1. Unit 19 Section 1: Poland, Ukraine and the Baltic States

2. Poland Poland’s name comes from the Slavic word “Polanie,” which means plain or field. Much of Poland is covered by the Northern European Plain. During WWII, Germany and the Soviet Union invaded Poland. By the 1950s, Communist rule took over much of Eastern Europe. During the 1970s, Poland faced food shortages and rising prices. These poor conditions led to the people of Poland questioning Communism.

3. History Continued In 1980, thousands of Polish workers went on strike. The strike was led by Lech Walesa. He is a Polish leader who cofounded Solidarity and served as president of Poland from 1990-1995. The strikers demanded better pay, greater political freedom and recognition of Solidarity, which was the nation’s first independent labor union. This all resulted in Poland having its first free elections.

4. Chernobyl Worst nuclear disaster in history.What happened? Video of Chernobyl