Final answer:
Apartheid was a system of racial segregation that operated in South Africa between 1948 and 1992. It was implemented through legislation and physical separation, including the creation of separate homelands for different ethnic groups.
Step-by-step explanation:
Apartheid was a system of racial segregation that operated in South Africa between 1948 and 1992. It was implemented through various means, including legislation and physical separation. The government created separate homelands for different ethnic groups, forcibly removing people from their homes based on their race or ethnicity. This policy not only divided the country but also set up racial barriers that would take generations to overcome.