Since the earliest times mankind has suffered from various problems concerning differences between people. Different appearance, traditions, religion, or level of education were reasons of quarrels, serious conflicts and even wars. Some people thought that being unlike the rest may mean being worse. Owing to people’s intolerance, selfishness and heartlessness, we lost plenty of customs, works of art and, above all, we began to doubt humanity.Fortunately, nowadays the situation seems to get better. Lots of people talk about human rights and fight for their observance. However, it doesn’t mean that we can forget about the past. We have to remember our ancestors’ mistakes not to repeat them. That is why we will familiarise with the history of apartheid in the Republic of South Africa.

Your task will be:- to read and analyze the information provided in the given resources,- to write a short paragraph,- to discuss a few problems in groups,-to decide whether the problem of racism in the Republic of South Africa was solved thanks to an abolition of apartheid or not.

GOOD LUCK!

A funeral ceremony for those killed by the police on 1985’s International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination in Uitenhage.

1. Read some general information about the Republic of South Africa – the country which is undeniably connected with the term “apartheid”. Use the resources given below. 

- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Africa- www.scholars.nus.edu.sg/landow/post/sa/safricaov.html

2. Read the definition of the word “racism”.Here are the resources which you are supposed to use:

- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racism- www.globalissues.org/HumanRights/Racism.asp

South African police officers standing over people killed in the Sharpeville Massacre.

Miners reading the newspaper after a riot in a mine on the Witwatersrand was brutally suppressed.

3. Read from the given resources about apartheid and it’s history.  - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apartheid- www.apartheidmuseum.org- www.africanaencyclopedia.com/apartheid/apartheid.html

4. Write a short paragraph in which you will give the definition of “apartheid” (60 – 100 words).  Do not rewrite it from the Internet or any other resources! It have to be your own work!

A segregated beach in 1982 during apartheid. Non-whites were only allowed on the left side of the boundary.

5. Read the biography of Nelson Mandela and discuss your opinion about his inflexible attitude to the matters of intolerance and injustice with other students.Here are resources which will provide you with information about Nelson Mandela: 

- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki.Nelson_Mandela- www.anc.org.za/people/mandela.html- www.mandela-museum.org.za - www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontine/shows/mandela

6. Find out from given resources what is nowadays the situation of black people in the Republic of South Africa. - www.iss.co.za/pubs/ASR/9No2/Barrell.html

7. To make your vision of the problem of apartheid clearer, you can watch the following movies:

It is a stirring true story about two men from different worlds who are drawn together in a struggle against the racist regime in South Africa. Denzel Washington is charismatic as the soft-spoken leader Stephen Biko, whose advocacy of black consciousness and nonviolence inspires his people to new heights of self-esteem. Kevin Kline puts in a top-drawer performance as Donald Woods, a white liberal newspaper editor who becomes Biko's friend and biographer. Joining forces to fight apartheid in their country, they each must pay a high price for their belief in human dignity, equality and freedom... www.ram/org/ramblings/movies/cry_freedom.html www.spiritualityhealth.com/newsh/items/moviereview/item_6091.html

- Cry Freedom

- Mandela and de KlerkIt relates the story of Nelson Mandela (Sidney Poitiers), from his years as a revolutionary against de Klerk's (Michael Caine) Government and incarceration to his election as a South African President. It also makes emphasis on his relationship with his revolutionary wife Winnie. The film is intriguing as a historical study and gives a great oportunity to familiarise with the story of one of the most incredible people of recent times. www.imdb.com/title/tt119607 www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1574924656?v=glance www.rottentomatoes.com/m/mandela_and_de_klerk

8. Would you like to live in the Republic of South Africa, being a white person, Knowing the history of that country and the present situation there? Why? Why not? Discuss this topic with other students.

9. Write an essay in which you ill decide whether the problem of racism in the Republic of South Africa was completely solved after abolition of apartheid or there are still some differences between people with other colours of skin (350 – 400 words).

After finishing your work on this WebQuest, you will be given two grades. - The first one will evaluate your work during the lessons, your creativity and participation in the discussions, and your commitment and effort to understand the topic.- The second grade is to show how good your essay is. Things which will be marked are: ability to show and defend your point of view, relevance of your arguments and their support, observance of typical rules of writing an essay, and spelling and punctuation correctness.

After completing this WebQuest, you will have a general knowledge of the Republic of South Africa and its people. Moreover, you will surely be able to explain quite clearly, and with a couple of details what was the apartheid system. Above all, this project will make you think! Why some people consider themselves as better than the others? How can we compensate the harm made by intolerance and cruelty? Is it possible to create the world where nobody asks where you come from and who you are, and where nobody cares what colour our faces are? These and lots of other questions will come to your mind and make you richer with opinions and outlooks.

Resources which helped me to create this WebQuest:- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Africa- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apartheid- www.anc.org.za/people/mandela.html- www.imdb.com/title/tt119607- www.globalissues.org/HumanRights/Racism.asp

Thanks to you who made an effort to complete all the exercises and to finish this WebQuest. I hope the knowledge you have gained will appear helpful to come.