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= = =__Culture of Eastern Europe__=


 * ====What are the people like in Eastern Europe?====

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Although Eastern Europe has a great variety of ethnic groups there is one major ethnic group called the Slavs. Slavs share similar customs but there are different groups of Slavs who have different languages and religions. Some different Slavic groups include the Polish, Russians, Slovaks, Ukrainians, and Czechs.=====

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 * ====How has history affected the culture of Eastern Europe?====

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Eastern Europe was under communism from after World War II until 1991. The Soviet Red Army occupied the area and pushed out the democratic leadership. Stalin quickly placed communist leaders into place and forced the countries to adopt socialist policies. The government controlled the land and industry of the area as well as peoples wages and jobs. They did little to help maintain or improve the cities that had been destroyed by WWII. Once communism ended the people of Eastern Europe had to get used to living in a capitalist society in which people had to be responsible for their jobs and basic needs. Because of their history, Eastern European countries are not as wealthy as Western European countries which were not under the communist rule of the Soviet Union.=====

Vocabulary

 * __communism__: the theory or system of government in which all property and wealth is owned by all the members of that society
 * __Socialism__: theory of government in which the businesses and land are owned by the government and distribution is based on equity and fairness and not on market values;
 * __Free-enterprise__: free market system in which businesses may be privately-owned and distribution and production of goods is based on supply and demand
 * __Consumer goods__: goods that people want or need such as pens and clothing

Visual Tour of the Cultures of Eastern Europe
[|Video - Hungary 1956] - I found a really cool video on TeacherTube. It is about a time when the people of Hungary revolted against the = = Soviet communist regime. This video contains real footage from Hungary in 1956. It is over 14 minutes long but it is worth it for any history buff! A must see!


 * The **__Soviet Flag__** - The Soviet Union occupied Eastern Europe from after World War II until 1989. The Berlin Wall fell in 1989 symbolizing[[image:ussr.gif align="right" caption="http://members.aol.com/duvelle/nxp-zarya/ussr.gif"]] the end of communist occupation in Germany. Many countries in Eastern Europe stood up against the failing Soviet Union and declared their independence.

Here is a picture of **__pisanki__**. These are beautifully colored Easter Eggs from poland. Traditions are very important to the people of Poland. Designs and coloring techniques are often passed down from mother to daughter.

World Explorer: Eastern Hemisphere text TeacherTube Microsoft Encarta Student Edition**
 * __Information Sources:__