1. Eastern Europe
Chapter 14

3. Poland, Ukraine, and the Baltic States
Section 1

4. Poland
It has flat fertile land. That was attractive to the first settlers of Poland.
History: During WWII both Germany and the Soviet Union (communist) invaded Poland.
By the 1950’s Communist rule was firmly established in Poland and throughout Eastern Europe.
During the 1970’s, Poland faced food shortages and rising prices.
In the 1980’s Polish workers went on strike.

5. Strike
They demanded better pay, greater political freedom and recgnition of Solidarity: the first labor union.
This led to Poland’s first free elections in 1989.

6. Culture Before WWII, Poland was a diverse nation.
After the war many groups migrated and Poland’s borders were shifted.
Almost all of the 3 million Jews living in Poland were killed during the Holocaust.
Most Poles are Roman Catholics.
During Communist rule religious practice was restricted, but many still practiced the faith.

7. Culture
In 1978 Cardinal Karol Wojtyla became the world’s first Polish pope, Pope John Paul II.
He played a role in encouraging greater freedom for the Poels.

8. Culture Strong Emphasis on Education.
Scientists: Copernicus and Marie Curie.

9. Government and Economics
In 1990 Lech Walesa became Poland’s first president. He helped Poland shift to democracy.
In 1997 Poalnd adopted a new Constiuttion, and today Poland is a republic. Voters elect the nation’s president and legislature. A prime minister runs the government.
Problems:
High Unemployment
Brain Drain: many of Poland’s bright young people leave the country in search of better job opportunities in Western Europe or the United States.

11. Ukraine Once a part of the Soviet Union.
1922: Soviet Union began to take land from farmers to form huge, governmetn run farms called collectives.
They required almost all crops to be sent to cities to feed the workers there.
Millions of farm families starved.

12. Ukraine
On April 26, 1986 the world’s worst nuclear power aaccident ocfcured in Ukraine at Chernobyl.
Radiation from the accident had affected an estimate 7 million people in a nd around Ukraine.
Ukraine finally gained independence in 1991 after the fall of the berlin wall and the fall of the soviet union in 1991.

13. Culture
Under Soviet Control, the people of Ukraine were forced to speak Russian.
So even though the official language is Ukrainian, most speak Russian.

14. Culture 2/3 live in Kiev. Western Ukrain I sheavily rural.
Most people in rural areas live in large villages.
Employed in farming or the making of small handicrafts, such as the tgraditional decorated eggs known as pysanky.

15. Government and Economics
1990: first free election.
Democracy with a president, prime minster, and legislature.
It is the bread basket of Europe.

16. The Baltic States
Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania

17. The Baltic State have a long history of foreign rule.
By the late 1700s they belonged to the Russian Empire.
They remained a part of it until 1918.
In 1940 the Soviet Union occupied the Baltic States and forced them to join it.
In all 3 countries the Soviets decided to deport, or expel, the thousands of people who resisted their rule.
In 1990 the Baltic states became the first Soviet republics to declare independence.

18. Culture
IN Lithuania, most people speak Lithuanian and are Roman Catholic.
Latvia: Speak Latvian Lutheran Protestants
Estonians: Speak Estonian and are Lutheran Protestants.
Most live in cities

19. Government and Economics
All are republics with an elected president and legislature.
A prime minister carries out government operations.
In 2004 all became EU members.
Estonia: electronics, wood products, and textiles.
Latvia: vehicles, farm machinery and fertilizers
Lithuania: machine tools, appliances, electric motors.

21. ESTONIA

22. lATVIA

23. lITHUANIA

24. Hungary and the Czech Republic
Section 2

25. Hungary Magyar: ethnic Hungarian people.
Ruled in an empire known as Austria-Hungary.
WWI: Empire fought on the losing side.
Hungary became independent after the war.

26. Hungary WWII: Soviet troops invaded Hungary.
They were under Communist rule.
In 1956 thousands of protesters flooded the streets of Budapest, the capital, demanding that Soviet troops leave.
The soviets responded by sending more troops and tanks to crush the uprising.
Thousands of protesters died in the fighting.

27. Hungarian Culture Speak Hungarian, also called Magyar.
2/3 are Roman Catholic.
¼ Protestants
Other etnic groups include:
Croats
Roma (Gypsies)
Romanians
Slovaks.

28. Hungarian Culture
Many moved from farms to the cities under Communist rule.
Budapest: is actually two cities divided by the Danube River.
Medieval Buda sits on the western bank
Pest sits on the eastern bank.

29. Government and Economics
Parliamentary Democracy.
President
Prime Minister
Legislature
President has little power.
Prime Minister is the head of the government.

30. Government and Economics
Today, Hungary has one of the highest standards of living in Eastern Europe.
Joined the EU in 2004

31. HUNGARY

32. Czech Republic
In 1918 after WWI, European leaders made the lands that had once been the countries of Bohemia, Moravia, and Slovakia int o one nation of Czechoslovakia.
Czechs and Slovaks were thrown together within the new borders.
It only lasted a few decades.
In 1948 Communists took over.
In 1989 thousands of protesters filled the streets of Prague calling for an end to Communist rule.
This is known as the Velvet REVOLUTION

33. Czech Republic
1993 Czech and Slovak leaders agreed to divide the country into Czech Republic and Slovakia. Some call this split the “Velvet Divorce”

34. Czech Culture Language: Czech
Ethnic groups: Slovaks, Germans, Roma (Gypsies), Hungarians, and Poles.
Before WWII Czechoslovakia had a large Jewish population.
Almost all of the nation’s Jews were killed during the Holocaust.
Roman Catholics are the largest religious group in the Czech Republic
Capital: Prague

35. Government and Economics
Parliamentary Democracy
President and Prime Minister.
Joined the EU in 2004.
One of the most successful economies in Eastern Europe.

38. The Balkans
Section 3

39. Creation of Yugoslavia
Was a Communist state consisting of six republics: Bosnia- Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Slovenia.

41. Yugoslavia falls apart
After Yugoslavia’s leader Josip Tito died in 1980.
In 1991 Slovenia, Macedonia, Croatia, and Bosnia Herzegovina each declared independence
War broke out in Bosnia.
Serbian troops forced all non Serbs out. This tactic is known as ethnic cleansing, and left thousands dead or homeless.
War also broke out in Kosovo.
By 2003 Yugoslavia no longer existed.

42. Cultural differences
Five new nations resulted from the breakup of Yugoslavia:
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Croatia
Macedonia
Serbia and Montenegro
Slovenia

44. Cultural Differences
Each of these countries is dominated by one ethnic group.
Most speak Slavic Languages
Biggest difference among them is religion.

45. Government and Economics
Slovenia is the most prosperous nation.
It is the only EU member
Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina are the poorest.
They suffer from high unemployment.

46. BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

47. CROATIA

48. Macedonia

49. SLOVENIA

50. SLOVENIA