What Did Nelson Mandela Do After Taking Over Power In South Africa?
NELSON MANDELA
Humanity Assignment
Sylvia Shan
INQUIRY QUESTIONS
1. What was the state of society in South Africa like and how did it influence Nelson Mandela?
2. When did he join the ANC and create the African National Congress Youth League?
3. What influential on Nelson Mandela led to his fight for civil rights during his time in jail, and how did he do it?
4. What did Nelson Mandela do after taking over power in South Africa?
5. What’s South Africa like today, after all the achievements that Nelson Mandela struggled for his whole life?
Discuss the significant contributions Nelson Mandela made in building a free, equal, and post-apartheid South Africa.
Nelson Mandela’s Early Life
Rolihlahla Mandela was born on July 18, 1918 in Transkei, South Africa (Cold War Museum, 2014), and was given the name “Nelson” by his teacher. He …show more content…
changed the history of South Africa and brought democracy to his nation. After the death of his father, he was placed under the care of a wealthy relative, and was the first person to attend school in his family. He began at the College of Fort Hare in 1938, where he generated his political interest. Soon he was expelled for being involved with the Student Representative Council and their boycott against university policies. He ran away from home to avoid an arranged marriage. In 1942, he graduated from the University of Witwatersrand with a degree in law (Nelson Childhood, 2014).
Apartheid In South Africa
The National Party gained power in South Africa and developed a system called apartheid to limit the rights of the blacks until the 1990s. Black people were forced to use separate public facilities and lived in separate areas from the whites. Years later, the Great Depression and World War II brought increasing economic woes to South Africa, which convinced the government to strengthen its policies of racial segregation. They even set their goals to separate the black people from each other, and to divide them along tribe lines to decrease their political power. The government banned marriages between the whites and blacks, limited contact between the races, and the activity of non-white people for participating in national government. As time went by, apartheid became worse, and new laws were passed which told the black people where to live and work. Nelson Mandela studied to become a lawyer to protect the blacks, and working as a lawyer strengthened his feelings against apartheid.
The African National Congress
While apartheid was running in South Africa, most of the black people didn’t fight against it or many of them would have been arrested or killed. However, there were still a number of tem who stood up bravely for their nation. Studying law at the University of Witwatersrand made Nelson Mandela fight against racial discrimination. To continue his political career, he joined the African National Congress, a national political party against racism in 1944 (Cold War Museum, 2014). Working with other party members, he established the ANC’s youth league, the ANCYL, which also pushed opposition to the apartheid system. Nelson Mandela helped lead the ANC’s 1952 campaign for the Defiance of Unjust Laws, and moved around the country to sign up people who volunteered and were prepared to break the apartheid laws. Over a 9-year-period, he was put under banning orders (Nelson Mandela: History of South Africa, 2014). In 1952, he became the president of the ANC for being an active member. On December 5, 1956, along with all the other 155 members of the ANC, Mandela was arrested and charged with high treason against the government (Nelson Mandela - Facts & Summary - HISTORY.com, 2014). At that moment, the young South Africans still fought against apartheid. Later, they were all acquitted, and Nelson Mandela became the National President of the ANC Youth League.
The Imprisonment of Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela was arrested again in 1962 for defying the government (Cold War Museum, 2014).
Eventually he was sentenced to life in prison on Robben Island. The media coverage of the trial brought awareness to people all over the world about the apartheid system. The time that Nelson Mandela was imprisoned gave him plenty of time to wake people’s awareness of the unjust apartheid system and racism by writing. He didn’t give up, and neither did the people outside. They still had their beliefs and hoped justice would eventually come one day. Nelson Mandela was still the president of ANC even in jail, so he continued to fight the apartheid system from his cell. During his time in jail, he formed the Spear of the Nation, a new branch of the ANC, which attempted to overthrow the apartheid government. A ‘Free Mandela’ campaign was developed in 1982 (Cold War Museum, 2014), so Nelson Mandela moved to a prison in Cape Town. Although the government once offered to release him, he refused, because he knew it would concede that he had gave up the action of fighting against apartheid. It was not until 1990 that changes came to South
Africa.
Release of Nelson Mandela and the President Election
After over 28 years of imprisonment, Nelson Mandela was finally released on February 11, 1990. The first democratic election was held in South Africa on April 27, 1994. People of all races were able to vote and a number of political parties participated. The African National Congress won most of the vote, so a Government of National Unity was formed, and Nelson Mandela became the first black African president in South Africa on May 5, 1994. In 1993, he won the Nobel Peace Prize for his struggle to ending the apartheid system (Yukihiro, 2011).
The Abolish of Apartheid and Beyond
Once Nelson Mandela became the president of South Africa, signs of apartheid were completely destroyed and never seen again (Yukihiro, 2011). After apartheid was abolished, he dedicated himself to ending global poverty, and helped to resolve wars and conflicts within the whole of Africa. He was focused on rebuilding his country, and tried his best to fix South Africa’s problems and make it become a country based on democracy, freedom and equality.
The Best Loved Hero
Nelson Mandela understood the meaning of equality. He changed the history of South Africa and brought democracy to his nation. He used his knowledge and beliefs to fight for equality and justice, not only for South Africa, but for the whole world. Nelson Mandela passed away on December 5, 2013, but he still remains as a best loved hero in South Africa, and around the world.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
A Look at Nelson Mandela's Life. 2014. [online] Do Something. Available at: <https://www.dosomething.org/tipsandtools/a-look-nelson-mandelas-life> [Accessed 16 Apr. 2014].
Apartheid - Facts & Summary - HISTORY.com. 2014. [online] HISTORY.com. Available at: <http://www.history.com/topics/apartheid> [Accessed 16 Apr. 2014].
Berry, B., 2006. African National Congress (South Africa). [online] Crwflags.com. Available at: <http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/za%7Danc.html> [Accessed 17 Apr. 2014].
Cold War Museum. 2014. [online] Coldwar.org. Available at: <http://www.coldwar.org/articles/50s/CNelsonMandelaandSouthAfrica.asp> [Accessed 13 Apr. 2014].
Nelson Mandela - Facts & Summary - HISTORY.com. 2014. [online] HISTORY.com. Available at: <http://www.history.com/topics/nelson-mandela> [Accessed 15 Apr. 2014].
Nelson Mandela : History of South Africa. 2014. [online] Southafrica.org.za. Available at: <http://www.southafrica.org.za/nelson-mandela.html> [Accessed 12 Apr. 2014].
Nelson Mandela Childhood | Nelson Childhood. 2014. [online] Nelsonmandelas.com. Available at: <http://www.nelsonmandelas.com/nelson-mandela-birth-childhood.php> [Accessed 12 Apr. 2014].
Rohde, D., 2014. The Great Debate. [online] Reuters. Available at: <http://blogs.reuters.com/great-debate/tag/nelson-mandela/> [Accessed 17 Apr. 2014].
The History of Apartheid in South Africa. 2014. [online] Www-cs-students.stanford.edu. Available at: <http://www-cs-students.stanford.edu/~cale/cs201/apartheid.hist.html> [Accessed 17 Apr. 2014].
When and How Did Apartheid Come to an End in South Africa?. 2014. [online] About.com African History. Available at: <http://africanhistory.about.com/od/apartheidfaq/f/HowEnded.htm> [Accessed 13 Apr. 2014].
Yukihiro, C., 2011. The End of Apartheid - Democracy in South Africa. [online] Sites.google.com. Available at: <https://sites.google.com/site/strugglesinafrica/home/the-end-of-apartheid> [Accessed 16 Apr. 2014].
Humanity Assignment
Sylvia Shan
INQUIRY QUESTIONS
1. What was the state of society in South Africa like and how did it influence Nelson Mandela?
2. When did he join the ANC and create the African National Congress Youth League?
3. What influential on Nelson Mandela led to his fight for civil rights during his time in jail, and how did he do it?
4. What did Nelson Mandela do after taking over power in South Africa?
5. What’s South Africa like today, after all the achievements that Nelson Mandela struggled for his whole life?
Discuss the significant contributions Nelson Mandela made in building a free, equal, and post-apartheid South Africa.
Nelson Mandela’s Early Life
Rolihlahla Mandela was born on July 18, 1918 in Transkei, South Africa (Cold War Museum, 2014), and was given the name “Nelson” by his teacher. He …show more content…
changed the history of South Africa and brought democracy to his nation. After the death of his father, he was placed under the care of a wealthy relative, and was the first person to attend school in his family. He began at the College of Fort Hare in 1938, where he generated his political interest. Soon he was expelled for being involved with the Student Representative Council and their boycott against university policies. He ran away from home to avoid an arranged marriage. In 1942, he graduated from the University of Witwatersrand with a degree in law (Nelson Childhood, 2014).
Apartheid In South Africa
The National Party gained power in South Africa and developed a system called apartheid to limit the rights of the blacks until the 1990s. Black people were forced to use separate public facilities and lived in separate areas from the whites. Years later, the Great Depression and World War II brought increasing economic woes to South Africa, which convinced the government to strengthen its policies of racial segregation. They even set their goals to separate the black people from each other, and to divide them along tribe lines to decrease their political power. The government banned marriages between the whites and blacks, limited contact between the races, and the activity of non-white people for participating in national government. As time went by, apartheid became worse, and new laws were passed which told the black people where to live and work. Nelson Mandela studied to become a lawyer to protect the blacks, and working as a lawyer strengthened his feelings against apartheid.
The African National Congress
While apartheid was running in South Africa, most of the black people didn’t fight against it or many of them would have been arrested or killed. However, there were still a number of tem who stood up bravely for their nation. Studying law at the University of Witwatersrand made Nelson Mandela fight against racial discrimination. To continue his political career, he joined the African National Congress, a national political party against racism in 1944 (Cold War Museum, 2014). Working with other party members, he established the ANC’s youth league, the ANCYL, which also pushed opposition to the apartheid system. Nelson Mandela helped lead the ANC’s 1952 campaign for the Defiance of Unjust Laws, and moved around the country to sign up people who volunteered and were prepared to break the apartheid laws. Over a 9-year-period, he was put under banning orders (Nelson Mandela: History of South Africa, 2014). In 1952, he became the president of the ANC for being an active member. On December 5, 1956, along with all the other 155 members of the ANC, Mandela was arrested and charged with high treason against the government (Nelson Mandela - Facts & Summary - HISTORY.com, 2014). At that moment, the young South Africans still fought against apartheid. Later, they were all acquitted, and Nelson Mandela became the National President of the ANC Youth League.
The Imprisonment of Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela was arrested again in 1962 for defying the government (Cold War Museum, 2014).
Eventually he was sentenced to life in prison on Robben Island. The media coverage of the trial brought awareness to people all over the world about the apartheid system. The time that Nelson Mandela was imprisoned gave him plenty of time to wake people’s awareness of the unjust apartheid system and racism by writing. He didn’t give up, and neither did the people outside. They still had their beliefs and hoped justice would eventually come one day. Nelson Mandela was still the president of ANC even in jail, so he continued to fight the apartheid system from his cell. During his time in jail, he formed the Spear of the Nation, a new branch of the ANC, which attempted to overthrow the apartheid government. A ‘Free Mandela’ campaign was developed in 1982 (Cold War Museum, 2014), so Nelson Mandela moved to a prison in Cape Town. Although the government once offered to release him, he refused, because he knew it would concede that he had gave up the action of fighting against apartheid. It was not until 1990 that changes came to South
Africa.
Release of Nelson Mandela and the President Election
After over 28 years of imprisonment, Nelson Mandela was finally released on February 11, 1990. The first democratic election was held in South Africa on April 27, 1994. People of all races were able to vote and a number of political parties participated. The African National Congress won most of the vote, so a Government of National Unity was formed, and Nelson Mandela became the first black African president in South Africa on May 5, 1994. In 1993, he won the Nobel Peace Prize for his struggle to ending the apartheid system (Yukihiro, 2011).
The Abolish of Apartheid and Beyond
Once Nelson Mandela became the president of South Africa, signs of apartheid were completely destroyed and never seen again (Yukihiro, 2011). After apartheid was abolished, he dedicated himself to ending global poverty, and helped to resolve wars and conflicts within the whole of Africa. He was focused on rebuilding his country, and tried his best to fix South Africa’s problems and make it become a country based on democracy, freedom and equality.
The Best Loved Hero
Nelson Mandela understood the meaning of equality. He changed the history of South Africa and brought democracy to his nation. He used his knowledge and beliefs to fight for equality and justice, not only for South Africa, but for the whole world. Nelson Mandela passed away on December 5, 2013, but he still remains as a best loved hero in South Africa, and around the world.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
A Look at Nelson Mandela's Life. 2014. [online] Do Something. Available at: <https://www.dosomething.org/tipsandtools/a-look-nelson-mandelas-life> [Accessed 16 Apr. 2014].
Apartheid - Facts & Summary - HISTORY.com. 2014. [online] HISTORY.com. Available at: <http://www.history.com/topics/apartheid> [Accessed 16 Apr. 2014].
Berry, B., 2006. African National Congress (South Africa). [online] Crwflags.com. Available at: <http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/za%7Danc.html> [Accessed 17 Apr. 2014].
Cold War Museum. 2014. [online] Coldwar.org. Available at: <http://www.coldwar.org/articles/50s/CNelsonMandelaandSouthAfrica.asp> [Accessed 13 Apr. 2014].
Nelson Mandela - Facts & Summary - HISTORY.com. 2014. [online] HISTORY.com. Available at: <http://www.history.com/topics/nelson-mandela> [Accessed 15 Apr. 2014].
Nelson Mandela : History of South Africa. 2014. [online] Southafrica.org.za. Available at: <http://www.southafrica.org.za/nelson-mandela.html> [Accessed 12 Apr. 2014].
Nelson Mandela Childhood | Nelson Childhood. 2014. [online] Nelsonmandelas.com. Available at: <http://www.nelsonmandelas.com/nelson-mandela-birth-childhood.php> [Accessed 12 Apr. 2014].
Rohde, D., 2014. The Great Debate. [online] Reuters. Available at: <http://blogs.reuters.com/great-debate/tag/nelson-mandela/> [Accessed 17 Apr. 2014].
The History of Apartheid in South Africa. 2014. [online] Www-cs-students.stanford.edu. Available at: <http://www-cs-students.stanford.edu/~cale/cs201/apartheid.hist.html> [Accessed 17 Apr. 2014].
When and How Did Apartheid Come to an End in South Africa?. 2014. [online] About.com African History. Available at: <http://africanhistory.about.com/od/apartheidfaq/f/HowEnded.htm> [Accessed 13 Apr. 2014].
Yukihiro, C., 2011. The End of Apartheid - Democracy in South Africa. [online] Sites.google.com. Available at: <https://sites.google.com/site/strugglesinafrica/home/the-end-of-apartheid> [Accessed 16 Apr. 2014].