IDENTITY,
BOUNDRIES AND CULTURES IN EASTERN EUROPE
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BACKGROUND ESSAY FOR TEACHERS
In studying the history and development of
Europe, Seventh Graders are challenged to understand the unfolding chronicles
of history through the successive ages from 1000 BC to 1750 AD. Eastern
Central Europe has been particularly buffeted by
invading hordes, each of whom have worked to make their mark on the already
existing resident society. Some of the more aggressive conquering peoples
eliminated much of the existing population, others forced them to adapt
themselves to the new ways or face elimination, others conquered and only
wanted their tribute.
This lesson plan is designed to assist the
students learn about the peoples of Eastern Central Europe with the understanding
of the layering of cultures in the area that has resulted in the problems
and challenges that are faced by the people today living in those countries.
The peoples, cultures, languages, and lands
in the Eastern Central region of Europe have experienced
a plethora of subjugating conquerors since the beginning of time. As
each conquering civilization established their presence, elements of their
culture were layered onto the resident cultures that had been developed
and left by previous civilizations. As the various civilizations rose
to power, expanded, occupied lands as far out as they could effectively
control and became established, they each left a cultural imprint on those
cultures and regions. In some areas of Europe, the
cultures have melded and meshed into a unique culture, at peace with itself
and its neighbors by now in the 21st century. But in the regions
of Eastern Central Europe the difficulties of coexisting with neighboring
cultures, religions, languages, customs, and people groups have resulted
in unrest, discontent, and intolerance.
In recent history, most of the area was under
the domination of the Austro-Hungarian Empire up until 1918, the end of
World War I. Then the powers that be created two uncomfortable countries
known as Czechoslovakia
and Yugoslavia.
The geography of the countries is beautiful, but the people groups were
of ethnicities that were intolerant of the differences in religion, culture,
languages and customs of their neighbors. With the onset of the problems
of World War II, ethnic issues were pushed aside to cope with the
more immediate concerns of the times. With the end of World War II came
the “Iron Curtain” an action on the part of the Soviet Union which effectively
closed off communication by other countries with Eastern Central
Europe. After the collapse of Communism, which in large part controlled
the region communication, commerce as well as the mind-set of the peoples
of Eastern Central Europe has been given a more prominent role including
autonomy and self-rule.
Going back into times of antiquity, which
are included in the Seventh Grade Curriculum, a line-up of succeeding
conquering civilizations invaded and occupied the area over time, including:
Celts, Romans, Mongols, Huns, Ottomans, Germanic Tribes, Slavic Peoples
and the effects of the Crusades. Each of these succeeding people groups
contributed to the culture and character of the ethnicities and nations
that exist today. To begin to understand the countries of Eastern Central
Europe, it is necessary to grasp the impact of the changes and influences
that have dogged the area throughout time.
The present day country of the Czech Republic has
been chosen as the example garden to profile for the students. The authors,
musicians and educators chosen to reflect the culture of the then Czechoslovakia (circa 1923), really reflected
the Czech people, not the Slovaks. Later Slovakia
set up its own Garden. Although politics were to be kept out of the Gardens,
there are many indirect political statements present in the choice of
which musician or which author to include. The material in each
of the Cultural Gardens
is sufficient to give a well-rounded experience of what the nationality
represented wanted others to consider when the Garden is explored.
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