CHAPTER 20
SECTION 2
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Many countries in Africa gain their independence in the 1950’s and 1960’s, but struggle to gain unity and
agreement throughout their entire land
o Most times, one ethnicity dominated, but others would rise up and create conflicts or civil wars
South Africa became independent from Britain in 1910, but their struggle for equality and freedom was much
different than most
o White population (>20% of population) was drastically smaller than black
 Still controlled government and economy
 Blacks were not allowed to vote and were legally discriminated against
 Apartheid Definition
 Apartheid began in 1948 in South Africa
o Expanded the segregation; All South Africans were to register by their race;
supposedly ‘to allow each race to protect its culture,’ but in reality, served as a way
to add to white control over South Africans; Nonwhites were heavily discriminated
against; Had to have permission to travel, interracial marriages banned, most public
places were segregated, most nonwhites could not own land
 To combat apartheid, the black (and majority) race created the African National Congress
o Become leaders of the struggle for majority rule; Organized rally's and strikes
throughout the 1950’s; were made illegal, along with other anti-apartheid groups
following a massacre by police at a peaceful protest in Sharpeville in 1960
o Following Sharpeville, many protests turn to non-violence to fight apartheid; Many
also begin to bring the movement to secrecy; Nelson Mandela becomes a prominent
leader in this; Began as a non-violent leader, but turned violent with increasing
oppression; Mandela is arrested in the 1960’s, and convicted of treason, and
sentenced to life in prison
 The end to apartheid eventually occurs in the 1990’s
o Many foreign countries establish economic sanctions against South Africa until they
ended apartheid; This causes F.W. De Klerk to free Mandela and end the ban of the
African National Congress in 1990
o All races were allowed to vote in 1994, and elected Nelson Mandela as President
 Mandela attempts to bring all races together, but there still continues to be
economic and social issues, as non-whites still had an education and
economic gap between them and the whites
 Even though some nations achieve peaceful independence in the 1950’s and 1960’s, other southern
African countries also experience long, violent battles for independence
 Zimbabwe
o Southern Rhodesia
 Whites attempted to keep control and power; But blacks break away and
claim independence and hold elections in 1980; Led by Robert Mugabe, who
increases his power and becomes nearly dictatorial
 Angola
o Under Portuguese control, who refuse to give up power; Guerrilla war occurs
between the two until 1975; Civil War occurs until 2002, with the United States and
South Africa aiding the rebel group
 Mozambique
o Under Portuguese control, who refuse to give up power; Guerrilla war occurs until
1975; Civil war breaks out until 1992, with South Africa aiding the rebel group
 Even with independence, now there becomes ethnic tensions throughout several African nations
 Rwanda
o Central African nation; Hutus were majority ethnic group, but country had been
controlled by Tutsis group; Same language, but drastically different traditions;
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Violence began almost immediately after independence from Britain was declared in
1962
Tensions rose to at head in 1994 when Rwanda President and Burundi President died
in a suspicious plane crash, and Hutu leaders publicly urge citizens to turn on Tutsis,
leading to 800,000 Tutsi and Hutu deaths; While many countries around the world let
it happen; After this, a Tutsi exile group overtakes Rwanda government; Put
genocide leaders on trial
Burundi
o Same ethnic tensions between Tutsi and Hutus; In 1993, the President, a Hutu, is
murdered by Tutsi leaders, leading to a period of violence, until 2005, when a new
constitution guaranteed both ethnicities would have government and military powers
Sudan
o Oil rich country; Arab-Muslim north dominated non-Arab, non-Muslim, South, even
attempting to impose Islamic law in those non-Muslim places; Violence between the
North and South continued for years, killing millions, and bringing country and Chad
into the conflict; Fighting worsened in 2004, especially in western Darfur region;
Government backed Arabs (Janjaweed) to kill many civilians, and forcing many
others out of their homes; United States and other countries, and the United Nations,
send aid to the refugees, and unsuccessfully attempt to make peace; By 2009, the
International Criminal Court had charged Sudan’s president with crimes against
humanity; but Sudanese government refused to recognize the I.C.C., and Omar AlBasir remains President today