End of the 20th Century, and Beyond

AP Psychology	Current Events	Resource Room (SETSS)
Period 1	Periods 3 & 5	Period 8
Mr. Ott	Mr. Ott	Mr. Ott

Essential Question: What were the causes and effects of the End of the 20th Century?

Opening Move/Do Now:

Lesson Overview:

Item	Approx Time
Opening Move	3-5 Min
Activity	30 Min
Discussion	10 Min

Creation of Israel

• After World War II, part of the Holy Land (sacred area of the Middle East that includes (Jerusalem) was used to create the Jewish nation of Israel.
• Palestinians (Arab Muslims that live in the Holy Land) claim that they should have control over the region since they have lived there for hundreds of years.
• Between 1948 and 1973, 4 major wars were fought between Israel and the Arab nations of the Middle East. Israel won each war.
• Palestinians are still fighting to gain control of the Holy Land and frequently use terrorism (i.e.-

suicide bombings) to achieve their goals.

Ethnic Conflicts

Currently, there are many areas of the world where there is tension between ethnic groups. Some examples include the following:

• Palestinians are fighting the Jews for more control over the Holy Land in the Middle East.
• Tibet is a Buddhist region that wants independence (self-government) from China.
• Catholics and Protestants have fought for control of Northern Ireland.
• Muslims in Pakistan and Hindus in India both claim control over the region called Kashmir.
• Serbs, Croatians, and Muslims have battled for control over the Balkans (southeastern Europe).
• The Kurds are a group of people who are scattered throughout areas of Turkey, Iraq, and Iran. They want to create their own nation called Kurdistan.
• Chechnya is a Muslim region that has used terrorism to gain independence (self- government) from Russia

Islamic Fundamentalism

• Islamic Fundamentalism is the belief that governments should create societies that are based firmly on the rules of Islam. Two countries that have established such societies in recent decades are Iran and Afghanistan
• Iran & the Iranian Revolution (1979)
  • This event brought Ayatollah Khomeini (an Islamic religious leader) to power after the removal of the Shah of Iran who was a monarch backed by the United States and the West.
  • Iran is still a theocracy - A country that is ruled by religious leaders.
• Afghanistan & the Taliban
  • The Taliban is an Islamic group that ruled Afghanistan from 1996-2001.
  • It created laws that were strictly based on Sharia (Islamic law).
  • Was the base for Osama Bin Laden for the 9/11 attacks.

NOTE: In countries that are based on Islamic Fundamentalism, women have very few rights. They cannot vote and are required to dress very conservatively (modestly) in public.

Environmental Problems

• Ozone Layer
  • Small layer of gases in the atmosphere that absorbs the sun’s ultraviolet rays and protects us from skin cancer.
  • Currently being destroyed by chemicals due to pollution.
  • Demonstrates a need for stricter pollution laws throughout the world.
• Acid Rain
• Rain that contains chemicals due to pollution.2) Demonstrates a need for stricter pollution laws throughout the world.
• Deforestation
  • Elimination of rain forests in Brazil (Amazon Basin), Costa Rica, and the Congo (in Central Africa).
  • Are we destroying possible cures for cancer andAIDS?
• Desertification
  • Change from arable (fertile) land to desert. Causes include deforestation and overgrazing.
  • Especially a concern in the Sahel (region south of the Sahara Desert in Africa).
• Chernobyl
  • Nuclear disaster in Ukraine (a republic of the Soviet Union) in 1986.
  • Thousands exposed to radiation which causes cancer.
• Greenhouse Effect
  • Trapping of warm air in the atmosphere (leads to global warming).
  • Caused by chemicals (like carbon dioxide) in the atmosphere.
  • Could lead to flooding of coastal areas.
• Environmental Solutions
  • Kyoto Protocol (1997)- International agreement calling for a decrease in carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gasses from the 1990 levels. NOTE: All of the problems listed above demonstrate that international cooperation is needed to improve the earth’s environment.

Green Revolution

• The term Green Revolution refers to the use of technology to increase the food supply (began in the 1960s).
• Methods included improved irrigation, machinery, fertilizer, pesticides, and better seeds and livestock.
• The Green Revolution has helped increase food production and decrease hunger in areas of Asia, Latin America, and Africa. NOTE: The Green Revolution has been especially successful in India.

Nuclear Proliferation

• Nuclear proliferation refers to the spread of nuclear technology to countries that do not currently posses them.
  • Although nuclear technology can be used to develop energy (i.e.- electricity), the same technology can also be used to create nuclear weapons.
  • There are currently Eight (8) Nations who acknowledge possessing nuclear weapons; United States, Russia, United Kingdom, France, China, India, Pakistan, North Korea.
  • North Korea (a communist nation) recently developed nuclear weapons and Iran may be in the process of developing nuclear weapons.
• Iran – (a theocracy – religious government) has been developing nuclear technology for energy even though their oil reserves (what they can produce) is ranked 4th in the world.
• Iran has made enriched uranium enough for a nuclear bomb, but to this date, has not tested a nuclear weapon or announced they now have nuclear weapons. A nuclear weapon Iran would start an nuclear arms race in the middle east, one of the most volatile (unpredictable) and unstable regions in the world today.
• Israel – it is rumored that Israel has atomic (nuclear) weapons but they have neither officially tested or announced that they have them.

Decolonization - South Africa

• South Africa after independence:
  • After independence, white Europeans still controlled the government of South Africa.
  • They established the racist system known as apartheid.
  • Apartheid was the system of racial segregation that was used in South Africa from 1948 until 1990. Black South Africans were required to use separate bathrooms, attend separate schools, carry identification passbooks, and even go to separate beaches.
• Nelson Mandela
  • Black South African nationalist leader who fought against Apartheid.
  • He was imprisoned for 27 years by the white South African government.
  • Nelson Mandela became the first black president of South Africa after apartheid officially came to an end in 1990.

Decolonization - Kenya & Rwanda

• Between 1945 and 1980, the many nations of Africa finally gained independence (self- government) from the European (or Western) nations that controlled them.
• Independence was achieved largely due to the efforts of nationalist leaders who led movements to gain self-government. Two leaders that fought to gain independence from Great Britain (England) include:
  • Kenya
    • Jomo Kenyatta- Gained independence for Kenya.
  • Rwanda
    • Belgium left control of government to Hutus after joint Tutsi-Belgium rule. The Hutus took revenge for many years of mistreatment by the Tutsis.
    • During the 1990s, there was serious ethnic conflict between two groups in the African nation of Rwanda: the Hutus and the Tutsis.
    • 1994- The Hutus slaughtered 800,000 Tutsis in only a few months. This was an example of genocide (the attempt to exterminate a group of people) and it was a major human rights violation.

Decolonization of Cambodia and Vietnam

• Between 1953 and 1954, Cambodia and Vietnam both gained independence (self-government) from France.
  • Vietnam
    • Ho Chi Minh- Nationalist leader who led an 8-year war against France to gain independence for Vietnam.
    • Vietnam after independence:
      • Vietnam was divided into 2 countries: communist North Vietnam and democratic South Vietnam
      • After the Vietnam War, all of Vietnam was reunited to form one communist nation.
      • Vietnam is still communist today.
  • Cambodia
    • Cambodia after independence
      • After independence, Cambodia was ruled by a Communist group called the Khmer Rouge.
      • Pol Pot
      • He was the leader of the Khmer Rouge and ruler of Cambodia from 1976-1979.
      • He was a brutal dictator who denied his people of human rights.
      • Cambodian Genocide - Pol Pot executed 2 million people (mostly intellectuals) within his nation (almost 20% of the population).
      • Cambodia is a dictatorship today.

Classwork & Homework

Lesson Video:

• 10 Countries that Might not Survive the Next 20 Years
• Timeline of the 20th Century

Lesson Activity: [[File:

Homework: Courseworks Plus - Login Needed

Special Education Modifications

• Teaching Model: Co-Teaching
• Special Education Teacher will work with All students General Ed and Special Ed.
  • Special Ed Students:
    • Teacher will read-aloud to students when necessary.
    • Teachers will break down assignments into smaller tasks.
    • Teachers will work with students on vocabulary acquisition by breaking down words into prefixes/suffixes and etymology.
    • Teachers will group students according to learning style inventory as a homogeneous group.
    • Teachers will keep students on-task by managing distractions and on-task behavior.
    • Teachers will modify note-taking by modeling notes from PowerPoint to chalkboard/whiteboard.
    • Teachers will differentiate lessons by using; verbal cues for auditory learners, graphic organizers for visual learners, and hands-on cues for tactile learners.