In what year did the National Party win the election and officially introduce apartheid in South Africa?

The National Party won the elections in 1948, which is significant as this event marked the official introduction of apartheid in South Africa. Following their victory, the National Party implemented a policy of racial segregation that created a system of institutionalized discrimination against non-white South Africans. The apartheid regime fundamentally affected all aspects of life in South Africa, including education, healthcare, and access to resources, and enforced strict racial classifications.

The years provided in the other options do not correspond to the introduction of apartheid. For instance, 1952 is notable for events such as the Defiance Campaign against apartheid, but it was not the year the policy was officially implemented. The year 1960 marked significant protests, including the Sharpeville Massacre, which raised international awareness and condemnation of apartheid but came after its official establishment. Lastly, 1961 was when the armed resistance group Umkhonto we Sizwe was formed in response to apartheid, rather than the initiation of the policy itself. Thus, 1948 is recognized as the critical year when apartheid began as an official policy of the South African government.