The economic, cultural, social, and political environments of South Africa as they exist today emerged due to a long sequence of historical forces during the pre-colonial, colonial, and post-colonial periods that shaped the history of South African society in one way or another. These historical forces are still remembered and stressed today in our education systems because of their remarkable historical significance. However, some forces are viewed as more powerful than others, depending on their impact on the country's history. In my opinion, the European settlement in South Africa, slavery, and Apartheid rules and policies were the three major historical forces that shaped the history of South Africa. This paper seeks to explore these historical forces using relevant academic sources, lecture materials, and my own background experience.
Slavery at the Cape
Racial slavery was the main form of economic and social organization for more than 176 years in most territories that make up current South Africa. Slavery was mainly concentrated at the Cape. According to Worden (2017), slavery was most rampant in South Africa between 1652 and 1807 as more than 60000 slaves were brought into the country to supply cheap labor force in colonists' farms, docks, and outposts. Between 1720 and 1790 alone, the numbers of slaves increased to 14500 from 2500, the population outnumbering that colonialist's adult population in the ratio three to one (Worden, 2017). Slaves were brought into the Cape colony until 1838, despite abolishing the slave trade in 1807 (Worden, 2017). Most of them were shipped by yachts into the colony from India, Madagascar, Mozambique, and South-East Asia, among other low economic countries (Worden, 2017). However, the Indian subcontinent was the main source of slaves, as more than 80% were shipped from India (Worden, 2017).
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The Dutch and British colonization of the Cape colony contributed largely to increased slavery. The Dutch rulers first introduced slavery into the Cape colony before being overthrown by the British rulers. The Dutch governance under the leadership of Jan Van Riebeeck requested for slaves to provide a labor force to the Cape colony in 1652. According to Wilknins (2017), Abraham Van Batavia from Batavia was the first slave to be enslaved by Riebeeck in 1653. Abraham had escaped from his owner in Batavia and worked for the Dutch VOC. After a short time, a voyage of slaves was imported into the Cape colony from Madagascar and Mauritius. Henceforth, a lot more Africans from different countries were progressively enslaved and forced to work in the Cape colony by Van Riebeeck.
By 1657, out of 144 people that had settled in the Cape, ten of them were slaves. The number of slaves in the Cape increased tremendously in 1658 when 250 slaves among the 500 Angolan slaves captured by the Dutch from a Portuguese slaver were brought into the colony ( Wilkins, 2017) . Also, 228 more slaves from Guinea were brought into the Cape colony shortly after. Slavery escalated further when previous Dutch East India Company officials were given land portions due to the settler colonialism process because of the increased required labor force. The settlement of these officials agriculturally displaced the native pastoral Khoikhoi and forced them to work as servants due to the loss of their grazing land (Worden, 2017). As a result, the native Khoikhoi forego their lifestyles and their main economic activity as cattle grazers to serve settlers' land portions. Also, little land was left for grazing as most lands were tilled for crop growing. That is why crop farming is more predominant than cattle grazing in South Africa up to date.
During the beginning of the 18 th century, the Dutch's control over the Cape colony was weakened substantially by the Fourth Anglo-Dutch war. In 1795, British rulers invaded the Cape colony in the First Coalition war and ruled it until 1803, when it completely took over from the Dutch and passed the slave trade act in 1807. The Act banned the external importation of slaves but permitted slaves to be traded within the colony only. In addition, British governance strived to provide better living conditions by passing a series of amelioration laws that favored slaves. These acts permitted slaves to buy their freedom, marry, live with families, and acquire basic education. It also limited work hours and punishments.
The slavery institution deprived slaves of their native cultural identities since most of them were brought from different countries and cultural identities. As a result, the slaves united to form a common reciprocal cultural legacy commonly identified as the creole culture. The creole culture has its new architecture, new cuisine, poetic language, new music, and melodious forthright that is still evident up to date ( Wilkins, 2017) . In South Africa, the Afrikaans language was initially expressed and written in the Arabic, which was most slaves' religion is still spoken ( Wilkins, 2017) . Thus, slavery generally created a strong community that shaped the history of South Africa in a unique way.
The European settlement at the Cape
The Dutch and British were the main European settlers at the Cape. Dutch settlement in South Africa began in March 1647 when their ship Nieuwe Haarlem wrecked near the Cape, forcing them to seek refuge within the vicinity. The survivors of the wrecked ship erected a tiny fort known as the "Sand Fort of the Cape of Good Hope." They resided at the Cape for about a year, but a squadron of 12 ships led by W.G. de Jong eventually rescued them (Malan, 2019). Jan van Riebeeck was also on one of those ships. In addition, a portion of ship wreckers attempted to convince the Dutch East India Company to construct a commercial hub at the Cape after their return to Holland. Thus, the first enduring settlement at the Cape of Good Hope was established in 1652 by a Dutch excursion of 90 Calvinist settlers led by Jan Van Riebeeck (Malan, 2019). On April 6, 1652, they reached the bay of today's Cape Town, later named Tafelbaai or Table Bay – on board five ships: the Goede Hoop, Reijger, Walvisch, Oliphant, and Drommedaris (Malan, 2019).
The Cape district became a Dutch colony with time. The colony was safe and unique for the New Holland, which possessed West India and Dutch East Companies. In addition, the Cape possessed a subtropical, healthy, and partially fertile hinterland that was not completely inhabited, according to Malan (2019). Thus, European colonization was just as viable at the Cape as it had been in New Netherland, with the added benefit of no nearby rival European nation. The creation of a free-burghers society was the key to the settlement's success. The earliest trades with the Hottentots began when the tribes became inhabitants of the zone, although their rapport with these tribes was strenuous. The first coast craft built from Cape timber was launched in 1655. Groenevelt (Dutch Garden) and Rondebosch were founded by two factions of farmers in 1657 ( Malan, 2019) .
The Dutch settlement at the Cape gave them immense control over the colony under the leadership of Van Riebeeck. However, the Dutch settlement steadily spread from their initial settlement at Table Bay to new Cape areas, resulting in conflicts with the natives. By the 1670s, the French and British had started gaining influence in the Cape, threatening the governance of the Dutch. The French invaded Saldanha Bay in 1670, demonstrating the settlement's vulnerability. When the United Provinces of the Netherlands declared war on Britain and France in 1672, the VOC claimed ownership of the Cape area, including Houtbay, Table Bay, and Saldanha Bay, as an attempt by the Dutch to exclude the British from the Cape district settlement. However, the British finally took over the control of the Cape colony permanently. Hence, Cape Town, as one of the major cities and the whole of South Africa, generally was greatly shaped by the European settlement.
Apartheid rules and policies
Apartheid describes the racist economic and political system imposed on non-whites by the white minority. From 1948 to 1994, apartheid was practiced by the ruling party, the South African National Party. Segregation based on race was not a new concept in South Africa since racial legislation dates back to 1806 ( Clarno, 2017) . However, the Population Registration Act of 1950 considerably expanded it, dividing South African citizens into four classes: black South Africans, Whites, mixed-race, and Asians. The enaction of the Act to uphold white supremacy in the United States.
The apartheid impacts were evident in every aspect of South African citizens' daily lives. Sexual and marriage relationships between non-white and white citizens were outlawed by 1950 due to apartheid. Above 80% of the country's territory was put aside for the white specifically thanks to a succession of Land Acts as stated by Clarno, 2017. Black people were supposed to live in "black homelands" only where they were allowed to own enterprises (Clarno, 2017). However, they needed permission to operate and live in specified white districts. Transportation, ambulances, hospitals, and other public services were also segregated by race. Additionally, non-whites were excluded from taking part in government formation.
The impacts of apartheid on non-white South Africans were more severe as it separated and destroyed most of their families. For instance, children born by black and white parents were classified as colored and were taken from their homes. More than 3.5 million victims of this discrimination were forcibly taken from their families between 1994 and 1961, and most of them black, forcing them into extreme poverty and misery when their land was sold for a fraction of its value. Apartheid occurred in three phases; extending discrimination and entrenching NP power between 1948 and 1959, the introduction of separate development between 1959 and 1966, and erosion of apartheid from 1966 ( Clarno, 2017) .
The rules and policies surrounding apartheid acts were very stringent, and there were punishments for those who defied them. The Immorality Acts of 1927 and 1950 were subjected to anyone suspected of being in a relationship with a person from another race other than theirs, and those caught breaking apartheid may be fined, imprisoned, or whipped ( Clarno, 2017) . The majority of the couples who were found guilty of engaging in racially mixed relationships were served with prison sentences. Any black person was also likely to be sentenced if they are found without their 'dompas.' A 'dompas' was simply a passport that contained a photograph, personal employment details, fingerprints, and authorization from the government to operate within a specific area of the country. More than 250,000 black South Africans were sentenced every year due to the Pass Laws ( Clarno, 2017) . The three pillars of apartheid were communal apartheid, political supremacy, and labor regulation.
Nelson Mandela played a huge role in resisting apartheid through peaceful demonstrations and armed resistance. However, his involvement in resisting apartheid led to 27 years of imprisonment under inhumane and appalling treatments. In 1973, the UN prohibited apartheid, but matters worsened in 1976 when police used bullets and tear gas against pupils in Soweto ( Clarno, 2017) . This form of violence sparked an outcry, prompting the United Nations to impose an arms embargo on South Africa, followed by economic penalties from the US and the UK in 1985. Some apartheid legislation was repealed as a result of international pressure. Nelson Mandela's sentence ended in 1990, and he continued to campaign after his release. On average, 22 million South African citizens participated in the first inclusive parliamentary elections four years later, on April 26, 1994, according to Clarno (2017) . Nelson Mandela was elected and sworn in as South Africa's first black president, initiating the end of apartheid in South Africa.
In conclusion, the history of South Africa as it appears today is attributed to several historical forces, including European settlement at the Cape, slavery, and apartheid rules and policies, among others. Furthermore, notable personalities took part in these events, and their actions are still memorable up to date. However, without these remarkable events, the history of South Africa would not be the same as they were of great significance in creating the South Africa of today, irrespective of their impacts as good or bad. Therefore, these three events are the major historical forces that shaped South Africa, in my opinion.
References
Clarno, A. (2017). Neoliberal Apartheid: Palestine/Israel and South Africa after 1994 . University of Chicago Press.
Malan, A. (2019). Archaeology of Colonial Settlement at the Cape. In Oxford Research Encyclopedia of African History .
Worden, N. (2017). Slavery at the Cape. In Oxford Research Encyclopedia of African History .
Wilkins, D. (2017). History, truth-telling, and the legacies of slavery in South Africa. South African Historical Journal , 69 (1), 12-31.
