was banned, but its members continued
to protest, sometimes violently. The
government arrested ANC leaders,
including Mandela. In 1964 Mandela
was sent to prison.
During the 1970s and 1980s the ANC
gained support among South Africas
people. In 1990 the government lifted
the ban on the party and freed Mandela.
In 1994 an election open to all races was
held. The ANC won control of the legislature,
and Mandela became South Africas
first black president.
#More to explore
Apartheid Mandela, Nelson South
Africa
African Union
In 2002, 53 African countries joined
together to form the African Union
(AU). The leaders of these countries felt
that the union would benefit all the
countries people, governments, and
businesses. The headquarters of the AU
is in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The AU took the place of the Organization
of African Unity (OAU). The OAU
had been formed in 1963. Around that
time Africa was undergoing great
changes. Colonies that had been under
the control of European powers were
Thabo Mbeki stands in front of a
board showing election results.
Mbeki followed Nelson Mandela
as leader of the ANC.
People carry pictures of African
leaders at a ceremony celebrating
the first meeting of the African
Union.
46 African Union BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
becoming independent countries. The
new countries faced many challenges.
The countries set up the OAU so that
they could help each other.
African leaders formed the AU to
improve what the OAU had been doing.
One of the AUs goals is to promote
unity, or togetherness, between African
countries. Other goals are to defend the
member countries and to encourage economic
development. The AU also works
for peace and stability, the end of hunger,
and the protection of human rights.
The leaders of the AU hope to bring all
of Africa under a single, central government
someday. The AU already has its
own parliament, or lawmaking body.
The leaders are also planning a court
system for all of Africa. In addition, they
want the countries of the AU to use a
single form of money.
#More to explore
Addis Ababa Africa
Aging
All living things, from their first
moment of existence, begin the process
of aging, or growing older. As children
move toward adulthood, they become
taller, stronger, and more independent.
At some point in adulthood, however, a
slow decline begins. The onset of aging
happens at different times for different
people. Most people start to feel some
effects of aging in their 40s or 50s.
As people age, their hair often thins and
turns gray, and their skin wrinkles. Their
muscles begin to shrink and their bones
become more fragile. They often lose
some of their height or part of their
vision or hearing. They think more
slowly, and their short-term memory
may suffer. Scientists are not exactly sure
what causes the effects of aging. The
cells of the body might have a built-in
time limit. That limit would determine
how long the cells can remain healthy
and able to create new cells.
Several factors affect how long people
live. One factor is heredity. Long lives
seem to run in families. Another factor
is lifestyle. Physically fit people who do
not smoke will probably age more slowly
and live longer than others. Poverty also
affects how long people live. People who
cannot afford to eat well and go to a
doctor when they are sick may die
before they become old.
Animals age at different rates and live
for different lengths of time. These aging
People of all ages can enjoy spending time
together.
BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Aging 47
rates depend on the type of animal. Rats
may be said to be old at about 2 years,
dogs at about 10 years, and elephants at
about 40 years. For humans, people in
their 60s and older are commonly considered
to be old.
Agriculture
Agriculture is another word for farming.
It includes both growing and harvesting
crops and raising animals, or livestock.
Agriculture provides the food and many
of the raw materials that humans need
to survive.
Raising Plants and Animals
The products of agriculture that people
eat come from both plants and animals.
Plant foods include fruits, vegetables,
and grains. Meat, dairy (milk) products,
and eggs are some of the most common
animal foods.
Plants and animals also supply such
natural materials as cotton, flax, wool,
and hides.Workers process these materials
into thread, cloth, and leather. Then
people use the materials to make such
things as clothing, draperies, shoes, furniture
coverings, and many other items.
Growing trees is another important agricultural
job. Lumber from tree farms is
used to make buildings, furniture, boats,
and many other things. Christmas trees
often come from tree farms, too.
Location andWeather
People practice agriculture on farms, on
ranches, and in orchards all over the
world. Farmers raise crops and livestock
in every climate and in all kinds of different
soil. Some regions receive a lot of
sunlight or rainfall. Others have colder
or drier weather. All places have their
own kinds of agriculture.
Plants and livestock need air, water, and
nourishment to stay alive. If a plant does
not have the kind of soil it needs, it may
die. Similarly, animals also need to have
the right climate and the right food to
survive. Farmers try to raise the kinds of
livestock and plants that will do well in
their region. If they do not have perfect
natural conditions, they try to create the
best conditions possible. For example,
many farmers in dry areas use irrigation,
or artificial watering.
History
Humans may have begun taming animals
and growing small crops as early as
10,000 years ago. However, many early
people were nomads, or wanderers who
moved from place to place. They found
their foods in the wild as they traveled.
They hunted, fished, and gathered nuts,
An ox helps a man plant rice in Vietnam. berries, and roots.
48 Agriculture BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
Eventually people learned to keep some
animals in herds. They stopped roaming
and began to settle in one place for longer
times. They built homes and started to
grow their own crops on the land around
them. The crops provided a more
dependable food supply than hunting
and gathering. Small settlements grew
into villages, towns, and cities.
About 200 years ago the Industrial
Revolution brought great changes to
agriculture. In the past people had used
hand tools and animals to help them
plant and harvest. Machines invented
during the Industrial Revolution made
that work easier. As a result, not as many
workers were needed on farms. Many
people moved away from farms to cities
in search of jobs.
Today most agriculture takes place far
outside big cities. Huge companies control
much of the worlds farmland.
Crops grow on large plots of land with
the help of irrigation and special chemicals.
Farmers raise healthy livestock with
the help of medicine. In poor countries,
however, many people still depend on
their own small farms to survive.
#More to explore
Industrial Revolution Irrigation Soil
AIDS