Sharpeville Massacre

1.) On March 21, approximately 7000 people met in the town of Sharpeville at a local police station to rebel against the pass laws which limited the movement of non white humans (African Americans). The people who rebelled used many different methods to express their frustration. One of the important methods used was when they all offered themselves to be arrested for not carrying their passbooks at the present moment. The PAC used different types of methods to attract other African Americans to rebel. Some of these methods include cutting the telephone lines, distribution of pamphlets informing the on goers about not going to work, and the coercion of bus drivers.
2.) This revolution is not similar to an entire revolution but only to a part of the American Revolution, the Boston Massacre. The Boston Massacre occurred when a group of civilians threw snowballs at a group of soldiers to protest against the stamp act, and a few other acts that were declared at that time. More and more people joined and after an approximate crowd of 350 surrounding the soldiers they loaded their muskets. The soldiers fired and three civilians were killed during the firing and 2 died after the event. The captain claimed that he did not yell fire because he was standing in front of the guns, and claimed that the audience where the ones who shouted “Fire”. At the massacre of Sharpeville once again the protesting crowd grew over time but instead of throwing snowballs at the soldiers they threw rocks at the policemen. The “inexperienced” policeman opened fire. Just like the captain at The Boston Massacre, the captain at The Sharpeville massacre claimed that he did not tell his troops to “Fire” and that he would not have done so.
3.) During the Sharpeville massacre 69 people were killed including 10 children, 8 women along with more than 180 people being injured including 19 children, and 31 women. The massacre created riots, protests, marches, and strikes during the following week. The United Nation followed the protests and marches with international protest including condemnation. On 1960 the UN passed Resolution 134. Africa took a turning point and found that it became isolated from the rest of the world. The PAC and the ANC were banned, as they changed from a passive resistance to an armed resistance.
4.) I believe that the people who rebelled against the pass laws, in the Sharpeville massacre had the right to act against what they didn’t believe in because the pass laws were limiting who they were since berth. If the people of Africa had not rebelled they would probably be suffering a lot more than they are now. I think that they should not have resorted to throwing rocks at the policemen but they should have resorted to more peaceful manners by just marching through the streets even if to succeed they had had to march for more than a day without stopping.
5.) The Sharpeville massacre did follow the basic outline that Briton Crane had made. The African Americans who were rebelling “Loudly expressed its anger over economic restraints placed upon by the government” by doing small things like refusing to go to work, and cutting the telephone lines. The government in Africa was not able to handle the people and more and more African American start to gather. During “The Rising Fever” the people start to march in a group of 5000 to 7000 people down the streets, and start throwing rocks at the policemen. During “Crisis” the policemen opened fire and shot over 60 people, where most were shot at the back while running away. I believe that there was no Covalence period because things got a lot worse after the revolution.
Bibliography:
"Sharpeville massacre." Wikipedia. 18 Jan 2008. Wikipedia Foundation Inc.. 27 Jan 2008 . " Boston Massacre." Wikipedia. 27 Jan 2008. Wikipedia Foundation Inc.. 27 Jan 2008 . 
Corporation, British Broadcasting. "On This Day 21 March." BBC. 12 March 1960. British Broadcasting Corporation. 27 Jan 2008 .