Mikhail Gorbachev and the Collapse of Communism

Mikhail Gorbachev was the president of Russia. At age 45 he was the youngest president. He believed that nothing good was being done in Russia. That they should have fresh new perspectives new ideas to make Russia wealthier with new ideas. He called it the "Glasnot" , it was said that this will open Russia to a become a new country. Then he wanted to make economic reforms. he called it "Peristrokia". this helped to make new jobs to help the people.

The collapse of Communism

The collapse of Communism began because many people were tired of the soviet system and began fighting for democracy. In Germany, the Collapse of Communism meant that the two Germany's had to become 1 so the Berlin Wall was taken down. Seeing the results of that other countries that were in the Iron Curtain began rejecting communism. Countries like Poland East Germany and Hungary. Then The USSR collapse alone.

Nelson Mandela and Apartheid

Apartheid was a policy of segregation in South Africa in the years 1948-1990. It was made because white people thought they were superior to the colored people. the colored people were forbidden to vote. Nelson Mandela was put in prison because he fought for the independence of South Africa. He used the method of non-violence to free the people from Apartheid. He was in jail for 26 years. Fought for freedom and was a hero.

African Independence

Africa was conquered by varies countries in Europe. The people of Africa was tired of Following everything the conquering countries say. Some of the conquering countries were Great Britain and Italy. In the 1950's the Africans began to fight for their independance. A good example in Algeria, which won its independence was Algeria. With the leader from the FLN or the Algerian National Liberation Front, Ahmed Ben Bella. He was the president of Algeria in 1963. He made Land reforms and made new plans foe education.

Film Lesson: "The Right Stuff

The film "The Right Stuff" was released in the year 1983. The movie shows the Cold War between The United States and Russia. The Russians were so advanced in space that The U.S started to compete with them. Instead of sending a man to space they sent a monkey. When they heard the Russians send a man to space they were embarrassed because they could have been the first to send a man to space but they decided to sent a monkey. The scenes that made me remember are when they were training the monkey and the humans and realized that they could do the same tasks as the humans. Eventually the U.S. won the "war" against Russia.

NATO and The Warsaw Pact

NATO was an organization that started in the year 1950. It includes countries in Europe and North America like the U.S., Great Britain and 11 other nations. The purpose for NATO was if a country in the organization was attacked by an enemy the other from the organization would back up the country in a war. At the moment NATO was against communist which means they were against Russia (Soviet Union). it includes 12 nations including Great Britain and the United States. The Warsaw Pact was the treaty made by the communists to keep the Eastern Europe communist and for mutual support in case of an attack from NATO. It was formed by Russia, Poland, East Germany Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria and Albania. They formed it because they saw NATO as a threat to communism.

FILm Lesson: "Schindler's List"

The movie" Schindler's List" was a good movie. It showed us the way the poor Jews were treated by the Nazi. It was unbelievable how people could treat others the way the Nazi treated the Jews. the move showed us what happened from before the Jews were sent to the Ghettos and how they killed them. the scenes that i remember was when the Nazis came out of nowhere and simply took the Jews to the camps. also the adorable little girl with the pink coat that went into the house to hid under the bed. Or the man that was taped on the bottom of the bed and was shot a lot of times. Schindler's List was a powerful movie that illustrated the days the Jews suffered under Adolf Hitler's rule.

Film Lesson: "Night and Fog"

THE MOVIE NIGHT AND FOG, IS A DOCUMENTARY MADE IN THE YEAR 1956. TEN YEARS AFTER THE LIBERATION OF THE JEWISH FROM THE CONCENTRATION CAMPS. THE DOCUMENTARY WAS SHOT IN THE ABANDONED CAMP OF AUSCHWITZ. THE DOCUMENTARY SHOWED A LOT OF PICTURES THAT WERE TAKEN THE TIME THE JEWS WERE IN THE CONCENTRATION CAMPS UNDER THE OBSERVATION OF THE NAZI. I WAS HORRIFIED TO SEE ALL THOSE PICTURES OF THE HOLOCAUST. I BELIEVE IT WASN'T AS POWERFUL AS "SCHINDLER'S LIST. I BELIEVE SCHINDLER'S LIST WAS BETTER.

The Treaty of Versailles (ended WW I)

The Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919. The treaty required Germany to accept that they were responsible for the war and have to give up land military and the economy. I think the Treaty of Versailles was fair because it prevented Germany from spending time on wars. i also believe the treaty led to the rise of Hitler because it gave him the strength to rise up and "defend" his people.

Mustafa Kemal (Ataturk) and the Modernization of Turkey

Secular means that of or pertaining to worldly things or to things that are not regarded as religious, spiritual, or sacred; temporal.:Mustafa Kemal was the first President of Turkey. He wanted Turkey to be more modernized. he forbid The fez because he says its a symbol of ignorance. He wanted them to be Muslim but not as Muslim as the other Muslim countries. He wants the Turkish people to dress like the Europeans with shirts and pants and shoes more westernised.

Film Lesson"Gandhi"

Mohammad K. Gandhi was a Indian lawyer that fought for the Independence of India. He was born in the year of 1869. A religious extremest killed him. He had the Peaceful marches but the police brutality was the problem. He had the salt march were they walked all the way to the sea to make salt. they also boycott to buy the things the indian people make that the british sale.I believe indian independence happened because of Gandhi i don't think it would have happened anyways if Gandhi didn't have encourage the people to fight for their rights.

Causes of WWI

WORLD WAR I was the result of the economic, imperialism and nationalism completions with countries. A major cause for the war was the Assassination of Francis Ferdinand, Duke of Austria-Hungary in Sarajevo on June 28, 1914 by a Serbian. they declared war on Serbia because the assassination of the Arch Duke was the spark that lid the fire.

Another cause of the war was Nationalism. Many ignored nationalism because they thought they would preserve peace. Nationalism unified Italy (1861) and Germany (1871). at the Franco-Prussian the French lost against the Germans and the French wanted revenge . Nationalism was a major problem in Austria-Hungary because they had man national groups and also the Germans supporting the Serbians with the Austrian- Hungarians.

The third cause was Imperialism. Imperialism created rivalry between the European Countries. Great Braitan Germany anf France conpeted for their economic expansion to Africa. Germany involved a war with Great Britain and Germany in North Africa. the Fall of the Ottam Empaire was attracting to the Austian-Hungarians , the Balkans and The Russians.

The Russian Revolution

The Russian Revolution was in 1917. The Russians started the revolution because wanted equal rights now that the country is rapidly growing economically and socially. They had the idea of communism of Karl Marx,but the Czar, Nicholas II didn't want that to happened. The Revolution accrued on February and October. The leader of the revolution was Lenin. Czar Nicholas II involved Russia in WORLD WAR I. The first revolution was when the Bolsheviks ordered Czar Nicholas to leave the throne but he didn't listen so they executed the Czar and his family. Lenin lead the Bolsheviks (the Russians) to revolt against the landlords and factory owners and in October the creation of the Soviet Union was established.