who was involved in the process of south africas independence

•South Africa –White settlers, British and Afrikaners (settlers of Dutch descent), won independence from Britain in 1931. •1948 –Afrikaners, believers in white supremacy, came to power. South African Independence

Full Answer

When did South Africa gain independence from Britain?

3 rows · Mar 28, 2017 · 8 years after the end of the second Boer war on 31 May 1910, Britain gave South Africa nominal ...

How did some African countries gain independence?

After an initial phase from 1945 to about 1958, in which white power seemed to be consolidated, decolonization proceeded in three stages: first, the relatively peaceful achievement by 1968 of independence by those territories under direct British rule (the High Commission territories became Lesotho, Botswana, and Swaziland, and Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland became …

Who were the leaders of the African struggle for independence?

•South Africa –White settlers, British and Afrikaners (settlers of Dutch descent), won independence from Britain in 1931. •1948 –Afrikaners, believers in white supremacy, came to power. South African Independence •Afrikaner gov’t established official policy of apartheid. •Apartheid = racial separation between blacks and whites.

How did Swaziland gain independence from South Africa?

Between 1945 and 1960, three dozen new states in Asia and Africa achieved autonomy or outright independence from their European colonial rulers. Harold MacMillan, British Prime Minister, helped begin decolonization. There was no one process of decolonization. In some areas, it was peaceful, and orderly.

Who was involved in the independence of Africa?

TimelineRankCountryIndependence won through1LiberiaLiberian Declaration of Independence Sierra Leone Independence2South AfricaSouth Africa Act 19093EgyptEgyptian revolution of 19194Ethiopian EmpireAnglo-Ethiopian Agreement (East African Campaign)40 more rows

How did South Africa become independent?

1934 - The Union of South Africa parliament enacts the Status of the Union Act, which declares the country to be "a sovereign independent state". The move followed on from Britain's passing of the Statute of Westminster in 1931, which removed the last vestiges of British legal authority over South Africa.Apr 4, 2018

Who was involved in South Africa imperialism?

BritainBritish colonies, Boer republics, and African kingdoms all came under British control. These dramatic changes were propelled by two linked forces: the development of a capitalist mining industry and a sequence of imperialist interventions by Britain.

What groups were involved in South Africa?

The population was classified into four groups: African, White, Indian and Coloured (capitalised to denote their legal definitions in South African law). The Coloured group included people regarded as being of mixed descent, including of Bantu, Khoisan, European and Malay ancestry.

Who established South Africa?

European contact. The first European settlement in southern Africa was established by the Dutch East India Company in Table Bay (Cape Town) in 1652. Created to supply passing ships with fresh produce, the colony grew rapidly as Dutch farmers settled to grow crops.

Who conquered South Africa?

1652: An official colonisation from the south by the Dutch VOC. This colonisation came to an end when Britain finally took the country from the Netherlands in 1806 (actually for the second time). 1806: An official colonisation of the country by Great Britain.

Who ruled South Africa?

The country became a fully sovereign nation state within the British Empire, in 1934 following enactment of the Status of the Union Act. The monarchy came to an end on 31 May 1961, replaced by a republic as the consequence of a 1960 referendum, which legitimised the country becoming the Republic of South Africa.

When did South Africa gain independence?

May 31, 1961South Africa / Founded

Who ruled the Union of South Africa?

Union of South AfricaUnion of South Africa Unie van Zuid-Afrika (Dutch) Unie van Suid-Afrika (Afrikaans)GovernmentUnitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy under a dominant-party herrenvolk regime (1948-1961)Monarch• 1910–1936 (first)George V• 1936Edward VIII33 more rows

Who was involved in the defiance campaign?

Workers, trade unionists and others spoke out on 6 October 1949 against these apartheid measures and began to discuss a possible political strike. In December of that year, leaders in the African Congress Youth League (ANCYL), such as Nelson Mandela, Walter Sisulu and Oliver Tambo, took power.

Who was the leader of ANC?

Cyril RamaphosaAfrican National Congress / PresidentMatamela Cyril Ramaphosa is a South African businessman and politician who, since 2018, has served as the fifth democratically elected president of South Africa, as well as president of the African National Congress since 2017. Wikipedia

Who started apartheid in South Africa?

Called the 'Architect of the Apartheid' Hendrik Verwoerd was Prime Minister as leader of the National Party from 1958-66 and was key in shaping the implementation of apartheid policy.

When did Africa split?

Racing to secure as much land as possible while avoiding conflict amongst themselves, the partition of Africa was confirmed in the Berlin Agreement of 1885, with little regard to local differences. By 1905, control of almost all African soil was claimed by Western European governments, with the only exceptions being Liberia ...

When did Ghana gain independence?

On 6 March 1957 , Ghana (formerly the Gold Coast) became the second sub-Saharan African country to gain its independence from European colonisation. Starting with the 1945 Pan-African Congress, the Gold Coast's (modern-day Ghana's) independence leader Kwame Nkrumah made his focus clear. In the conference's declaration, he wrote, "we believe in the rights of all peoples to govern themselves. We affirm the right of all colonial peoples to control their own destiny. All colonies must be free from foreign imperialist control, whether political or economic."

What is the economic legacy of colonialism?

The economic legacy of colonialism is difficult to quantify and is disputed.

When did Africa decolonize?

The decolonisation of Africa took place in the mid-to-late 1950s to 1975, with sudden and radical regime changes on the continent as colonial governments made the transition to independent states. The process was often quite disorganised, and marred with violence, political turmoil, widespread unrest, and organised revolts in both northern ...

Who gave the famous "Wind of Change" speech?

Prime Minister Harold Macmillan gave the famous "Wind of Change" speech in South Africa in February 1960, where he spoke of "the wind of change blowing through this continent". Macmillan urgently wanted to avoid the same kind of colonial war that France was fighting in Algeria. Under his premiership decolonisation proceeded rapidly.

When did the scramble for Africa end?

Background. The " Scramble for Africa " between 1870 and 1900 ended with almost all of Africa being controlled by a small number of European states.

What was the purpose of the Atlantic Conference?

During the 1941 Atlantic Conference, the British and the US leaders met to discuss ideas for the post-war world. One of the provisions added by President Roosevelt was that all people had the right to self-determination, inspiring hope in British colonies.

Who was the first black president of South Africa?

Once Apartheid was abolished, free elections were held and in 1994 Nelson Mandela (sentenced to life imprisonment by the Apartheid government on June 12, 1964) became the first black President of South Africa.

What countries moved to South Africa?

Only the British and the Dutch (referred to as Boers) in South Africa had moved inland and set up new settlements. In 1880 less than five per cent of the continent was ruled by European powers. But within 20 years the situation had changed completely in ...

When did Africa get decolonized?

Decolonisation of Africa. The decolonisation of Africa took place in the mid-to-late 1950s to 1975. The changes that came during the process was sudden and radical as the colonies made their transition towards independence at times marred by political violence. Just like the decolonisation of Asia, the Second World War also a crucial factor ...

What did the Cold War do to Africa?

Cold War politics of the time also did much to ensure disunity among the African state leading to many secession movements such as that of Sudan and Eritrea. To this day violence continues to plague the nations of Africa bringing much suffering to its population.

Why did Algeria gain independence?

After eight years of brutal civil war between French settlers, Algerian nationalists, Islamic insurgents and the French Army, the French President granted full independence to Algeria in 1962 in order to avoid civil war back at home.

Why did civil wars erupt in Africa?

Although Africa was free by the beginning of the 1980s, civil wars erupted almost immediately due to the fact that the borders of the new states were drawn in such a way that hostile tribes were lumped within the same nation.

What was the main cause of apartheid in South Africa?

By 1950, the government had banned marriages between whites and people of other races, and prohibited sexual relations between black and white South Africans. The Population Registration Act of 1950 provided the basic framework for apartheid by classifying all South Africans by race, including Bantu (black Africans), Coloured (mixed race) and white. A fourth category, Asian (meaning Indian and Pakistani) was later added. In some cases, the legislation split families; parents could be classified as white, while their children were classified as colored.

What happened in 1976 in South Africa?

In 1976, when thousands of black children in Soweto, a black township outside Johannesburg, demonstrated against the Afrikaans language requirement for black African students, the police opened fire with tear gas and bullets. The protests and government crackdowns that followed, combined with a national economic recession, drew more international attention to South Africa and shattered all illusions that apartheid had brought peace or prosperity to the nation. The United Nations General Assembly had denounced apartheid in 1973, and in 1976 the UN Security Council voted to impose a mandatory embargo on the sale of arms to South Africa. In 1985, the United Kingdom and United States imposed economic sanctions on the country.

What is apartheid law?

Opposition to Apartheid. Apartheid Comes to an End. Apartheid (“apartness” in the language of Afrikaans) was a system of legislation that upheld segregationist policies against non-white citizens of South Africa. After the National Party gained power in South Africa in 1948, ...

How long did apartheid last in South Africa?

Despite strong and consistent opposition to apartheid within and outside of South Africa, its laws remained in effect for the better part of 50 years. In 1991, the government of President F.W. de Klerk began to repeal most of the legislation that provided the basis for apartheid. President de Klerk and activist Nelson Mandela would later win ...

When did the ANC start?

Together with the South Indian National Congress, the ANC organized a mass meeting in 1952, during which attendees burned their pass books. A group calling itself the Congress of the People adopted a Freedom Charter in 1955 asserting that “South Africa belongs to all who live in it, black or white.”.

Who was the leader of the ANC?

ANC leader Nelson Mandela, released from prison in February 1990, worked closely with President F.W. de Klerk's government to draw up a new constitution for South Africa. After both sides made concessions, they reached agreement in 1993, and would share the Nobel Peace Prize that year for their efforts.

What happened after apartheid?

Under apartheid, nonwhite South Africans (a majority of the population) would be forced to live in separate areas from whites and use separate public facilities.

What were the African independence movements?

The African Independence Movements took place in the 20th century, when a wave of struggles for independence in European-ruled African territories were witness ed. Notable independence movements took place: Algeria (former French Algeria ), see Algerian War. Angola (former Portuguese Angola ), see Portuguese Colonial War.

When did Algeria gain independence?

Algeria gained independence on February 20, 1962 when the French government signed a peace accord. While the women's movement made significant gains post-independence, peace in the country did not last long. Shortly after gaining independence, the Algerian Civil War began.

How did Portugal become a global empire?

Portugal built a five-century-long global empire. Portuguese overseas expansion began in the 15th century, thanks to several factors that gave the small coastal nation an advantage over its larger European neighbours. First, in the 14th century, Portuguese shipbuilders invented several new techniques that made sailing in the stormy Atlantic Ocean more practical. They combined elements of different types of ships to construct stronger, roomier and more manoeuvrable caravels. They also took advantage of more reliable compasses for navigation, and benefited from the school for navigation created by Prince Henry the Navigator (1394–1460) at Sagres in 1419. Starting with voyages to Madeira and the Azores (islands in the Atlantic) in the first part of the 14th century, the Portuguese systematically extended their explorations as far as Japan by the 16th century. In the process, they established forts and settlements along the West and East African coasts. In the 16th through 18th centuries, the Portuguese lost their lead to other European nations, notably England and France, but played a major role in the slave trade to satisfy the demand for labour in Brazil and other American markets. By the beginning of the 19th century, Portugal controlled outposts at six locations in Africa. One was the Cape Verde Islands, located about 700 miles due west of Dakar, Senegal. Claimed for Portugal by Diogo Gomes about 1458, this archipelago of eight major islands was devoted to sugar cultivation using slaves taken from the African mainland. The Portuguese once had extensive claims on the West African coast—since they were the first Europeans to explore it systematically—but by 1800 they were left with only a few ports at the mouth of the Rio Geba in what is now known as the Guinea-Bissau. To the east, the Portuguese controlled the islands of São Tomé and Príncipe, located south of the mouth of the Niger River. Like the Cape Verde Islands, they were converted to sugar production in the early 16th century using slaves acquired on the mainland in the vicinity of the Congo River. By the end of the 19th century, Portuguese landowners had successfully introduced cocoa production using forced African labour. Further south, the Portuguese claimed both sides of the mouth of the Congo River, as well as the Atlantic coast as far south as the Rio Cunene. In practical terms, Portugal controlled port cities like those of Cabinda (north of the Congo River mouth), Ambriz (south of the Congo's mouth), Luanda and Benguela (on the Angolan coast) plus some river towns in the Angolan interior.

When did the Algerian war start?

The fight for independence, or the Algerian war, began with a massacre that occurred on May 8, 1945 in Setif, Algeria. After WWII ended, nationalists in Algeria, in alignment with the American anti-colonial sentiment, organized marches, but these marches became bloody massacres.

When did Portuguese exploration begin?

Starting with voyages to Madeira and the Azores (islands in the Atlantic) in the first part of the 14th century, the Portuguese systematically extended their explorations as far as Japan by the 16th century. In the process, they established forts and settlements along the West and East African coasts.

What was the Mau Mau rebellion?

British-ruled Kenya was the place of a rebellion from 1952 to 1960, an insurgency by Kenyan rebels against the British colonialist rule. The core of the rebellion was formed by members of the Kikuyu ethnic group, along with smaller numbers of Embu and Meru .

How many women were in the war?

3% of all fighters were women, which is roughly equivalent to 11,000 women.

How did independence become a necessity?

independence became a necessity, and this type of freedom could only be obtained through a process called decolonization. Decolon ization is when a country removes itself from a location it has colonized, leaving that location independent to govern over itself. The nature of this can be problematic, due to the extensive difficulties of creating a functional country with little time or practice. Decolonization originated from nationalist movements throughout the late 19th and early 20th century, and

How did decolonization happen?

Decolonization can be achieved by gaining independence, along with interaction of power also, it is a political process that causes violence in in a lot of circumstances and may sometimes be resolved by negotiating on peaceful terms . But can also lead to violent resistance and arm struggle by the native population. Eventually with World War coming to an end, it brought a revolution of decolonization in many countries. For many people, this was a positive thing as they were to obtain independence

What is the process of decolonization?

Decolonization in this paper specifically refers to the dismantling of the economic and political relations between the colonies and their colonizers and in this sense the independence achieved by African, Asian, Island territories following the Second World War. When it comes to the process of decolonization there was no one set method. In some post World War II areas decolonization was peaceful and orderly, however for some other areas of the world independence was only achieved through violent

Background

See more on en.wikipedia.org

Causes

Economic Legacy

Social Legacy

Transition to Independence

British Empire

French Colonial Empire

Timeline

See Also

External Links