See also: 1760s in South Africa, other events of 1770s, 1780s in South Africa and the Timeline of South African history.

Events

1771

• The Dutch East India Company institutes a policy in the Cape Colony which dictated that schools should teach exclusively in Dutch and strict laws of assembly
• Clashes between Trekboers and Xhosa begin as trekkers cross the Gamtoos River in the east

1774

• A commando mounted against the San tribes kill 503 and capture 241 San
• 12 August Joachim Ammema , Baron van Plettenberg, is appointed Governor of the Cape

1775

• 13 of England's American colonies erupt in revolt

1776

• England's revolting colonies declare themselves the independent United States of America

1778

• The Cape Colony boundary is extended to Buffels , Zak and Fish Rivers
• Hendrik Jacob Wikar and Robert Jacob Gordon meet Khoikhoi, Geisiqua and Tswana tribes along lower and middle Gariep which Gordon names Orange River in honour of the Netherlands Stadtholder
• 6 February - France formally recognises the United States as a nation by signing a treaty of Friendship and Trade. An undeclared war with Britain soon erupted
• 27 July - French and British navies clash just off the coast of France
• 30 December - Britain captures the port of St. Lucia in the Caribbean Sea
• British forces capture Pondicherry in the Bay of Bengal from the French, later recapured
• The Dutch port of St Eustatius in the West Indies became the world's busiest port handling the majority of supplies and arms bound for the United States

1779

• Xhosas moving south clash with the settlers at the Fish River starting the first of nine Cape Frontier Wars
• 12 April - Spain joins with France and America in the war against Britain

Births

Deaths