A major consequence of the Great Trek was the expansion of white communities in South Africa. The Great Trek was a mass migration of Boers (Dutch settlers) from the British-controlled Cape Colony in South Africa to the interior of the continent. The Boers were seeking new lands and greater independence from British rule. As a result of the Great Trek, white communities expanded into the interior of South Africa and established the Boer republics of the Orange Free State and the South African Republic (Transvaal). This expansion had significant implications for the indigenous African populations, who were often displaced or subjected to colonial rule.