People in Society

1. People in Society Chapter 6

2. Different Cultures Often View Events From Different Perspectives • The Partition of India and Pakistan 1947 • In 1947, Britain gave India its independence • India’s population is primarily made up two religious groups—Hindus (majority) and Muslims (minority) • To avoid conflict, a new nation was formed – Pakistan - to be home to India’s Muslim minority • However, as people migrated to their new country, thousands were killed in conflict • The Creation of Israel 1948 • In 1948, Britain gave up control of Palestine in the Middle East • The United Nations voted to create a the state of Israel for the Jewish people • Much of the decision was based on the death of millions from the Holocaust • Although Jews saw Israel as their homeland, Arabs already living in the area saw the Jewish people as intruders • Since 1948, Israelis (Jewish) and Palestinians (Arabs) have been in conflict • The United States has supported Israel since its creation

3. Different Cultures Often View Events From Different Perspectives • The Reunification of Germany 1990 • During the Cold War, Germany was divided into two countries – West Germany (democratic) and East Germany (communist) • When the Cold War ended, Germany was reunited under one government, however, problems began to surface • The End of Apartheid 1990’s • Boers (settlers from Holland) and the British occupied South Africa since colonialism • The believed that native peoples were socially inferior (lesser than themselves) • After the British left, a system of apartheid – segregation – was set up to separate different races • Although natives made up the majority of the population they were discriminated against • After decades of protests, riots and pressure from the world, apartheid was abandoned and the black majority is in power • American Political Action Groups • NAACP – The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People – formed in 1909 to achieve more rights, equality and opportunities for African Americans • NOW – The National Organization for Women – formed in 1966 to fight gender discrimination • AIM – The American Indian Movement – formed in the 1960’s to publicize the plight of Native Americans • United Farm Workers – led by Cesar Chavez, the UFM gave migrant workers, most from Mexico secure jobs and union contracts

4. Contrasts Between Different Cultures Has Often Led To Oppression • The Spanish Conquistadores in Latin American • When the Spanish arrived in North America, they used native peoples to look for gold under appalling conditions • This violation of human rights would be practiced throughout the world • The Armenian Massacre 1915-1916 • The Armenians were a Christian minority in the Turkish Ottoman Empire during WWI • Christian Armenians were marched by their Muslim rulers into the desert where one and a half million Armenians died • Such an of extermination of an entire race, group, or culture is known as genocide • The Holocaust 1930’s – 1945 • Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler blamed the Jewish people for many of the problems Germany faced during and after WWI • His plan, the Final Solution, was to murder Europe’s entire Jewish population • At first, Jews were forced to wear yellow stars sewn on their cloths; followed by their removal of personal property and forced to live in ghettos with armed guards and barbwire • During WWII, Jews were sent by railroad cars to death camps where they were systematically killed by poisonous gas • Six million Jews and other people deemed inferior were killed during the Holocaust

5. “Ethnic Cleansing” in the Balkans 1990’s • The Balkans is an areas located in Southern Europe • When Communism collapsed in Yugoslavia, different ethnicities fought for control • Christian Serbs began ‘ethnic cleansing’ of Muslims in the regions of Bosnia and Kosovo • NATO forces intervened to stop this occurrence • Tutsi Genocide 1994 • Rwanda and Burundi are two countries located in Central Africa • In 1994, the Hutu (majority) began to massacre the Tutsi (minority) whom the Hutu deemed as “cockroaches” • The United Nations intervened but not before nearly one million Tutsi perished • Massacre of the Kurds 1980’s • Iraq dictator Saddam Hussein crushed an uprising of the Kurdish people who lived in Northern Iraq demanding their independence • Hussein order mustard, nerve and cyanide poison gas to be released in their villages • Twenty five thousand innocent people were killed

6. Jim Crow Laws: Legalized Discrimination • After the Civil War (1861 – 1865) ended in the United States Southern states passed laws to oppress free slaves legally known as Jim Crows laws • African Americans were treated as second class citizens and were prevented from using white facilities in public (e.g. bathrooms, restaurants, water fountains) • African American children were not allowed to attend the same schools as white children • Jim Crow laws were upheld in the Supreme Court case Plessey vs. Ferguson (1896) • Jim Crow laws began to be over turned in the Supreme Court case of Brown vs. the Board of Education (1954)

7. How Advances in Communication and Transportation Affect the World • Cultural Diffusion – the spread of ideas, products, technologies and practices spread from one culture to the next • Advances in communication and transportation have made the world a “global village” (e.g. the Internet, television, jet planes, telephone, etc.) • Globalization – a single world economy and culture (e.g. the Olympics games, buying products from around the world) • Cooperation and Conflict – cooperation is needed, not just economically but politically (e.g. Sept. 11, 2001 Muslim fundamentalists from the Middle East attacked the Pentagon and World Trade Center in the United States) • The Environment – As nations grow, industries pollute the world’s air quality and water resources in many third world nations • Popular Culture – American movies, television and music have become a global phenomenon as English has become the world’s universal second language • Political Systems – Political systems are spreading throughout the world such as democracy and Islamic Fundamentalism • Religion – As transportation and communication improved, religion has also spread

8. The Effects of Immigration of American Society Housing Patterns – Many immigrants coming into the United States lived in neighborhoods with other people from their homeland with similar languages and cultural practices. These ethnic neighborhoods made it more difficult to become Americanized Language – many new words entered into American English from immigrants Educational System – American schools greatly assisted immigrant children with customs, language, and practices. The reverse also occurred Political Affiliations – In the late 19th century (1800’s), many immigrants were given jobs, housing and loans from political bosses who ran the cities. At first, most immigrants supported the Democratic party but today both parties contain diverse immigrants groups Religion – Immigrants brought different religions such as Catholicism and Judaism. Today, there are Americans of every religious denomination Labor Practices – Most immigrants worked at unskilled jobs for long hours and low wages. However, they brought new methods and techniques which helped improve labor