Apartheid in South Africa - Grade 9 History

Comprehensive practice flashcards covering the history of Apartheid in South Africa, including key laws, resistance movements, major events from the 1950s to the 1990s, and the transition to democracy.

When was Apartheid officially introduced in South Africa and by which political party?

It was officially introduced in 1948 by the National Party.

What does the word "apartheid" mean in Afrikaans?

It means "apartness".

What was the Prohibition of Mixed Marriages Act (1949)?

A law that made it illegal for people of different races to marry.

Which 1950 law classified every South African into racial groups such as White, Black, Coloured, or Indian?

The Population Registration Act (1950).

What did the Group Areas Act (1950) mandate?

It forced different racial groups to live in separate residential areas and removed many people from their homes.

What were Black South Africans required to carry at all times under the Pass Laws of 1952?

They were required to carry passbooks to control where they could live and work.

What was the purpose of the Bantu Education Act (1953)?

It created a separate and inferior education system for Black learners, preparing them mainly for low-paid work.

Which 1953 law legalized separate public facilities such as buses, beaches, and hospitals?

The Separate Amenities Act (1953).

Which organisations organised the Defiance Campaign in 1952?

The African National Congress (ANC) and the South African Indian Congress (SAIC).

Where and when was the Freedom Charter drafted?

At the Congress of the People in Kliptown, Soweto, on 26 June 1955.

What was the government's reaction to the Freedom Charter in 1956?

They called it "Communist propaganda" and arrested 156 leaders, including Nelson Mandela, in the Treason Trial.

Who led the Women's March on 9 August 1956?

Activists like Lilian Ngoyi, Helen Joseph, Rahima Moosa, and Sophia Williams-De Bruyn.

What protest song was sung during the 1956 Women's March?

"Wathint' Abafazi, Wathint' Imbokodo!" which means "You strike a woman, you strike a rock!"

Who was the leader of the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) when it was formed in 1959?

Robert Sobukwe.

How many people were killed in the Sharpeville Massacre on 21 March 1960?

69 people were killed.

What were the names of the military wings for the PAC and the ANC formed after the Sharpeville Massacre?

The PAC formed POQO and the ANC formed Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK).

When was Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) established and what was its focus?

Established on 16 December 1961, it focused on acts of sabotage against government property like electricity pylons and railway lines.

Where did the police raid in July 1963 that led to the Rivonia Trial?

Liliesleaf Farm in Rivonia, near Johannesburg.

What was the sentence given to Nelson Mandela and seven other leaders in the Rivonia Trial in June 1964?

They were sentenced to life imprisonment.

What specific policy triggered the Soweto Uprising on 16 June 1976?

The government making Afrikaans compulsory as a medium of instruction in schools alongside English on a 50/50 basis.

Who was the 13-year-old boy killed during the Soweto Uprising whose image became a symbol of resistance?

Hector Pieterson.

What was the United Democratic Front (UDF) and when was it formed?

Formed in 1983, it was a group that brought together more than 600 organisations to unite against apartheid.

On what date was Nelson Mandela released from prison?

11 February 1990.

When did South Africa hold its first democratic election in which all adult citizens could vote?

27 April 1994.

When was Nelson Mandela inaugurated as South Africa's first democratically elected president?

10 May 1994.