occupation of the Cape 1795-1803
Second British occupation of the Cape 1806
Cession of Cape Colony to Britain 1814
Conquests of Tshaka, the Zulu King 1812-1828
Arrival of a body of British settlers 1820
First British settlement in Natal 1824
English made the official language in Cape Colony 1825-1828
Equal Rights ordinance in favour of the Natives 1828
Emancipation of the Slaves 1834
Sixth Kafir War 1834
Emigration of the discontented Boers (the Great Trek) 1836-7
Conquest of Matabililand by Mosilikatze 1837
The emigrant Boers occupy Natal 1838
British occupation and annexation of Natal 1843
Two native "buffer States" created in the interior 1843
Seventh Kafir War; province of British Kaffraria created 1847
Orange River Sovereignty created 1848
Recognition of the Independence of the Transvaal Boers
(Sand River Convention) 1852
Recognition of the Independence of the Orange River Boers
(Bloemfontein Convention) 1854
Representative Government established in Cape Colony 1854
Establishment of a Constitution for the South African
Republic 1855-1858
Proclamation of a Protectorate over Basutoland 1868
Discovery of diamonds on the Lower Vaal River 1869
British occupation and annexation of Griqualand West 1871
Responsible Government granted to Cape Colony 1872
Delagoa Bay arbitration 1872-1875
British annexation of the Transvaal 1877
War with Cetewayo and conquest of Zululand 1879
Retrocession of the Transvaal 1881
Annexation of Southern and Protectorate over Northern
Bechuanaland 1884-1885
German occupation of Damaraland 1884
Convention of London with the Transvaal Republic 1884
Discovery of the Witwatersrand gold field 1885
Foundation of the British South Africa Company 1889
Conquest of Matabililand by the Company