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 Rolihlahla 'Nelson' Mandela

Nelson Mandela is a well known figure around the world for his protests against apartheid in South Africa. "There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find ways in which you, yourself, have altered." Nelson Mandela Did you know that Nelson Mandela's real name is Rolihlhla Mandela and that the name Nelson came from his school teacher.  Nelson Mandela's reasons behind protesting
 * **Table of Contents** ||
 * Nelson Mandela's reasons behind protesting ||
 * Protesting against apartheid ||
 * Mandela's homeland ||
 * Mandela's success at the time of his protests ||
 * Mandela as leader of protests ||
 * Mandela's arrest ||
 * Long term of his protests on South Africa ||
 * The affect on the rest of the world ||
 * What it means to me and you ||

Nelson Mandela wanted to protest against apartheid in his homeland, South Africa because he thought it was wrong. Like many other people around the world.

 Protesting against apartheid

People around the world protested against apartheid in South Africa through mainly physical and violent methods, marchs, sabotage, sit-ins etc... The most significiant protests were Nelson Mandela's and the 1981 Springboks tour of N.Z

"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." Nelson Mandela  Mandela's homeland

Nelson Mandela was born and brought up in South Africa where his protests took place. The South African government had an apartheid resigme where whites were held above blacks and coloured people. The blacks were seen as 'animals' below everyone else and had very little privilages.

 Mandela's success at the time of his protests

Black South Africans thought they were alone in the protest against apartheid. But the 1981 springboks tour in New Zealand, showed them that they weren't alone in the world and that other people thought that apartheid should end. This gave Nelson Mandela and the black community in South Africa hope and the strength to keep fighting. So his protests were successful in getting other people around the world to recognise that apartheid was wrong and their protests helped others in different countries to start protesting. After the 1981 tour the apartheid in South Africa started to be abolished.

"It is better to lead from behind and to put others in front, especially when you celebrate victory when nice things occur. You take the front line when there is danger. Then people will appreciate your leadership." Nelson Mandela  Mandela as leader of the protests

Nelson Mandela was the leader of ANC (African National Congress). He coordinated sabotages against the military and government targets. He also had a back-up plan if the sabotage failed to end apartheid, he had organized for a possible guerilla war. There was a bombing campaign led by Nelson Mandela. It started on December 16 1961. They planned to blast the symbolic places of apartheid. places like, post offices, courts, government offices etc...Nelson Mandela only moved to armed struggles as a last resort after the state was becoming more violent towards them. He realized that the non-voilent methods they had been using against apartheid hadn’t been working and that it would not succeed.

 Mandela's arrest

Nelson Mandela spent 27yrs in jail for convictions of crime including, sabotage while he leaded the struggle against apartheid in South Africa. He was first arrested on 5 December 1956 along with 150 others charged with treason. When he was released he was on the run for 17 months. He was arrested again but it was only made possible because the CIA told the police of Mandela's location and disguise. He was charged for leading workers to strike, and leaving the country illegal to get military training for the sabotage attacks. He was sentenced to life imprisoment.

 The long term affects of his protests on South Africa

The long term affects of Nelson Mandela's protests are huge. Maybe not him by himself but the protest he was involved in helped bring down apartheid in South Africa. This has made blacks have more freedom, priviliges and don't have to catch a different bus, go to a different beach or use a different bathroom.

"If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart." Nelson Mandela  The affect on the rest of the world

Nelson Mandela's protest's have affected the rest of the world. He helped bring a stop to the disrespect, the loss of freedom, loss of privilages and difficulties for the black South Africans. This brought awareness to the rest of the world and helped stop the spread of apartheid to different countries. People around the world were touched by this event and helped inform people of this wrong doing.

 What it means to me and you

Nelson Mandela's protest probably don't mean a lot to you. It affect what you study at school, (in social studies, history) but not much more. To me; it means a bit more as I grew up in Zimbabwe which is closer. If apartheid in South Africa hadn't been 'abolished,' it would have been a nuisance to travel etc... And it might have been 'introduced' to Zimbabwe. The people affected most by the protests would be the black South African's not only at the time but also now-a-days.

References: [|www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/n/nelson_mandela.html] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nelson_Mandela [|www.google.co.nz] (for images)

"There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered". Nelson Mandela

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