Nature, development and effectiveness of resistance 1955-78 Flashcards
When was the Freedom Charter?
1955 - read out at a nationwide meeting organised by ANC. Held in Kliptown on 26th June
What 3 things did 1955 Freedom Charter do?
Brought together delegates from many different organisations such as Trade Unions and Indian Congress
Charter acted as a manifesto for ANC, detailing a clear statement of their demands
Showed many people ANC’s aims and acted as a basis for their campaign for a long time
what happened in 1960?
Sharpeville protest
when did the Sharpeville protest occur?
21st March
What did the 1960 Sharpeville protest result in?
Police fired into crowd as they ran and killed 69
Put gov into crisis and led to them banning ANC
International outrage
When was Mandela arrested and what did this mean?
1962 - meant ANC’s leader was gone
When was the Rivonia Trial?
1963-4
What happened during the Rivonia Trials?
Mandela and 10 other opponents of apartheid were put on trial where they were accused of sabotage and conspiracy
Mandela sentenced to life imprisonment - but able to speak for 3 hours at trial
Gained a lot of notice
What was set up in 1969?
SASO (South African students organisation) by Steve Biko
What did the SASO do?
Opposed apartheid system
First black student/political group that was legally allowed to exist
when was the Soweto Uprising?
1976
what happened during Soweto uprising 1976?
1000’s of students gathered at their schools to protests education system
Then decided to march to Orlando soccer stadium but were stopped by police
2 students were shot
Sparked huge uprising from many and angered many people
When was the Treason Trial?
1956-61
what started the treason trial?
Following charter 156 people were arrested that were connected with it (105 black africans, 23 whites, 21 Indians & 7 coloureds)
What were the people in the treason trial accused of?
Treason of supporting communism and supporting a communist organisation but some hadn’t even been in Kliptown
What happened during the Treason Trial?
Badly organised so dragged on for years
In jail the accused were able to meet together and plan
lots of media coverage
what was the result of the trial?
Unable to carry out political activity and excluded for 5 years
in 1952 in Johannesburg who led women’s anti-pass demonstrations?
Albertina Sisulu
What happened to anti-pass demonstrations in 1956?
women asked to meet with minister of pass laws
minister refused which led to a massive all women demonstration where they occupied gov office in Pretoria
protested without getting harmed
What were shebeens and what did the government do to them?
Women could earn money brewing beer and selling it in a sheen but it was banned by the government
Police raided them and fined women heavily
In Cato manor, near Durban police raided and burnt beer halls
When did bus boycotts take place?
1957
why did 1957 bus protests take place and what happened during them?
some busses raised fares
in township of Alexandra people boycotted the busses and walked 32km instead
harassed by police but fares were decreased
What did government try to do to livestock in homelands?
introduce a cattle killing policy to improve rest of livestock as homelands were too crowded
How did people revolt against cattle killing policy?
Revolt in Pondoland went on for several years but was eventually stamped out
Some chiefs refused and were removed
managed to stop policy but raids happened
How big was the group of protesters at Sharpeville?
5000
How many were wounded in Sharpeville massacre?
180
What happened to Sharpeville massacre pictures?
printed in newspapers all around the world
In April 1960 what did the UN security council ask SA to do?
Abandon apartheid
What happened in SA for the next few days after Sharpeville?
riots in SA and a further 86 people were killed
What happened in the Cape Town protest after Sharpeville?
Around 30,000 marched through the town to protest. police promised leader a meeting but when he turned up he was arrested
what did black workers in the city do after Sharpeville?
3 week strike
What did the ANC do on 28th March 1960?
organised protest day where people stayed home followed by a mass burning of passes
what did the government declare on 30th March 1960?
state of emergency that lasted until august
What happened to ANC and PAC in April 1960?
banned
What was the MK and what did it do?
set up by mandela
opted for violence against property
HQ in Rivonia
Bombings started in 1961
Due to Sharpeville how much was withdrawn by foreign investors?
£100 million
how were the killers in Sharpeville treated?
no-one was arrested
law passed to say no-one could go to court over massacre
What was the Black Consciousness Movement?
Grass roots anti-apartheid activist movement that emerged in SA in mid- 60’s out of the political vacuum created by jailing and banning of ANC and PAC after Sharpeville
How was the BCM carried out?
Through art, literature, music, thought, philosophy
What was the BCM inspired by?
black is beautiful campaign in the US civil rights campaign
How was music used in BCM movement?
Soweto jazz festival
SA artists e.g Dollar Brand
what happened to SA economy in 1973 and why?
worldwide economic crisis
SA suffered wage reductions, longer hours and poorer working conditions
What did black workers do in 1973?
went on strike - effective as the workers mainly commuted from Zulu homeland and therefore united by leaders and ethnic loyalty
What was the immediate consequence of 1973 strikes?
Due to solidarity of workers, employees were forced to give in and restore wages to previous levels
Was the long term consequence of the 1973 strikes?
Many workers learnt lesson from strike and trade unions started to form again
state 4 causes of Soweto uprising 1976
Many children wanted to be educated (3.5 million in 1975)
SA businesses also needed better educated workers in their offices
Schools were very run down - around 60-100 children in one class
Gov had announced that some subjects such as Maths, History and Geography were going to be in Afrikaans - a language that only some whites spoke
When did the Soweto Uprisings begin?
June 16th 1976
During the 1976 uprisings how many people were tortured and killed by government?
1000 (gov said only 600)
When was the Bantu Education decree?
1974 - use of Afrikaans
As a result of the Soweto Uprisings how many students went abroad to join ANC and MK?
14,000
