Communism in China

In each blank, write the word or name that best completes the sentence. Mao Zedong Red Guards Communes Cultural Revolution Great Leap Forward Chinese Revolution Communist Revolution

1. Government-run farming communities are called ______. 2. A 30 year civil war between the Nationalists and Communist parties, Communists won. ______. 3. One of Mao’s social experiments to boost the economy by creating communes and production of steel. It failed miserably. ______. 4. The man who established communism in China was ______. 5. The Nationalists overthrew the Qing dynasty. ______. 6. A period during which Communists attacked old beliefs in China was the ______. 7. Mao’s group that blocked opponents of his rule was the ______.

Decide whether each sentence applies to China under Jiang Kai-shek (J), Under Mao (M), or under Deng Xaioping (D). Then write the correct letter in the blank. 8. _____ Little concern is shown for the poor. The rich became richer, poor poorer 9. _____The support of the peasants weakens because they are overworked on communes. 10. _____The warlords are driven out by the army. 11. _____Families are urged to only have one child to control population growth. 12. _____The ideas of Confucius became unacceptable; everything “old” is destroyed. 13. _____The Great Leap Forward: help China increase steel production. 14. _____China begins a new program called the Four Modernizations. 15. _____With help for the Soviet Union, factories and communes /farms are built. 16. _____Student protesters in the Tin-An-Men Square are attacked by the army.

Reading a Political Cartoon The cartoon below appeared in newspapers in the summer of 1989. That summer the world watched as political changes took place in many communist countries. Study the Cartoon. Answer the questions

18. Who are the people in the cartoon? How do you know? (What clues gives away the answer?) ______19. What are the people doing? ______20. What does the tank in the cartoon represent? How do you know? (What clues gives away the answer?) ______21. Why do the words Democracy! Freedom! Appear in the cartoon? ______22. What do you think this cartoon represents? ______Tiananmen Square 17. On April 16, 1989, about 1,000 student demonstrators poured into Tiananmen Square for a pro-democracy demonstration. The rally was triggered by the death of Hu Yaobang, General Secretary of the Communist Party. He was a hero to many Chinese for refusing to halt student unrest in January 1987. Peaceful protests continued for the next month. Each day, ignoring government threats to disband, the number of protestors continued to grow. By May 17th, more than 1 million protestors were participating. From May 13th to 21st, over 3,000 went on a hunger strike. On May 20th, the government began to fight back. They declared martial law and began to move troops and tanks into the area. These tanks were blocked by students standing in the way. Some students even placed flowers in the muzzles of the tanks. On June 4th, the army troops stormed the square. Estimates range from official 300 casualties to a US estimate of over 3,000 civilian deaths. Over 1,600 people were arrested and 27 were executed for their part in the protests. ACTIVITY: Chairman Mao, China’s most influential Communist leader, died thirteen years before Tiananmen Square massacre. Mao was known for supporting students and for righting the wrongs in China pointed out by student demonstrators IF it agreed with communists’ views. This demonstration, however, was pro-democracy. How do you think Mao, if still in power, would have responded? Give 3 reasons why you think that. ______

China: Daily Life Because we, as US citizens enjoy one of the highest standards of living in the world, we tend to forget about the fact that the vast majority of people on this earth live under conditions far different from those to which we are used to. The people of China fall into this category. For centuries, the only two standards of living in China were luxury and poverty. While a small privileged class enjoyed all the comforts of life, the masses endured unbelievable hardship and poverty. Today, the Chinese can boasts of providing minimum requirements of housing, diet, healthcare, and educational. There are few luxuries, but the differences between current conditions and those in old China are drastic. In the past, cycles of famine caused millions to suffer slow and painful deaths. Now, although few people are overweight, few people starve either. About eighty percent of the people are farmers. They usually live in villages rather than the individual home farms common in this country. Most houses are made of brick with packed earth floors. City houses are not quite as crude as country houses, although they are more densely packed together. A group of houses sharing a central courtyard is a common arrangement. Gradually, however, concrete apartments are replacing the traditional brick home and courtyard. One or more families will often share kitchen and bathroom facilities, although they have their own living quarters. Coal which is pressed into a shape convenient for home use is the usual fuel for cooking and heating. Because of the closeness of the houses, and their generally poor facilities, many Chinese perform ordinary functions outdoors. Frequently, their only sources of water are spigots located in the streets. In general, they treat the outside as an extension of their homes. Neighborhood activities are popular, and neighborhood associations provide many necessary services like street sweeping and trash removal. Although some foods, clothing, and sewing materials are rationed, simple consumer goods are becoming increasingly available to the public. Lack of electric power and refrigeration makes it necessary for people to buy fresh food daily. Fast-paced open air produce markets, butcher shops, and grocery stores provide the necessary constant supply of perishable items. When People leave their houses momentarily to pick up some forgotten, they do not worry about putting away the food or goods left behind. China has a low crime rate, and theft is rare. Bicycles are the most common form of individual transportation. Extensive networks of buses carry many city dwellers to and from work. All automobiles are owned by the state. Kindergartens and nursery school are provided for the care of young children. Elementary schools are abundant, usually within walking distance from homes. Secondary schools, which are more centralized, often provide buses for transportation.

Match the Ideas with the Descriptions 23. _____ Privileged and poverty A. Often share kitchen and bathroom facilities 24. _____ Minimal requirements B. The most common form of individual transportation 25. _____ 2 or more families C. Standards of living in OLD China 26. _____ Outdoors D. Rationed 27. _____ Bicycles E. Housing, diet, healthcare, and education- enjoyed by all Chinese 28. _____ Some consumer goods F. Often treated as extension of the home 29. _____ Brick Houses G. Country models have packed earth floors 30. _____ Farmers H. Usually live in villages.