Answer:
Nelson Mandela wrote his speech "I Am Prepared to Die" in 1964, while he was on trial for treason. At the time, South Africa was under apartheid, a system of racial segregation that had been in place since the early 20th century. Apartheid denied black South Africans basic rights, such as the right to vote, the right to own property, and the right to live in certain areas.
Mandela and his co-defendants were accused of founding Umkhonto we Sizwe, a militant group that had been formed to fight against apartheid. In his speech, Mandela defended his actions and argued that Umkhonto we Sizwe was a necessary response to the violence of apartheid. He also spoke about his hopes for a future South Africa in which all people would be treated equally.
Mandela's speech was a powerful indictment of apartheid and a call for freedom and equality. It helped to galvanize support for the anti-apartheid movement and played a role in the eventual downfall of apartheid.
Here are some of the historical circumstances that led Nelson Mandela to write this speech:
- The system of apartheid in South Africa, which denied black South Africans basic rights
- The founding of Umkhonto we Sizwe, a militant group that had been formed to fight against aparthei
- Mandela's arrest and trial for treason
- Mandela hopes for a future South Africa in which all people would be treated equally.