Short & Long Questions: History of South Africa: Apartheid and After | Footprints Class 7: Book Solutions, Notes & Worksheets PDF Download

Short Answer Questions

Q1: What did Nelson Mandela dedicate his life to?
Ans: Nelson Mandela dedicated his life to ending the racist system of apartheid in South Africa and fighting against racial discrimination and injustice.

Q2: When was Nelson Mandela released from prison?
Ans: Nelson Mandela was released from prison in the year 1990 after spending 27 years incarcerated.

Q3: What did Nelson Mandela and President Frederik Willem de Klerk receive the Nobel Peace Prize for?
Ans: They were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for their efforts towards peacefully ending the apartheid regime and laying the foundations for a new democratic South Africa.

Q4: What does the term 'apartheid' mean?
Ans: Apartheid means 'apartness' or 'being apart', representing a theory of racial separation and superiority of white people over other races.

Q5: What major event occurred on 9 August 1956 in South Africa?
Ans: On 9 August 1956, 20,000 women protested at the Union Buildings in Pretoria against the government's plans to introduce pass books for women, leading to a significant delay in the implementation of this policy.

Q6: What was the Pan African Congress (PAC) unhappy about regarding the ANC?
Ans: The PAC was unhappy with the efforts made by the ANC to end apartheid and believed that more action was necessary.

Q7: What event led to the formation of armed resistance groups against apartheid?
Ans: The Sharpeville massacre in 1960, where 69 people were killed by the police, led to the formation of armed resistance groups.

Q8: What were the names of the armies formed by the ANC and the PAC to fight apartheid?
Ans: The ANC formed Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) and the PAC formed Poqo.

Q9: What significant event happened on 27 April 1994 in South Africa?
Ans: Twenty million South Africans voted in the country's first democratic elections, with the ANC winning with 62% of the votes.

Q10: What was the significance of Nelson Mandela's release in 1990?
Ans: Nelson Mandela's release marked a turning point in the fight against apartheid and ultimately led to the end of apartheid in South Africa.

Long Answer Questions

Q1: Describe the formation of armed resistance against apartheid in the 1960s. 
Ans:

• Background of Armed Resistance: In the 1960s, discontent within the Pan African Congress (PAC) and African National Congress (ANC) led to the formation of armed resistance against apartheid. 
• Sharpeville Massacre: The PAC organized a protest in Sharpeville in 1960, resulting in a tragic event where police shot at protesters, killing 69 people and injuring many others. This incident fueled the need for more decisive action against apartheid. 
• Banning of ANC and PAC: Following the Sharpeville massacre, the government banned the ANC and PAC, leading to the arrest of thousands of their supporters and the exile of their leaders. 
• Formation of Resistance Armies: The ANC formed Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK), which targeted government infrastructure initially. The PAC established Poqo, which engaged in targeted assassinations.
• Government Response and Impact: In response, the government arrested and sentenced many members of these resistance movements. Leaders like Nelson Mandela were imprisoned. By the end of the 1960s, the armed resistance had weakened significantly.

Q2: Explain the significance of mass democratic movements in the 1970s and 1980s in the fight against apartheid. 
Ans:

• Shift in Leadership: With key ANC and PAC leaders either exiled or imprisoned, the 1970s saw a rise in student-led resistance movements, such as the South African Students' Organisation (SASO), inspired by the Black Consciousness Movement. 
• Soweto Uprisings: The Soweto Uprisings in 1976 highlighted the resistance of black students against apartheid policies, particularly the imposition of Afrikaans in schools, which sparked widespread protests and international attention. 
• United Democratic Front (UDF): In the 1980s, the UDF emerged as a crucial anti-apartheid organization, uniting over 400 groups and advocating for various forms of resistance, such as boycotts and protests. 
• Role of Trade Unions: Trade unions played a significant role in opposing apartheid, fighting for both workers' rights and political freedoms when many resistance organizations were banned.
• Transition to Democracy: The mass resistance in the 1980s contributed to the increasing pressure on the apartheid government, ultimately leading to the start of negotiations and the eventual dismantling of apartheid under F. W. de Klerk, culminating in the first democratic elections in 1994. 

Q3: Explain the concept of apartheid and its historical background.
Ans: Apartheid was a system of racial segregation in South Africa that enforced the separation of different racial groups, primarily between the white minority and the non-white majority.

• Apartheid, which means 'apartness', aimed to keep races separate in various aspects like socially, economically, and geographically.
• According to this ideology, white people were considered superior and were to hold higher positions in society.
• The policy also sought to keep the nations of black and coloured people separate from the white Afrikaners.
• Historically, apartheid was legalized by the National Party in 1948, but the roots of segregation in South Africa can be traced back to the early colonial periods.
• Since the arrival of European colonizers like the Dutch in the 17th century, conflicts and displacement of indigenous African tribes marked the beginning of racial tensions in the region.

Q4: Discuss the resistance to apartheid in the 1950s and its impact.
Ans: During the 1950s, various groups in South Africa employed passive resistance to challenge the apartheid regime:

• The Defiance Campaign of 1952, led by organizations like the ANC and the South African Indian Congress, aimed to break apartheid laws through peaceful protests.
• Thousands were arrested for acts of civil disobedience, such as using whites-only facilities and violating segregation laws.
• In response, the government tightened its grip by introducing more oppressive laws and censorship measures.
• The ANC's inclusive approach attracted more supporters, fostering a sense of unity against apartheid policies.
• Notable events like the 1956 women's protest in Pretoria highlighted the widespread discontent and resistance against discriminatory laws, leading to delays in the enforcement of certain apartheid policies.

Q5: Explain the key legislative measures enacted to enforce apartheid in South Africa.
Ans: The National Party implemented several laws between 1949 and 1953 to institutionalize apartheid:

• The Prohibition of Mixed Marriages Act in 1949 made marriages between black and white individuals illegal.
• The Population Registration Act classified individuals based on race, including Native (black), European, Indian, and Coloured.
• The Group Areas Act segregated living areas based on race, forcing relocation if living in a designated area for another race.
• The Separate Representation of Voters Act removed coloured voters' rights, exacerbating racial disenfranchisement.
• Other laws like the Natives (Abolition of Passes and Co-ordination of Documents) Act and Reservation of Separate Amenities Act enforced strict racial segregation and control over black populations.