Settlement of Cape Colony

The settlement of the Cape Colony refers to the period when Europeans, primarily the Dutch, established a settlement at the southern tip of Africa in 1652. Initially meant as a supply station for ships traveling to Asia, the Dutch East India Company set up a refreshment station there. Over time, settlers called Boers (Dutch farmers) expanded their farms and communities, gradually transforming the area into a permanent colony. The settlement grew through migration, interactions with indigenous peoples, and territorial expansion, laying the groundwork for the region’s later development and colonial history.