Nelson Mandela and Apartheid
Completed worksheets in simple English.
Worksheet 1 Nelson Mandela
Vocabulary
| English | Deutsch |
|---|---|
| against all odds | entgegen allen Erwartungen |
| to groom somebody for something | jemanden auf etwas vorbereiten |
| pre-arranged marriage | arrangierte Ehe |
| to come face-to-face with something | etwas unmittelbar erleben |
| to get first-hand experience | etwas aus erster Hand erfahren |
| to adopt an attitude | eine Haltung einnehmen |
| non-violent disobedience | gewaltfreier Ungehorsam |
| gatherings | Versammlungen |
| to set up a law firm | eine Rechtsanwaltskanzlei gründen |
| to charge somebody with something | jemanden wegen etwas anklagen |
| treason | Hochverrat oder Landesverrat |
| to take a toll on somebody’s life | das Leben stark belasten |
| to outlaw somebody or something | jemanden oder etwas für illegal erklären |
| non-violent resistance | gewaltfreier Widerstand |
| to gain support for a cause | Unterstützung für ein Anliegen gewinnen |
| conspiracy | Verschwörung |
| to stand trial for something | wegen etwas vor Gericht stehen |
| to defend | verteidigen |
| to renounce | aufgeben oder auf etwas verzichten |
| on the condition that | unter der Bedingung, dass |
| in a landslide | mit einem überwältigenden Wahlsieg |
| unyielding | unnachgiebig |
Nelson Mandela’s biography
1. Who was Nelson Mandela? Why is he seen as one of the most inspirational figures in history?
Nelson Mandela was a South African lawyer, an anti-apartheid leader and the country’s first Black president. He fought for equal rights and spent 27 years in prison. After his release, he helped South Africa become a democracy. He is inspirational because he continued to fight for freedom despite great personal suffering. He encouraged reconciliation between Black and white South Africans instead of revenge. He served as president from 1994 to 1999.
2. Choose one of his revolutionary acts and describe it. Why is it striking?
In 1952, Mandela and Oliver Tambo opened a law firm in Johannesburg. They helped Black South Africans who suffered under discriminatory laws and often struggled to find legal support. This was striking because Mandela used the law to defend people in a system that treated them unfairly. He challenged injustice through practical help as well as political action.
Sources: Learners’ biography, Life and Times exhibition.
Nelson Mandela’s funeral and memorial service
3. How did people mourn him?
People gathered to remember Mandela and celebrate his life. They sang struggle songs, danced, prayed and paid tribute to him. There was sadness, but also pride and gratitude for what he had achieved. Thousands attended the memorial service in Johannesburg, together with leaders from around the world.
Source: Rain doesn’t keep mourners from Mandela memorial.
4. What was remarkable about Obama’s speech and his behaviour prior to it?
Before his speech, Barack Obama shook hands with Cuban leader Raúl Castro, although their countries had a long history of hostility. This gesture reflected Mandela’s belief in reconciliation. In his speech, Obama praised Mandela’s courage and his belief in our shared humanity, known as ubuntu. He also challenged leaders who praised Mandela but did not respect freedom and equality themselves.
Sources: Obama’s memorial speech, CNN report and transcript.
5. In which way did the pouring rain suit the occasion?
The rain could be seen as a symbol of tears and the sadness of losing Mandela. At the same time, many mourners regarded rain as a blessing in their tradition. It therefore suited an occasion that combined mourning with gratitude and a celebration of his life.
Source for the cultural meaning: Report on the memorial service. The comparison with tears is an interpretation.
The rainy stadium ceremony took place on 10 December 2013. It was the memorial service; Mandela’s burial took place in Qunu on 15 December.
Nelson Mandela quotations
6. Choose a quotation, connect it to Mandela’s life and explain your choice.
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
— Nelson Mandela
Mandela’s education helped him become a lawyer and understand how to challenge unfair laws. Under apartheid, Black children were deliberately given fewer educational opportunities. His quotation shows that knowledge can help people question discrimination and improve society. I chose this quotation because it reminds me that learning is useful beyond school: it can help us stand up for others and make fairer decisions.
Sources: Quotation on BrainyQuote, Mandela Foundation biography.
Worksheet 2 Documentaries
Apartheid in 90 seconds
Task: Summarize the main facts about apartheid in about 100 words.
Apartheid was a system of racial segregation in South Africa, introduced by the National Party in 1948. It gave the white minority political power and denied equal rights to the Black majority. People were separated in schools, residential areas and public facilities. Interracial marriage was banned, and pass laws restricted Black people’s movement. Opposition grew through protests, strikes and organisations such as the ANC. The government responded with violence and imprisonment. International sanctions and boycotts increased pressure. Nelson Mandela was released in 1990. In 1994, South Africa held its first democratic national elections with universal adult suffrage, and Mandela became president.
Sources: United Nations and the struggle against apartheid, Mandela Foundation timeline.
Mandela His Life
1. “I was not born in the hunger to be free – I was free.” What does he mean, and where did his hunger come from later on?
As a child, Mandela felt free because he could run, swim and explore the countryside. Later, he realised that this freedom was limited: as a Black South African, he did not have the same rights as white people. His hunger for freedom grew when he understood that his whole community was oppressed.
2. Why did he have access to such good education?
Mandela belonged to the Thembu royal family. His father was a chief and an adviser to the Thembu regent. After his father’s death, the regent, Jongintaba, became his guardian and supported his education. This gave him opportunities that most Black children did not have.
3. Why was his move to Johannesburg of great importance?
He moved to Johannesburg in 1941 to escape an arranged marriage. In the city, he experienced racial discrimination in everyday working life and met people such as Walter Sisulu. These experiences helped him become politically active and join the struggle for equal rights.
4. What were his jobs there?
He first worked as a security guard at a gold mine, then as a clerk and trainee in a law firm. Later, he became a lawyer and opened a law firm with Oliver Tambo. Membership of the ANC was political involvement, rather than a job.
Sources for answers 1–4: the worksheet’s key, checked against the Foundation biography and learners’ biography.
5. With which expression did the National Party describe apartheid?
It described apartheid as “good neighbourliness”. This made racial separation sound friendly and fair, although it actually protected white power and denied other people equal rights.
Source: the worksheet’s key.
6. What is the Freedom Charter?
The Freedom Charter is a statement adopted by the Congress of the People in 1955, supported by the ANC and allied organisations. It called for a democratic South Africa with equal rights for all races. It also demanded fair opportunities in areas such as education, work and housing.
7. Why and when was Mandela charged with high treason?
Mandela was arrested on 5 December 1956, along with other anti-apartheid activists. The government accused them of trying to overthrow the state. Their campaigning and the Freedom Charter were used against them. Mandela was eventually acquitted in 1961.
Source for answers 6–7: Freedom Charter anniversary.
8. What happened in 1960?
On 21 March 1960, police killed 69 people during a protest against pass laws in Sharpeville. These laws controlled Black people’s movement and required them to carry documents. The government then declared a state of emergency and banned the ANC and the PAC.
9. Why did the ANC renounce peaceful protest in the 1960s?
Government violence and the banning of opposition organisations convinced Mandela and other activists that peaceful protest alone could not succeed. In 1961, he helped establish Umkhonto we Sizwe, an armed organisation linked to the ANC. It initially focused on sabotage against infrastructure, aiming to avoid loss of life.
Source for answers 8–9: Foundation biography.
10. What does the number 466/64 refer to?
It was Mandela’s prisoner number on Robben Island. He was registered as prisoner 466 in 1964. The number later became an international symbol associated with him.
Source: Mandela’s prison numbers.
11. How did the world help to end apartheid? Were there people in South Africa besides the ANC who fought discrimination?
International campaigns, economic sanctions and sporting and cultural boycotts increased pressure on the government. Musicians also raised awareness through songs and concerts. Within South Africa, students, trade unions, religious leaders and many other organisations resisted apartheid. People from different racial backgrounds took part, including Archbishop Desmond Tutu and supporters of the United Democratic Front.
Sources: the worksheet’s key and United Nations history in South Africa.
12. Why is 1990 an important year?
The government lifted the ban on the ANC and other political organisations. Mandela was released from prison on 11 February 1990 after 27 years. These changes opened the way for negotiations to end apartheid and establish democracy.
13. Why is 1994 such a landmark in South African history?
South Africa held its first democratic national elections in which adults of all races could vote. The ANC won, and Mandela became the country’s first Black president. He was inaugurated on 10 May 1994. This marked the transition from white minority rule to a democratic government.
Source for answers 12–13: Foundation timeline.