ipl-logo

Nelson Mandela Research Paper

1476 Words6 Pages

In 1984, a new government, known as Apartheid, took power in South Africa. It created new standards and unjust laws that citizens complained to abide by, therefore, there were many nonviolent protests that took place throughout this 45-year period. One important man, known as Nelson Mandela, was inspired by Henry David Thoreau’s 1846 actions against paying a tax supporting a war he didn’t believe in. Mandela, along with other South African civilians, wanted to abolish, or at least modulate Apartheid before it could become stronger, and more dangerous than what it already was. Just like Thoreau, Mandela was eventually arrested and spent jail time for refusing to accept strict, government orders. Through nonviolent protests and inessential jail …show more content…

Just like Thoreau, Mandela believed that non-violence could end Apartheid’s racial segregation. Back in 1846, a war between Mexico and the United States broke out. Thoreau, along with other Americans, believed that the war was a plot by southerners to promote slavery across the west. To show his disapproval towards the war and slavery, Thoreau stopped paying his taxes and was eventually arrested and spent one night in jail in July 1846. Mandela participated in most protests, including the Defiance Campaign. By the time 1955 came along, Mandela was arrested on December 5th, 1955 under the 1956 Treason Trial. He was charged for participating in a campaign to draw up a Freedom Charter that could overthrow Apartheid. Mandela was apart of another trial known as the Rivonia Trial, on 9 October 1963, where he almost faced the death penalty. Again, on 11 June 1664, Mandela was sentenced to life imprisonment. It wasn’t until 1990 when he was released, along with the unbanning of the African National Congress. Relating to Thoreau, Mandela spent jail time to show that he believed in something. “Under a government which imprisons unjustly, the true place for a just man is also prison” (Thoreau 4). Both Mandela and Thoreau didn’t let one night, or a couple years in jail stop them for fighting for their just rights through a series of civil disobedient

Show More
Related
1995 Words | 8 Pages

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was placed in Birmingham Jail in the 1960’s. During his time there, King wrote his “Letter from Birmingham Jail” after an open letter that was given to the public saying that the fellow clergymen were criticizing and saying that his present activities were “unwise and untimely.” King answers these charges in a careful crafted analysis by stating the opposing argument, and then contrasting it with his own argument. Henry David Thoreau wrote “Civil Disobedience” it exposes the mind to the idea of prioritizing laws. Refusing to obey the laws and demands of government, it criticizes the American institution of government at the time and is also defined as a text to live by.

Read More
1439 Words | 6 Pages

Thoreau was imprisoned for his violation. Being in prison to him seemed like a useless punishment because the State, the real danger, “did not know its friends from foes” (Thoreau, Paragraph 26) Thoreau makes a point to mention that it is not because he is against any particular item on the bill but he refuses taxes because he wishes “to refuse allegiance to the State” (Thoreau, Paragraph 35) This is his version of a peaceful protest because trying to make change with a vote will do nothing. One of his main problems made him share a common motive with Turner and Douglass, he did not believe in slavery. This piece is the most powerful approach of all reviewed through the semester.

Read More
676 Words | 3 Pages

"Letter from a Birmingham Jail" by Martin Luther King Jr. and "Civil Disobedience" by Henry David Thoreau are two influential essays that advocate civil disobedience as a way to address social injustices. Despite being written in different historical contexts, both essays share common themes of nonviolent resistance and the pursuit of justice. This essay aims to compare and contrast the two essays, examining their historical contexts, purposes, persuasive techniques, approaches to civil disobedience, and impact on the discourse of social change. "Civil Disobedience" was written in 1849 during a time when Thoreau opposed slavery and the Mexican-American War. His essay focuses on individual resistance to an unjust government.

Read More
2124 Words | 9 Pages

India’s leader Mohandas Gandhi (Mahatma Gandhi) was influenced by David Thoreau 's Civil Disobedience arguments while sitting in jail. Gandhi loosely adopted the term “civil disobedience” for non-violent protests and refused to cooperate with injustice. Following his release, he protested the registration law by joining labor strikes and organizing a large non-violent march. After the marches, the Boer government finally agreed to end the most divisive sections of the law. In 1907, he campaigned in South Africa and wrote a translated synopsis of Thoreau 's argument for the Indian Opinion.

Read More
895 Words | 4 Pages

In Martin Luther King, Jr.’s essay, “Letter From a Birmingham Jail” and Henry David Thoreau essay “Civil Disobedience,” both share their opinions on social injustice and civil disobedience. They both believe that people can protest unfair and unjust laws imposed on them in a civil way. In addition, King and Thoreau are challenging the government with their essays, which they wrote after they got sent to jail. For protesting the treatment of blacks in Birmingham, Alabama, King spent eleven days in jail; Thoreau spent a night in jail for refusing to pay his poll tax. Both King and Thoreau’s essays present similar plans for a resolution.

Read More
642 Words | 3 Pages

In Thoreau’s “Civil Disobedience” and Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter to Birmingham Jail” both have a purpose of expressing nonconformity towards the government by rebellions and protests of men for their rights. In “Civil Disobedience”, “...I think that it is not too soon for honest men to rebel and revolutionize” (Thoreau 942). In addition, in “Letter to Birmingham Jail”, “Nonviolent direct action seeks to create such a crisis and foster such a tension that a community which has constantly refused to negotiate is forced to confront the issue” (King 263). Both Thoreau and King express a belief system that for anything to change, one must be able to speak the truth and lead the people to create a greater force to defeat the

Read More
749 Words | 3 Pages

Civil Disobedience Henry David Thoreau was an abolitionist who was a strong believer that the government was unjust. As a result, he did not pay some of his taxes, and was thrown in jail. Upon leaving prison, he wrote “Civil Disobedience,” as a means to educate readers on the corruption of the government. He believed that people should practice their right of refusal by using civil disobedience towards the government. Thoreau’s warrants are based on the fact that Americans have a right to revolt against a government in which they feel is unfit to govern.

Read More
613 Words | 3 Pages

Social injustices have always been an issue in the United States, and still is an issue today. “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and “Civil Disobedience” by Henry David Thoreau talked about the social injustices they saw, and how they acted towards them. Although Martin Luther King Jr., and Henry David Thoreau saw different social injustices at different times in history, they both stood up for what they believed in, without thinking of the consequences. Both Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Henry David Thoreau spent time in jail for their battle of social injustice. King spent time in jail for protesting how unfairly African-Americans were being treated in Birmingham, Alabama.

Read More
800 Words | 4 Pages

Consequently, those protesting an issue must work to bring about change earnestly through truly believing in their cause. Henry David Thoreau shared this sentiment in his “Civil Disobedience”, writing that one person who maintains their beliefs can change the world “For it matters not how small the beginning may seem to be: what is once done well is done forever.” Though while not all peaceful protests are successful enough to inspire true change, many of today’s free societies were inspired by those that did. Mohandas K. Gandhi was able to coerce the South African Boer government to “end the most objectionable parts of the registration law” and convince the British to grant India its independence from Britain”(Gandhi and Civil DIsobedience”). Therefore, it only takes one individual to inspire a change in the world because “Without their courage those injustices would never have received the attention required to compel national action” (“Civil Discourse and Petitioning”).

Read More
1159 Words | 5 Pages

Thoreau was arrested for refusal to pay his taxes. While only in jail for 1 night, his cell-mate’s predicament changed Thoreau’s whole view on the government and punishment. Thoreau became someone who was very anti- big government. Thoreau's first line in “Civil Disobedience” is “I heartily accept the motto, "That government is best which governs least"; and I should like to see it acted up to more rapidly and systematically.” He was also a very anti-slavery and against the Mexican American war that was going on at that time.

Read More
606 Words | 3 Pages

Even though by the nonviolence acts that Gandhi used toward the British’s Gandhi was taken to jail for various reasons, one from disobeying authorities to urging public resistance of the British Empire. He beg responsibility and is sentenced to six years in prison but was later released in January, 1924. At the same time, during the 1963, in the united stated Martin Luther King was also taken to jail. Like Gandhi Even though King used non-violence to fix an injustice law he went to jail.

Read More
707 Words | 3 Pages

Lena Everitt October 6, 2014 IB Non-Certificate Literature Period E Independent Oral Presentation First slide: Civil Disobedience Lena Everitt Second slide: Thesis Thoreau advocates for staying true to one's common sense and morals as well as standing up for one's beliefs, which is exemplified in the demonstrations Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr. and Mohamed Bouazizi participated in. Third slide: Focus Area "

Read More
298 Words | 2 Pages

After many years of protesting the South African government gave in and made a compromise with Gandhi which

Read More
154 Words | 1 Pages

Thoreau opposed Manifest Destiny in 1840 Mexican American war. K. Gandhi was different from Henry Thoreau because he do a protest. In 1930 Gandhi protest the salt monopoly , he did not wanted violence he was just resistance to injustice. Gandhi was arrested several times , to be exacted it was thirteen times he believe in a peace protest. Nelson Mandela, was also in prision, he was on of the president of South Africa, was one

Read More
1020 Words | 5 Pages

His use of violence would continue for two years until 1962 when he was arrested for traveling without a passport. A few years after he was arrested he was sentence to life on Robben Island for his actions towards the government. As soon as he got to the prison, he began practicing no-violent methods to resist the prison guards. He also established methods to help prevent the prisoners from feeling the psychological burdens of being a victim in prison. Although their bodies had to endure harsh working condition, he made sure their minds remained sharp.

Read More

More about Nelson Mandela Research Paper

Related Topics

Open Document