McGraw-Hill SocialStudies 2003 Return to Unit List
Grade 4
Lesson Review Lesson Review
Unit 2: The Southeast
Chapter 4: History and Economy of the Southeast
Lesson 3: The World Around Us: Building a New Government
 
Type your name:

 
B>South African Independence

Dutch settlers first formed a colony at in the 1700s. The British took control of South Africa from the Dutch in 1814. In 1948, the white leaders created a system of laws called . This means "apartness." Apartheid took away the rights and freedoms of blacks in South Africa. They were forced to live in townships. are crowded areas for blacks in or near cities.

The End of Apartheid

was a black lawyer who became leader in the fight against apartheid. The government put him in prison to stop his protests. became president of South Africa in 1989. He released Nelson Mandela from prison in 1990. Mandela had been imprisoned for 27 years. Mandela, de Klerk, and other leaders called for national elections to be held in 1994. It was the first time all South Africans had the right to . Nelson Mandela was elected president. A for South Africa was signed into law on December 10, 1996. Like the United States Constitution, the South African Constitution also has a that protects the rights of all people in the country.

Check Answers