AMITY INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL, NOIDA

Long Walk to Freedom-Nelson Mandela Handout, Class X, 2022-23

Instructions for students:

(i) This handout is a help, meant for you to complete your assignment in your registers.
(ii) The questions have been supported with relevant hints and value points for your help, so that you may
structure your answers appropriately in the registers
(iii) Please maintain the order of questions, as per the handout, while doing your work in the register and draw
a line after every question.

Summary Statement
Nelson Mandela became South Africa's first black president after more than three centuries of white rule. In his
speech, ‘Long Walk to Freedom’, he calls 10 May 1994, a ‘historic occasion’. He talks of his journey to being a
freedom fighter, the struggle, along with a tribute to other freedom fighters and countless other people who
fought for the freedom of South Africa.

Chapter at a Glance
1. Liberation from apartheid: In South Africa, a brutal practice i.e., “apartheid” existed, where dark-skinned
people were discriminated against and deprived of their basic rights.
2. Inauguration Ceremony: Nelson Mandela swears in as the first black president of South Africa on 10th May
1994. The ceremony took place in the lovely sandstone amphitheatre in Pretoria. He thanked the
dignitaries who had come from all over the world (rainbow gathering) to witness the ‘historic occasion’. He
hoped that their beautiful land would never ever experience oppression of one by another. He wished that
freedom should reign in Africa.
3. Paying Homage: He pays homage to the national martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the sake of their
motherland and is sad that they were not there anymore to see the fruits of their sacrifice. He said that
decades of oppression and brutality produced the Oliver Tambos, the Walter Sisulus, the Chief Luthulis, the
Yusuf Dadoos, the Bram Fischers, the Robert Sobukwes of the time i.e., men of such extraordinary
courage, wisdom and generosity that their like may never be known again.
4. Human Resource: Mandela said that the country of South Africa is rich in minerals and gems but the
greatest wealth of the country was its people. Mandela says that no one is born hating another person
because of the colour of his skin, or his background, or his religion. If people learn to hate, they can be
taught to love too. He says that man's goodness is a flame that can be hidden but never exhausted.
5. Journey to freedom: He recalls that he was ‘free’ as any normal child in his childhood and only had to
follow the rules set by his father. When he grew up, he saw racial discrimination in Johannesburg. It was his
desire for the freedom of his people, that they could live their lives with dignity and self-respect that
transformed a frightened young man, Mandela into a bold one, which drove a family-loving husband into a
man who joined African National Congress (ANC) to fight for the freedom of his country.
6. Mandela felt that the oppressor and oppressed are alike and are robbed of their humanity and hence must
be liberated.

Reference to context: Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow:
I am no more virtuous or self-sacrificing than the next man, but I found that I could not even enjoy the poor and
limited freedoms I was allowed when I knew my people were not free. Freedom is indivisible; the chains on anyone
of my people were the chains on all of them, the chains on all of my people were the chains on me.
(i) The words “Freedom is indivisible” means that
(a) Even if one person is free the whole community is free.
(b) Even if one person is in chains the whole community is in chains.
(c) The black people of South Africa had to fight for their freedom.
(d) The white people of South Africa were free but the blacks were not.

(ii) Choose the option that lists the set of statements that are NOT TRUE about South Africa at the time depicted
in the excerpt above.
1. South Africa was very rich in natural resources.
2. South Africa had a population consisting of people of many races.
3. The white people were the majority in the country.
4. The author of the above passage was a leader of the people of Indian origin.
5. The black people of South Africa did not enjoy any political power.
6. The black people were the majority in the country.
7. Most black people of South Africa were well educated and rich.

(a) 2, 3, 4 (b) 5, 6, 7 (c) 3, 4, 7 (d) 2, 3, 6

(iii) Pick the option that correctly classifies fact/s(F) and opinion/s (O) of the four black students of South Africa
(of the time depicted in the extract) given below.
a) Fact – 1, 2 Opinion 3, 4
b) Fact – 1, 2, 3 Opinion 4
c) Fact – 1 Opinion 2, 3, 4
d) Fact – 1, 2, 3, 4 Opinion
none

(iv) According to the author of the above extract his country’s greatest wealth were
a) the gems and minerals buried in the mines
b) the people of South Africa
c) the black people of South Africa
d) the white people of South Africa
(v) The author of the above extract eventually
a) died a martyr fighting for the cause of the black people of South Africa.
b) became the first black person to be a Judge of the International Court of Justice.
c) became the first black president of South Africa.
d) migrated to USA and became a professor at the Harvard University.

Short Answer questions

Answer the following in 20-30 words:

Q1. Why did such a large number of International leaders attend the inauguration?
Value points- Mandela abolished apartheid after becoming the President- diplomatic relations were rebuilt with
countries. The inauguration of a new, non-racial government- historic moment in South Africa as well as world
history.
Q2. What does courage mean to Mandela?
Value Points-Courage, not the absence of fear but triumph over it. Brave man conquers that fear

Answer the following in 40-50 words:

Q3. Does Mandela think the oppressor is free? Why/why not?
Value points: Mandela does not feel oppressor is free- oppressor is prisoner of hatred, locked behind bars of
prejudice and narrow-mindedness. Both oppressor and oppressed robbed of their humanity.
Q4. What are two obligations that Mandela described in this lesson? What was the reason that he was not able to
fulfil those obligations?
Value points: One obligation is for the family, children and wife and second obligation is for the country and
community. Mandela unable to fulfil his obligation- fighting for the rights and freedom of his people-separated
from his family-imprisoned

HOTS- Long answer question (100-150 words)

Q5. How did Mandela’s understanding of freedom change with age and experience?

HOTS-LAQ
Value points :(read Pg 22)
● As a boy- born free, freedom to run in fields, swim in streams, ride on bull’s back- only had to obey father
and elders.
● As a student- freedom for himself- stay out late, read books of choice, go anywhere you like.
● As a young man realised freedom was an illusion- freedom had already been taken away- Freedom for
himself is what he wanted-- basic and honourable freedom- achieving potential, earning his keep,
marrying, having family
● Gradually… realised that he, his brothers and sisters-none of them free-joined ANC- concept of freedom
changed-true freedom- freedom for all-wanted his people to live their lives with dignity and self-respect.
● Freedom is indivisible-the chains on my people were the chains on me.