to facilitate trade between Britsh southern Africa colonies.
South African Flag
Botswanan Flag