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... National Congress (ANC), initially as an activist. The ANC was a political party, begun in 1912, founded to protect and defend the rights of the black majority. They organized peaceful protests, and passed documents arguing for the freedom and equality of Black South Africans. Within the next one year, Mandela and 2 of his close friends formed the Youth League of the ANC. In 1956, Mandela, along with 155 other political activists, were accused of a conspiracy to violently overthrow the government, and charged with high treason. However, the charges were dropped after a four-year trial. In 1960, the government began to feel threatened by Mandela and the ANC. The South African police opened fire on men women and children who were protesting the new Pass Laws, which limited the movement of Black South Africans. 69 people were killed, and the ANC was banned, forcing Mandela to continue his work ...