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Born
Nelson Mandela was born on July 18, 1918 in Mvezo, South Africa. His parents were Nkosi Mphakanyiswa Gadla and Nonqaphi Nosekeni. Originally he was born with the name Rolihaha, which means "pulling the branch of a tree," or troublemaker, but while in school, his teacher renamed him Nelson because it was easier for her to say. This date is significant because the clan he was born into shaped Mandela into contributing to the freedom struggle his people were dealing with (Mandela 1). -
World Event #1: First Winter Olympic Games
The first Winter Olympic Games were held in Chamonix, France in 1924. There were a total of 6 sports and many flocked to watch. Only 258 athletes from 16 countries competed. The games consisted of speed skating, bobsleighs, ski jumps, hockey, figure skating, and curling. Less than 12 women competed in the games, and they were all figure skaters. This event is significant because its success led to many other bigger, and better, Olympic games to follow ("First Winter Olympics"). -
World Event #2: Big Bang Theory is Proposed
The big bang theory is the top reason for how the universe was formed. The very popular theory was proposed by Georges Lemaître in 1927. The creation of the universe apparently began with a single atom that expanded over billions of years. The now giant form exploded 10 to 20 billion years ago at 10 billion degrees Fahrenheit. The Big Bang Theory is significant because it is the first most logical and well supported explanation for how the universe began and how the universe actually is(Howell). -
World Event #3: Penicillin is Discovered
Alexander Fleming was the first person to discover Penicillin. Fleming found the future antibiotic after looking through petri dishes covered in bacteria, but also found a mold that prevented bacteria growth called penicillium notatum. Before the discovery, there were no effective treatments for pneumonia, gonorrhea, blood poisoning, or the rheumatic fever. Penicillin was the first effective antibiotic that killed microbial species ("Discovery & Development of Penicillin"). -
World Event #4: Great Depression Begins
The Great Depression was caused by the stock market crashing and several other underlying problems. This depression began in 1929 and ended in 1939. Many western societies experienced this as their most severe depression in history. The industrial production fell 47% while the employment rate dropped 20%. Much of the population was poverty stricken. This event is significant because it left a long lasting impact on many western countries, especially the United States (Romer). -
Forms the ANC Youth League
In 1944 Nelson Mandela created the African National Congress Youth League. The aim for this organization is to encourage the younger generation to take action against racism. As the ANYCL grew larger, Mandela excelled and rose in rank. Because of the members’ efforts, the ANC became more radical. The importance of the ANYCL is that the youth of the country were now able to be advocates against the unfair laws and discrimination and the group is still in use today ("Biography of Nelson Mandela"). -
Arrested for Treason
In 1956 Nelson Mandela was captured for treason against the country of South Africa. He was on trial for five years before being released. Many citizens were relieved because the charge of high treason could result in the punishment of death. This event was significant because it was the first of several arrests and the first time authorities took action against Mandela (Tessendorf 160). -
World Event #5: Soviet Union Releases "Sputnik"
Sputnik was the world's first artificial satellite. Its launch officially started the "Space Age" and the "Space Race" between the US and USSR. Sputnik took 98 minutes to orbit the Earth in an elliptical path. The release improved scientific, military, and technological studies (Garber). -
Sentenced to five years in prison
Nelson Mandela was captured and sentenced to 5 years in prison in 1962. Mandela was caught after leaving the country illegally and starting strikes. He was admitted into the Pretortia Local Prison, but was only located there for a year. This event is significant in Nelson Mandela's life because this arrest and imprisonment lead the authorities to look further into Mandela's connections, which led to his life imprisonment in 1962 (Tyle 1217). -
Life sentence in prison
After his arrest in 1962, Mandela was tried again in 1963 on a high charge of treason. Mandela and 10 others were punished with a lifetime sentence in prison because of "sabotage and violence." Mandela was admitted into the maximum security prison of Robben Island where he was treated much worse than the white prisoners. He was imprisoned for a total of 27 years (Tyle 1217). -
Released from lifetime imprisonment
After 27 years, Nelson Mandela was finally released from prison. His original sentence was for life, but as President de Klerk was elected, he freed Mandela of all charges and allowed him and the others to be free. Mandela states that the experience "transformed him" and taught him how to be strong. Thousands of people came together in joy as he was declared free. The significance of this event is that Nelson Mandela was able to move forward and accomplish greater things (Griffiths 60). -
Earns Nobel Peace Prize
On December 10, 1993 Nelson Mandela and Willem de Klerk received the Nobel Peace Prize. The ceremony took place in Oslo City Hall in Norway. They earned this award for their peaceful negotiations and creating the foundation for an equal South Africa. This event is significant because it proved the progress that he made and acted as an award for his continuous struggle for equality (Tyle 1218). -
Became First President of South Africa
One of the most significant events in South African history was Nelson Mandela's presidency from 1994 to 1999. Millions of people flocked to vote for Mandela, where he won the majority. His presidency marked the first ever multiethnic government in the world. Mandela chose de Klerk as his vice president. He was able to make strides to unify the country during his term (Mandela 2). -
Launches His Autobiography "A Long Walk to Freedom"
While in prison, Nelson Mandela passed the time by writing. He was able to finish a rough draft for his autobiography "A Long Walk to Freedom" in which he published 5 years after being released. In order to get the papers off of Robben Island, Mandela had to smuggle them. The autobiography is important because it gives information about his underground operations and his treatment in prison, which almost nobody had known about (Tyle 1218). -
World Event #6: Euro Created
Following the creation of the European Union, EU, the Euro was introduced as a common form of currency. The aim was to make EU countries more successful and powerful, but this idea backfired. The Euro was seen as well thought out, but ended up leaving many people in debt. However, the Euro was important because it allowed people to easily trade, travel, and brought unity to the countries of the European Union (Schmidt). -
Death
Nelson Mandela died at the age of 95 years old in Johannesburg, South Africa. Mandela was often sick before he died, usually being found in hospitals all over the country. Many people worried each time he seemed to disappear. His funeral was broadcasted all over the world, and many speakers praised Mandela, including Obama stating, "We've lost one of the most influential, courageous, and profoundly good human beings that any of us will share time with on earth." (Karimi)
