Apartheid Time Line

Boer War – 1899 In 1899 the second Boer war erupted. It was a war between in essence between the Dutch and the British. Between 1834-1840 Boers left the cape Colony in a 'Great Trek' and founded the Transvaal. In the late 1850s the Transvaal was proclaimed a republic and in 1877 Britain annexed the Transvaal. The Boers, original descendants of the Dutch and were farmers but when diamonds and gold were discovered a conflict ignited between the highly competitive European nations. In 1902 the Treaty of Vereeniging ends the second Boer war and the Transvaal is made a self-governing colony of the British Empire.

The African National Congress (ANC) – 1912 The South African Native National Congress (SANNC) is founded in 1912 to increase the rights of the black South African population. John Dube is the first president as one of the founders in conjunct with Sol Plaatje. In 1923 the organization was renamed the African National Congress. It has been the majority supported party since 1994.

The Native Lands Act – 1913 The (native) African population, which represents 80% of the South Africa's total population is given only 7.3% of land while European(s) (whites) posses the rest. The natives aren't allowed to own anywhere but within their specified territory and cannot be on “European land” unless they are working for whites.

South Africa becomes an independent country. – 1931 In 1910 the Union of South Africa is created from the former British colonies known as the Cape, the Transvaal, and the Orange Free State. While the union of South Africa defined the boundaries of the country it was still mainly controlled by European descendants. In 1931 came independence from white minority rule.

Policy of apartheid adopted when the National Party (NP) takes power. - 1948 The policy of apartheid is put in place in an effort to promote control and enforce European superiority. Soon after the policy is initiated laws are put in place to classify population by race and segregate blacks and whites.

Population Registration Act – 1950 In 1950 an act was passed that divided the people into three racial groups. People were divided into either the white, colored, or native group and were not allowed to marry anyone outside of their racial group. This act further divided the people and weakened their unity

Bantu Homelands Act – 1951 Millions lose their citizenship as South Africans and are considered foreigners in white controlled parts of South Africa. The lands reserved for black Africans are declared independent nations and the white controlled parts which make up the most of South Africa remain.

Abolition of Passes and coordination of Documents Act – 1952 The name for this act is misleading. This acts true nature was to require all Africans to carry identification booklets with their names, addresses, fingerprints, and other information. Between the years of 1948 and 1973 millions of Africians were arrested for not having passes that were in order. A common protest of this act was the burning of pass books.

Sharpeville Massacre – 1960 A sizable group refuses to follow legal protocol by carrying their passes. The government retaliates by fining, imprisoning, and whippings. At least seventy die and a hundred and eighty-seven are wounded. The ANC and the Pan-African Congress are banned.

Nelson Mandela is jailed – 1964 For years leading up to this event Mandela had been advocating for the native people and leading the ANC to engage in a civil disobedience campaign. In 1961 he became the head of the ANC's newly created military wing. He was imprisoned for planning sabotage.

SOWETO uprising – 1976 Since 1948 when an Afrikaner-led South African government was elected and promised a new beginning for the country people were dissatisfied. Soon after coming into power this new white government put apartheid and a series of laws and regulations into place, mainly to repress