APARTHEID LEGISLATION AND THE SUPPRESSION OF AFRICAN NATIONALIST MOVEMENT
SUBJECT:
HISTORY
CLASS:
SS 3
TERM:
SECOND TERM
WEEK:
WEEK 9
TOPIC:
APARTHEID LEGISLATION AND THE SUPPRESSION OF AFRICAN NATIONALIST MOVEMENT
[mediator_tech]
PREVIOUS LESSON:
OBJECTIVES
Objectives:
- To understand the origins of apartheid in South Africa
- To learn about the various apartheid laws and their impact on black South Africans
- To explore the resistance to apartheid, particularly the African nationalist movement and its leaders
- To analyze the long-term effects of apartheid on South Africa
Materials:
- PowerPoint presentation
- Handouts
- Video clips
- Whiteboard and markers
CONTENT
Apartheid Legislation and the Suppression of African Nationalist Movement
Hello, Grade 8 pupils! Today, we will discuss a very important part of history called Apartheid, which happened in South Africa, and how it led to the suppression of the African Nationalist Movement.
Apartheid was a system of racial segregation and discrimination that was enforced in South Africa from 1948 to 1994. The word “apartheid” comes from the Afrikaans language and means “apartness” or “separation.” The government at the time, led by the National Party, created this system to separate different racial groups and to maintain white supremacy.
Here are some examples of Apartheid legislation and how they affected the lives of South Africans:
- Population Registration Act (1950): This law required every South African to be classified into a specific racial group: White, Black (African), Coloured (mixed race), or Indian. The government determined your race based on your physical appearance, ancestry, and even social habits. This classification would determine where you could live, work, and attend school.
- Group Areas Act (1950): This law forced people of different races to live in separate areas called “group areas.” For example, a city would have designated areas for Whites, Blacks, Coloureds, and Indians. People of one racial group were not allowed to live in the areas designated for another racial group. This led to the forced removal of millions of people from their homes, often resulting in the destruction of their communities.
- Bantu Education Act (1953): This law created a separate education system for black students, with the aim of limiting their education to the level required for manual labor. The government believed that by providing inferior education to black students, they would not be able to compete with white students for higher-paying jobs. This further entrenched racial inequality and limited opportunities for black South Africans.
These laws, along with many others, led to the suppression of African nationalist movements. These movements sought to fight against the apartheid system and gain equal rights for all South Africans. However, the apartheid government used various tactics to suppress these movements, such as:
- Banning political organizations: The government banned organizations such as the African National Congress (ANC) and the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) in 1960. This made it illegal for these organizations to operate or for people to be members of them.
- Arrests and imprisonment: Many activists, including Nelson Mandela, were arrested and imprisoned for long periods for their opposition to apartheid. Mandela spent 27 years in prison before being released in 1990.
- Violence and intimidation: The government used violence, torture, and intimidation to suppress the anti-apartheid movement. This included the Sharpeville Massacre in 1960, where 69 people were killed by police during a peaceful protest against the pass laws, which restricted the movement of black South Africans.
Despite these challenges, the African Nationalist Movement continued to fight against apartheid, both within South Africa and internationally. Ultimately, the apartheid system was dismantled, and Nelson Mandela became the first black president of South Africa in 1994, marking the end of decades of apartheid
Evaluation
- When did the National Party come to power in South Africa and introduce apartheid legislation? A) 1945 B) 1952 C) 1948 D) 1960
- What was the purpose of the Group Areas Act passed in 1950? A) To regulate the movement of black people within South Africa B) To ensure that black people could not own property in certain areas C) To segregate different racial groups into separate areas D) All of the above
- What was the aim of the Bantu Education Act of 1953? A) To provide black people with equal educational opportunities B) To separate education for different races C) To improve the quality of education for black people D) To train black people for manual labour jobs
- What was the Sharpeville Massacre? A) A protest in which several hundred people were killed by the police B) An event in which a bomb was set off in a government building C) A massacre in which 69 people were killed by the police D) A peaceful protest in which nobody was harmed
- Who was the leader of the African National Congress (ANC) during the 1950s and 1960s? A) Nelson Mandela B) Oliver Tambo C) Steve Biko D) Robert Sobukwe
- What was the aim of the Pass Laws in South Africa? A) To control the movement of black people within the country B) To regulate the sale of alcohol to black people C) To prevent black people from owning property D) All of the above
- What was the name of the system of forced relocation of black people from urban areas to rural areas? A) Apartheid B) Bantustan C) Pass laws D) Group Areas Act
- Who was the South African Prime Minister who began the process of dismantling apartheid in the late 1980s? A) P. W. Botha B) F. W. de Klerk C) Nelson Mandela D) Thabo Mbeki
- What was the aim of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission established in South Africa in 1995? A) To prosecute those responsible for apartheid crimes B) To provide compensation to victims of apartheid C) To investigate human rights violations during apartheid and promote healing and reconciliation D) All of the above
- What was the slogan of the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa? A) “One man, one vote” B) “Black power” C) “Freedom in our lifetime” D) “Amandla Awethu” (Power to the people)
Lesson Presentation
Procedure:
I. Introduction (10 minutes)
- Greet students and introduce the topic
- Share the objectives of the lesson
- Provide a brief overview of the history of South Africa leading up to the apartheid era
II. Presentation (30 minutes)
- Use the PowerPoint presentation to explain the origins of apartheid, its various laws, and their impact on black South Africans
- Use video clips and images to illustrate the apartheid era and its effects on society
- Encourage students to ask questions and participate in class discussion
III. Activity (15 minutes)
- Distribute handouts with questions for students to answer about African nationalist movement and its leaders, such as Nelson Mandela and Steve Biko
- Students can work in pairs or small groups to complete the activity
- Encourage discussion and debate
IV. Conclusion (5 minutes)
- Recap the key points of the lesson
- Emphasize the importance of understanding the history of apartheid in South Africa and its effects on society today
- Encourage students to continue learning about the topic
Assessment:
- Students will be assessed based on their participation in class discussion, completion of the handout activity, and engagement in the lesson as a whole.
Homework:
- Assign a reading or research assignment on the topic of apartheid and its effects on society in South Africa, with a focus on the long-term impact of apartheid on contemporary South African society.
Weekly Assessment /Test
- What is apartheid?
- When did apartheid begin in South Africa?
- What was the purpose of the Group Areas Act of 1950?
- What was the Bantu Education Act of 1953?
- Who was Nelson Mandela?
- What was the Sharpeville Massacre?
- What were the Pass Laws?
- What was the African National Congress (ANC)?
- What was the purpose of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission?
- What was the impact of apartheid on South Africa?
