Apartheid in South Africa

Background South Africa was racially divided since colonial rule by British and Dutch Small white minority ruled a large black majority In 1931 it became an independent nation of the British Commonwealth New constitutional government in South Africa gave whites power and denied black rights

Causes In 1948 the National Party came to power and promoted white nationalism as well as the policy of apartheid, the complete separation of races The minority government banned social contracts between whites and blacks Government established segregated schools, hospitals, neighborhoods, and other facilities Whites always got the better facilities Blacks made up 75% of population and had to live on homelands, only 13% of land This picture shows segragation in South Africa. This bathroom sign was probably near every available bathroom in South Africa during the apartheid. The white facility was probably clean, and well kept while the black’s facility was most likely dirty and run down. Blacks had to deal with this sort of treatment every day

Actions Black South Africans protested white control and formed the African Nation Congress (ANC) ANC organized strikes and boycotts In 1976 riots over school policies broke out in Soweto, killing 600 students As protests mounted the government declared a state of emergency in 1986 This picture shows a protest after the Soweto killings. This protest was after the Soweto protest that intended to be peaceful turned violent unnecessarily. The Soweto killing was a powerful event that spurred even more protests, boycotts, and strikes

To Democracy By late 1980’s South Africa was under great pressure for reform In 1989, white South Africans elected F.W.de Klerk as president In February 1990 he legalized the ANC and released Nelson Mandela from prison Over next 18 months he repealed apartheid laws In 1994 President de Klerk agreed to hold South Africa’s first universal elections, in which people of all races could vote

New Constitution In 1996 a new, democratic constitution was passed It guaranteed equal rights to all citizens Document forbids discrimination and protects the rights of minorities, economic rights, and social rights South African leaders realized new reforms would be difficult to fulfill because black Africans wanted immediate changes Political changes in South Africa gave hope and influence for other nations, and democracy

Works Cited Global History Textbook: Patterns of Interaction Pages 918-920