Friday, April 18, 2008

Nelson Mandela and Apartheid

Apartheid was the segregation in South Africa. There were three terms used for non-whites in the system. Bantu which was Black, and colored or indian for people of mixed race. Until 1990 many places like banks or even bathrooms were made to be used by only one of the Apartheid Races. In 1994 the Apartheid system was finally completley abandoned after years of boycott and violence.

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

African Independence


Following the end of World War II many African nations felt they should no longer be ruled by the Europeans, Some nations like the British helped set up a power transfer from themselves to the people of their colonies. Other Nations like Portugal refused and eventually left their colonies in a state of disrepair. The first colony to achive its indepndence was The Gold Coast which became known as Ghana. Thanks to their leader Kwame Nkrumah and help from the British Ghanawas able to prosper for sometime until their economy collapsed.After that power switched hands often until the first elections in 2000. In Angola a colony of the Portugese it was much worse as Portugal was unwilling to give up their colonies. The Portugese left in 1975 without giving power to anyone. This led to a major civil war between the MPLA and UNITA. In 1995 talks began between the two parties but they broke down and the civil war still continues.