Final answer:
Apartheid is a system of racial segregation and discrimination that was enforced in South Africa from 1948 to 1994. It aimed to keep different racial groups separate and granted different rights and opportunities based on race. The system caused widespread protests and was eventually abolished.
Step-by-step explanation:
Apartheid refers to a system of racial segregation and discrimination that was enforced in South Africa from 1948 until 1994. It aimed to keep the different racial groups separate from each other and grant different rights and opportunities based on race. This policy created a society where people of different races were treated differently in terms of education, employment, housing, and public amenities.
For example, during apartheid, non-white South Africans were required to carry passbooks at all times, which restricted their movement within the country. The Bantu Education Act of 1953 created separate schools and limited educational opportunities for non-white students.
Apartheid is significant in the history of South Africa as it led to widespread protests, international condemnation, and ultimately the end of the system with the election of Nelson Mandela as the first black President of South Africa in 1994.
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