Long Walk to Freedom

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. Apartheid in South Africa was an oppressive governmental social system that lasted from 1948 until the early 1990s. What was apartheid and how did it affect the lives of South African citizens? Describe or speculate about the laws and regulations during this time.

Teaching Suggestion: Of his many achievements, it is arguable that Nelson Mandela’s leadership in ending apartheid in South Africa and his contributions to The Struggle against this racist system are among his greatest accomplishments. For students to fully appreciate the magnitude of his actions, they must first understand the oppressive system that was South African apartheid. Investigation time, research, and discussion in response to this prompt will help to ensure that readers have a basic understanding of apartheid in South Africa. Information from these or similar resources can help students develop added context on the topic:

• South African History Online’s “A History of Apartheid in South Africa” provides an overview of how apartheid evolved in South Africa.
• History gives key facts, figures, and historical photos in their “
  
  
  
  
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