Nelson Mandela Research Paper

History draft

South Africa has been the target of major repression and racism through the years of apartheid, all this fuelled by the minds of South Africa’s oppressors. An increased amount in oppression and racism were brought in by the National party in 1948 which wanted to legalise white minority rule. South Africa rebelled and doing so developed the motive to abolish apartheid through protest whilst fighting against the authorities to fight for their freedom through the 1960’s and 19070’s. Nelson Mandela, the man who changed the world forever, was influential and significant in leading the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa. Having the attention of the government due to his skills in motivating South Africans to oppose/rebel against

Nelson Mandela did a lot for Africa, he helped abolish apartheid, give Africans equal rights but in doing so he had encountered many setbacks including the Treason Trials which led him to becoming the black pimpernel and then later on, Jail time on Robben Island. At the time, the South African white government had his own personal views and beliefs about the coloured people of South Africa. He did whatever that was necessary to make sure that they didn’t receive equal rights and to continue apartheid. Each day, Nelson Mandela fought against the government’s harsh laws/rules and it only became much harder when the Trials commenced. During the 1950’s, Mandela had been banned from public speaking and confined to Johannesburg and then eventually arrested and imprisoned. Later through the decade when he was released, he was accused in the Treason Trials. The government illegalised the ANC and was using every measure it could to supress opposition to apartheid. The ANC leaders now had to resume their work from the underground headquarters. This later on affected him as he now needed to protest undercover. This led him to being called the Black Pimpernel. Mandela went into hiding from the police. He was forced to live apart from his family and had to move from place to place to avoid detection by government spies. Mandela would usually disguise himself as a chauffeur or gardener to appear at important events. He travelled to other countries in the West and North Africa to motivate and support. The major Rivonia Trial ended badly when Nelson Mandela and some others were sentenced to life imprisonment at Robben Island. He was confined to a small cell without a bed or plumbing and was forced to work hard labour and to make it worse, being a black political prisoner, he received scantier rations and fewer privileges than other