ESSAY TITLE

Period: c. YYYY–YYYY Region: e.g. Cape / Highveld / KwaZulu-Natal / Indian Ocean littoral Updated: YYYY-MM-DD

Abstract: Two or three sentences stating what this essay covers and why it matters historically. Keep it factual and restrained.

Optional: “This essay accompanies podcast episode X, but is written to stand alone.”

Opening

Start with a clear scene-setting paragraph: place, time, and the historical problem. Keep the voice calm and precise.

Section heading

Write the essay in long-form paragraphs. Use subheads sparingly.

Subsection (when needed)

Use subsections to keep chronology clear, not to show cleverness. Let the evidence do the work.

Use blockquotes for short archival excerpts or a single telling quotation. Keep them rare and purposeful.

Describe the image for accessibility
Figure 1. Caption + source note (e.g., archive/author/date) if relevant.

Closing

End by summarising what changed, what persisted, and what the reader should carry forward into the next period.


Notes and sources

Keep this practical: key works consulted, primary sources used, and brief clarifications. You can use numbered notes even without hyperlinks.

  1. Source / note placeholder.
  2. Source / note placeholder.
  3. Source / note placeholder.

Related: Landscape & Climate · Timeline · Essay archive