Apartheid Vocabulary

Flashcards covering vocabulary and important concepts related to the history and impact of Apartheid in South Africa.

Apartheid

A system of racial segregation and discrimination enforced in South Africa from 1948 to 1994.

Afrikaner

White African tribe, descendants of Dutch, German, and French settlers, with a unique culture, language, and devout Christian beliefs.

Boer War

War from 1899-1902 between the British and Afrikaners over control of gold and diamonds, resulting in British victory and control of South Africa.

Passbook

Required document for all non-whites in South Africa during apartheid, used to control their movement and employment.

Sharpville Massacre

Event in 1960 where South African police killed 69 people and wounded 180 during a peaceful protest against apartheid.

Nelson Mandela

Leader of the African National Congress (ANC) who was imprisoned for 26 years for his activism against apartheid, later becoming the first Black President of South Africa.

Black Consciousness Movement

Movement founded by Steven Biko in the early 1970s, inspired by the Black Power movement in the United States, aimed at empowering and uniting black people in South Africa.

Soweto Riot

Protest in 1976 by thousands of students in a black township in Johannesburg, resulting in the death of 600 students and the arrest of thousands by the government.

F.W. deKlerk

Prime Minister of South Africa in 1989 who initiated negotiations to end apartheid, leading to the release of Nelson Mandela and the writing of a new constitution.

African National Congress (ANC)

Political organization that worked to end apartheid in South Africa.