Final answer:
Apartheid in South Africa was a system of racial segregation established in 1948, opposed by the ANC and PAC, with key events including Nelson Mandela's imprisonment, the Soweto uprising, and international sanctions, culminating in its abolition in 1991 and the election of Mandela as president in 1994.
Step-by-step explanation:
Apartheid Events in Order
The following is a chronological summary of key events during the apartheid era:
- In 1948, the South African government established apartheid, separating the population by race.
- Starting in the 1950s, groups like the ANC and PAC began to organize against apartheid with peaceful protests.
- The Sharpeville massacre in 1960 marked a turning point, leading to increased violence and the banning of opposition groups.
- Nelson Mandela, leader of the ANC, was arrested in 1962 and imprisoned for his activism against apartheid.
- In 1976, the Soweto uprising saw the police killing over a hundred schoolchildren, escalating the fight against apartheid.
- Throughout the 1980s, international pressure increased with economic sanctions and boycotts against South Africa.
- In 1991, South Africa officially ended the policy of apartheid, following years of internal and external opposition.
- Finally, in 1994, the first democratic elections were held, and Nelson Mandela became the president.
The end of apartheid was also marked by the release of Nelson Mandela from prison in 1990 and the creation of a new Constitution in 1996, emphasizing human rights.