South Africa's History
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South Africa's history is full of inequality and unfairness. This inequality began when the earliest settlers arrived and continued until the late 1900s. Even though it was mostly unfair, South Africa's history is very important and is very interesting for everyone.
South African history begins with the a group of people from Europe who discover this land and claim it as their own. In 1652, Jon Van Riebeek, who represented the Dutch East India Company, settled in what is now Cape Town and called it the Cape Colony. These Dutch people, who called themselves Afrikaaners, settled in Cape Town because when people in ships traveled to India from Europe, they could stop there for refreshment. The people slowly expanded their colony and took over the people who already lived there. These people who already lived in these lands were made the slaves of the Dutch settlers.
The colony grew for almost 2 centuries. However, a new European power decided to take over the Cape Colony. The British seized control of the Dutch colony and claimed it as their own in 1795. However, the colony was taken over by the Dutch once again, but the British totally took it over in 1806. The British took control of the Xhosa, the natives, who lived on the Eastern side of the Cape Colony which caused the colony to expand even more. In 1830, the Afrikaaners decided to leave the British Cape Colony and move toward the center of South Africa. They set up their own country which was called the "Boer Republics". This moving of the Afrikaaners, known as the Great Trek, ironically happened at the same time as a war that left the interior of South Africa open for anyone to create a colony there.
In 1867, gold was discovered in the Witwatersrand in the "Boer Republics". Since gold was discovered, many people from Europe began to move to South Africa in search of gold so that they could become rich. Later, diamonds were discovered in the Afrikaaner lands, too. This caused many more people to move to South Africa. The British saw all of the riches the land had so they decided to fight the Afrikaaners for their land. This war became known as the Boer War, and it was between the British and the Dutch. This war lasted from 1889 to 1902. On May 31, 1910, the British and the Afrikaaners united to form one colony..
Not long after the union of South Africa, there many laws that were enacted after the Union of South Africa. For example, the Land Act of 1913 gave 90% of the land to whites and the rest to colored people. Around that same time the African National Congress of the ANC had formed. Also, resistance against this unequal government began. Many people began to speak out against the government.
In the 1940s, the United Nations and many people around the world began to pay attention to what was happening in South Africa. They took a closer look at the South Africa's racial inequality and unfairness. Many attacks on South Africa came from many countries, but the first came from the Indian government in 1946. However, the government did not listen. The Afrikaaners won the elections in 1948 and they put in their idea of apartheid- the way that the government would separate the colored people and the whites.
In the 1950s, many colored people and other people from around the world began to fight against the system of apartheid. In 1955, the ANC wrote the Freedom Charter. This document listed all of the demands of the colored people. The people wanted basic human rights. This became the basis of what the black Africans fought for in the next 3 decades.
The colored people of South Africa began to protest the system of apartheid and the South African Government. On March 21, 1960, many people peacefully protested in Sharpeville. The police stopped the protesters and shot dead 69 colored people. This event in South African history showed that the government was not afraid to use deadly weapons against its people. The ANC was accused for causing the deaths of these people, and the ANC was shut down. A year later, South Africa left the Commonwealth. 17 years later, the youth of Soweto protested the government because the students had to learn in Afrikaans in school. The police also stopped this protest and took fire on the students. The system of apartheid slowly began to crumble.
In 1990, the new president, FW de Klerk, released Nelson Mandela from prison, lifted the restrictions on groups such as the ANC, and he agreed to dismantle apartheid. Nelson Mandela and De Klerk worked together to transition to a fair democracy. In 1994, South Africa held its first true democratic election. The ANC won and Nelson Mandela was elected president of South Africa. Mandela helped create a new constitution for South Africa.
South Africa's history is full of inequality, but it was happy in the end.
Link: Here is a link to Timeline of South African History during the 1940's. http://www.dipity.com/lilrabil/South-African-History-Timeline/
South African history begins with the a group of people from Europe who discover this land and claim it as their own. In 1652, Jon Van Riebeek, who represented the Dutch East India Company, settled in what is now Cape Town and called it the Cape Colony. These Dutch people, who called themselves Afrikaaners, settled in Cape Town because when people in ships traveled to India from Europe, they could stop there for refreshment. The people slowly expanded their colony and took over the people who already lived there. These people who already lived in these lands were made the slaves of the Dutch settlers.
The colony grew for almost 2 centuries. However, a new European power decided to take over the Cape Colony. The British seized control of the Dutch colony and claimed it as their own in 1795. However, the colony was taken over by the Dutch once again, but the British totally took it over in 1806. The British took control of the Xhosa, the natives, who lived on the Eastern side of the Cape Colony which caused the colony to expand even more. In 1830, the Afrikaaners decided to leave the British Cape Colony and move toward the center of South Africa. They set up their own country which was called the "Boer Republics". This moving of the Afrikaaners, known as the Great Trek, ironically happened at the same time as a war that left the interior of South Africa open for anyone to create a colony there.
In 1867, gold was discovered in the Witwatersrand in the "Boer Republics". Since gold was discovered, many people from Europe began to move to South Africa in search of gold so that they could become rich. Later, diamonds were discovered in the Afrikaaner lands, too. This caused many more people to move to South Africa. The British saw all of the riches the land had so they decided to fight the Afrikaaners for their land. This war became known as the Boer War, and it was between the British and the Dutch. This war lasted from 1889 to 1902. On May 31, 1910, the British and the Afrikaaners united to form one colony..
Not long after the union of South Africa, there many laws that were enacted after the Union of South Africa. For example, the Land Act of 1913 gave 90% of the land to whites and the rest to colored people. Around that same time the African National Congress of the ANC had formed. Also, resistance against this unequal government began. Many people began to speak out against the government.
In the 1940s, the United Nations and many people around the world began to pay attention to what was happening in South Africa. They took a closer look at the South Africa's racial inequality and unfairness. Many attacks on South Africa came from many countries, but the first came from the Indian government in 1946. However, the government did not listen. The Afrikaaners won the elections in 1948 and they put in their idea of apartheid- the way that the government would separate the colored people and the whites.
In the 1950s, many colored people and other people from around the world began to fight against the system of apartheid. In 1955, the ANC wrote the Freedom Charter. This document listed all of the demands of the colored people. The people wanted basic human rights. This became the basis of what the black Africans fought for in the next 3 decades.
The colored people of South Africa began to protest the system of apartheid and the South African Government. On March 21, 1960, many people peacefully protested in Sharpeville. The police stopped the protesters and shot dead 69 colored people. This event in South African history showed that the government was not afraid to use deadly weapons against its people. The ANC was accused for causing the deaths of these people, and the ANC was shut down. A year later, South Africa left the Commonwealth. 17 years later, the youth of Soweto protested the government because the students had to learn in Afrikaans in school. The police also stopped this protest and took fire on the students. The system of apartheid slowly began to crumble.
In 1990, the new president, FW de Klerk, released Nelson Mandela from prison, lifted the restrictions on groups such as the ANC, and he agreed to dismantle apartheid. Nelson Mandela and De Klerk worked together to transition to a fair democracy. In 1994, South Africa held its first true democratic election. The ANC won and Nelson Mandela was elected president of South Africa. Mandela helped create a new constitution for South Africa.
South Africa's history is full of inequality, but it was happy in the end.
Link: Here is a link to Timeline of South African History during the 1940's. http://www.dipity.com/lilrabil/South-African-History-Timeline/