South Africa History

In the 17th century, the southernmost point of Africa where the Atlantic and Indian oceans meet became a desirable half-way haven for the Dutch East India Company which was trading with India. By order of that company in 1652, Jan van Riebeeck arrived with a few other Dutch settlers at the Cape of Good Hope to establish this half-way station so that fresh vegetables and fruits could be provided to prevent scurvy among the Company’s sailors. Emigrants from Holland were then encouraged to settle and colonize, but they were soon joined by settlers from other countries, as the following list shows:

1657-1675: 	49 settlers, comprising 34 Dutch, 7 German, 3 Swedes and others. 1675-1700: 	152 settlers, comprising 57 Dutch, 38 German, 51 French [Huguenots) and others 1700-1725:	261 settlers, comprising 122 Dutch, 102 German, 22 French and others 1725-1750:	273 settlers, comprising 78 Dutch, 180 German, Scandinavians, and others 1750-1775:	399 settlers, comprising 88 Dutch, 267 German, Scandinavians, and others 1775-1795:	392 settlers, comprising 115 Dutch, 212 German, Scandinavians, and others

Even with this melting pot of nationalities, Dutch prevailed as the language of the Cape of Good Hope; it was tempered by the French (with their double negative) and others into the more simplified speech (no irregular verbs) that became refined into Afrikaans. Not only was this agrarian society bound by this more localized speech, but also by religion; with strong Protestant roots, they fellowshipped together under the banner of the Dutch Reformed Church.