Nelson Mandela Key Moments Apartheid

What were the most important events in Mandela’s fight against Apartheid?

Mandela’s career and ambitions started because of a man called Walter Sisulu who gave Madela a job as a lawyer’s clerk, which then helped him to become a lawyer, Walter was already a member of ANC and convinced Mandela and others to join him, around seven years later at the start the ANC lacked mass support of the black community in South Africa. During this time Mandela adopted many techniques that Ghandi had used to gain Indian independence notably with non-violent tactics. Mandela was put in charge of organizing the Defiance Campaign with Oliver Tambo where 10,000 blacks defied Apartheid laws. To speak outside of the laws was dangerous, but in 1956, Mandela and 155 other people were arrested for treason. After a trial lasting five years, he was set free in 1961.

During 1960, people held a demonstration against apartheid at Sharpeville. Police shot dad 69 black people. The government then blamed the ANC and banned it. Mandela then came in and became leader of a secret army, known as Umkhonto we Sizwe. He was hunted by police and has to hide and use disguises. He travelled to other countries and asked for help. Millions of people in other countries supported the anti-apartheid movement. Many nations stopped trade with South Africa. The government still refused to change and later Nelson Mandela was arrested again.

Mandela served 27 years in prison and during that time he became the leader of the political prisoners, he demanded that the rights of the prisoners were respected, he also kept his mind active studying law and reading about politics, history and literature which were discussed amongst the political prisoners. His wife Winnie Mandela played an important role in keeping his name alive during his time in prison.

By the 1980s the situation in South Africa was becoming worse with a State of Emergency declared in 1985. Mandela was periodically offered his freedom if he agreed to...