Biographical Writing

Unit 3 - Writing a Biography (180 Words)

​Name a famous person who has inspired you

Introduction

• What is their name?

• When and Where were they born?

• What industry are they involved in (music, science, technology, sport, etc.)?

• What is their greatest and most important achievement?

Nelson Mandela was Born in South Africa on 18th July 1918. He came from a small village. He was a lawyer and became an anti-apartheid revolutionary hero. He is most well known for becoming the first black president of South Africa in 1994.

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​Biography of Nelson Mandela

July 1918 - December 2013

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Write about their journey

Body - Paragraph 1

Where did they start working?

What were their major influences? (Choose 2)

What achievements did they make along the way? (Choose 2)

How was the world responding to these achievements?

​Fighting against Apartheid

In the 1940's, South Africa was ruled under a system called apartheid, which separated people of different colour, and gave benefits to white people. This meant that black people (85%) were kept poor and given a small part of the land, while white people (10%) were given most of the land and power. Nelson Mandela was working as a lawyer with the ANC and then as an activist to end this apartheid system. He made many friends around the world who wanted to help him change this unfair system

​Write about the challenges and obstacles

Body - Paragraph 2

• What challenges or difficulties did this person face?

• How did they overcome these obstacles?

• What did they learn from their difficult times?

• How did this learning change their future even more?

​Still fighting and growing in Prison

Nelson had been arrested many times for going against the white South African government. In 1964 he was given a life imprisonment sentence, where he then spent 27 years locked away. However, people around the world saw him as the symbol of the struggle against apartheid. People were calling out "Free Nelson Mandela" in almost every major city in the world. The South African government could not keep him in prison longer. A big concert that celebrated Nelson Mandela's freedom was held at Wembley Stadium in London in 1990

​Write about their values and beliefs - and a quote

Conclusion - a final belief and thought

• How has this person changed the world or the way things work around them?

• What beliefs did this person have that made them grow further?

• Can you find anything that this person said that would be a good quote, words directly from their voice?

The first black president of South Africa

Nelson Mandela was voted in as President of South Africa in 1994, and he made sure that the change from white government to the 'Rainbow Nation' was peaceful and positive. He released a book that is considered one of the best inspirational works called 'Long Walk to Freedom', and he won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993. "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world," are one of his beliefs which have inspired teachers around the world.

Poll

Do you have a small understanding of how to write a Biography?

• yes

• no

• maybe

• need some more help