Learning Objectives

 Students will learn the history of horrible atrocities and oppression

on the blacks in South Africa.
 Students will learn the harsh system of racial discriminations under
the system of 'aparthied' and the abolishment of the same.

CHARACTERS IN BRIEF
He struggled for almost eight decodes to win freedom for his
countrymen against racial oppression and discrimination.

He was a courageous person He worked all his life for

and a determined leader of peace and humanity.
African National Congress.

His love for people and their freedom got him

admiration all over the world.

CHAPTER IN DETAIL
Mandela Becomes the President of South Africa
• May 10, 1994 marked the inauguration of South Africa’s newly
elected democratic government.
• Nelson Mandela was sworn in as the country’s first ever black
President.
• He was accompanied by his daughter Zenani on this occasion.
• The sandstone amphitheater formed by the Union building in
Pretoria was the venue.
• Mr. de Klerk and Mr. Thabo Mbeki took their pledges as first and
second Deputy President respectively.
Mandela’s Inaugural Speech
• Characterized the overthrown system of ‘apartheid’ as an
‘extraordinary human disaster’.

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• Promised to build a society of which all of humanity would be
proud.
• Expressed his gratitude to dignitaries who had gathered from
around the world.
• Promised to free South Africa from the shackles of poverty
sufferings, deprivation and discrimination.
• Was ecstatic about putting an end to apartheid and called it ‘a
glorious human achievement’.

CHARACTER'S MOOD
 Grateful; ecstatic; determined; proud
Example 1. What is the significance of Mandela's two statements “an
extraordinary human disaster” and “glorious …human achievement”
that he speaks of at the end of his speech? (Understand)
Evaluation Points
Marks
(As per CBSE Marking Scheme)
Highlight the importance of Mandela's two spoken statement at the cere-
mony.
ü Content: Relate the statements to the situations at the beginning and end of
3 the revolution. (2m)
ü Expression: Use words like in the beginning/in the end or before/after,
etc. (1m)
Ans. When Mandela mentions “an extraordinary human disaster” at
the beginning of his speech, he refers to the racial discrimination
policy named 'apartheid' that was introduced by the white-
skinned people of the country. According to that policy, the dark
–skinned people of the country were not provided any freedom or
civil right as an equal native like the ‘whites’. The ‘black’ people had to
suffer severely due to this policy.
In the end, when Mandela speaks of the “glorious …human
achievement”, he refers to victory that he made by abolishing
‘apartheid’ and becoming the first ever black president of South
Africa. He resolved to eradicate South Africa from the poverty,
oppression, discrimination, slavery, deprivation, etc., and make it
a non- racial democracy that now has equal rights for all of its
citizens.

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Military’s Exhibition of Loyalty to the Newly-Formed Government
• Mandela was saluted by generals of the military which symbolized
their loyalty to him and his government.
• Show of solidarity by armed forces with impressive display of jets,
helicopters and troop carriers.
• This reminded him of the fact that the same generals and army
would have arrested him not many years ago.
• The newborn unity was perfectly summarized by the singing of
two national anthems.
• The whites sang ‘Nkosi Sikelel’ and the blacks sang ‘Die Stem’.
• Finally, a chevron of Impala jets left plumes of coloured smoke
which symbolized the red, blue, green, black and gold colours of the
new national flag.
Example 2. Comment on the two National anthems that were sung
in the ceremony. (Apply)
Evaluation Points
Marks
(As per CBSE Marking Scheme)
State the reason behind two national anthems sung in the ceremony.
3 ü Content: Write why both the national anthems were sung together. (2m)
ü Expression: Use words like in order to, signify, etc. (1m)
Ans. The two National anthems, one of the blacks and the other one
of the whites, were sung at the end of the ceremony in order
tosignify the equality of both the races. It represented the end of
racial discrimination in the country.
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 DICTIONARY
Word Meaning Synonyms Antonyms
Autobiography real life story of a journal, memoir fiction, reel
person written by the
person himself
Dignitaries eminent personalities leaders, officials commoners
Oppression the act of suppressing suppression, aid, freedom
by cruelty repression
Besieged surrounded by blockade, to freedom,
capture release,
uphold
Confer to give bestow, grant deprive,
disallow

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 OBJECTIVE TYPE QUESTIONS
[ 1 marks ]
1. Mandela refers to liberty as “newborn” because it:
(a) was dependent on others for growth and guidance.
(b) had recently been attained with lots of struggle.
(c) made people experience infant-like excitement.
(d) arrived unexpectedly for everyone.
[CBSE Term-1 SQP 2021]
Ans. (b) had recently been attained with lots of struggle.
[CBSE Marking Scheme Term-1 SQP 2021]
Explanation: The freedom in South Africa was ‘recently’ born
or attained after a long struggle. Hence, (b) is the right answer.

EXTRACT BASED QUESTIONS

[ 5 marks ]
2. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that
follow:
But the decades of oppression and brutality had another
unintended effect, and that was that it produced the Oliver
Tambos, the Walter Sisulus, the Chief Luthulis, the Yusuf
Dadoos, the Bram Fischers, the Robert Sobukwes of our times
— men of such extraordinary courage, wisdom and generosity
that their like may never be known again. Perhaps it requires
such depths of oppression to create such heights of character.
My country is rich in the minerals and gems that lie beneath
its soil, but I have always known that its greatest wealth is
its people, finer and truer than the purest diamonds. It is from
these comrades in the struggle that I learned the meaning of
courage. Time and again, I have seen men and women risk and
give their lives for an idea.
(Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom)
(A) Men of such extraordinary courage refers to the people
who ………………..
(a) liberated and abolished the Apartheid system.
(b) used their resources to spread awareness.

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 (c) fought for their country’s freedom.
(d) demonstrated utmost strength to oppose the system.
(B) Nelson Mandela compares .............. to diamonds.
(C) Nelson's patriotism comes through clearly when he
compares his countrymen to diamonds. What aspects of
his countrymen does Mandela wish to highlight by calling
them 'finer and truer than the purest diamonds'? Answer
in 40-50 words.
(D) Select the suitable word from the extract to complete the
following:
depths: heights : : compassion : ............ .
[Mod. CBSE Term-1 SQP 2021]
Ans. (A) (d) demonstrated utmost strength to oppose the system.
[CBSE Marking Scheme Term-1 SQP 2021]
Explanation: It doesn’t refer to the people who (b) used their
resources to spread awareness. It refer to the people who had
(d) demonstrated extreme strength to oppose the system.
Even if they weren’t able to (a) abolish apartheid or (c) free
their country by fighting, they had the courage to be rebellious.
(B) his countrymen [CBSE Marking Scheme Term-1 SQP 2021]
Explanation: Mandela says in the extract that the “greatest
wealth of the nation is its people, finer and truer than the
purest diamonds.”
(C) By comparing his countrymen to diamonds, Mandela wants to
highlight how precious they are. When he says that they are
'finer and truer than the purest diamonds', he is talking about
their integrity and honesty when fighting against apartheid.
Just like the diamonds, South African people were beautiful
and priceless in Mandela's eyes.
(D) brutality [CBSE Marking Scheme Term-1 SQP 2021]
Explanation: Clearly, there is a relation of opposites in the
words where depths and heights are opposite to each other.
In the same way, compassion requires an opposite word. The
term ‘compassion’ means to have sympathy or pity for people
whereas ‘brutality’ means to be violent with people.

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 SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS (SA)
[ 3 marks ]
3. Mandela feels that courage is triumph over fear. How would
you define courage in this context? [CBSE Question Bank 2021]
Ans. According to Mandela, courage did not mean the absence of fear
but victory over it. I would define courage as the ability of getting
rid of your insecurities and fighting for our rights.

LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS (LA)

[ 6 marks ]
4. Weigh the challenges Mandela face in the struggle for
freedom. [Diksha]
Ans. Mandela faced many hardships in his endeavor to get freedom for
his countrymen from the rule of Apartheid, Nelson Mandela had
to undergo many hardships and suffered a lot. He had to sacrifice
the comfort of his home and loving family. He was declared an
outlaw for demanding equality for all his fellow black Africans. He
was punished, isolated and put into jail. He and his comrades were
oppressed and tortured beyond tolerance. He suffered hunger,
oppression and injustice but kept the flame of independence
burning in his heart. His undaunted courage, persistent struggle
and unparallel sacrifice bore fruit and South Africa got freedom
from the rule of Apartheid on 10 May 1994.
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