What is historiography? Why does paying attention to historiography matter?
What specific examples can you cite of changing interpretations of
- Bantu-Batwa interactions
- the periodization of Trans-Sahran trade
- the consequences of the Atlantic slave trade
Compare women’s political and economic influence in Kongo in the 16th and 17th centuries (as described by Broadhead and Thornton) to women’s access to power in Khoekhoe society in the 17th century (as described by Wells).
Van Riebeeck’s Daghregister (Journal)
Who was the daghregister’s intended audience? How might that influence what van Riebeeck chose to write about, or how he presented information?
What conclusions can you draw about Khoekhoe society from this excerpt?
Based on this passage, describe Dutch-Khoekhoe interactions.
Wells, “Eva’s Men”
Many historians had written about Eva/Krotoa when Wells published this article in 1998. Why did she want to add to that conversation?
What is Wells’ main argument? Why is it significant?
How does Wells’ analysis complicate the picture of Dutch-Khoe interactions presented by van Riebeeck?
Describe gendered division of labor and women’s access to power in Khoe society.
Houd den Bek historiography (Rayner, Ross, van der Spuy, Watson)
1. How different are these four selections from one another? What does each selection accomplish? Where do you see shortcomings? Is one interpretation more convincing than others?
2. Context and form for intellectual production
a) Time period: Consider Rayner, Ross, van der Spuy and Watson in chronological order. Can you discern a difference in focus that changes over time? Do events at the time each author wrote affect the way in which they write about the rebellion?
b) Scope of work: Only van der Spuy treats this rebellion as full subject for historical inquiry; the other authors deal with the rebellion as part of larger works on slavery. In what ways do you think this authorial decision affects the quality of their work regarding the rebellion? Conversely, is van der Spuy’s focused attention on this single event warranted?
3) Analytical framework: Each of the four authors emphasizes different aspects of the rebellion, and offers a particular framework for explaining the events and causality. How would you categorize the analytical framework of each selection (social, political, economic, religious, etc)?
4) Personal & Political: What differences are embedding in thinking about these events as “Galant’s Rebellion” or “The Houd den Bek Rebellion”? Is this story best told as one of events, or as biography?
See additional questions and study guide here
Testimony in the Trial of Galant and Others
What do you know about court procedures at the Cape of Good Hope in 1825?
Under what circumstances were these documents produced?
Who physically wrote the text? In what language? In what language did the prisoners give testimony?
When and why were these trial transcripts published? For whom?
What acts were criminal? What was the accepted punishment for the crimes of this trial?
What other kinds of sources could you look at to round out the story of this rebellion and subsequent trial?
What motivated the accused individuals to act?
The 13 prisoners offer different responses to the charges against them; How do you account for the differences?
What differences do you see in the way prisoners are questioned?
Who testifies? Can you group witness into categories?
How are questions different for various witnesses? Can you detect a pattern?
Where there are differing accounts, who do YOU believe? Why? What sources other than the trial transcripts can you go to resolve these differences?
How did the state respond to these crimes? What aspects were emphasized? Which actions do you think were really being punished?
What evidence is most convincing to the court? What evidence is most convincing to you?