Mikhail Gorbachev and the end of Communism

Mikhail Gorbachev helped to open the soviet union by modernizing the economy and introducing a market economy to Russia. This led to other countries establishing a market economy and become independent. Glasnost was a program to rid the soviet union of corruption and political abuse. Perestroika was an economic program. Russian for reconstructing its goal was to restructure the soviet economy to a market economy.

Collapse of Communism

Communism collapses in eastern Europe because there was shortages in goods, the economy was weak and the people wanted freedom. The citizens of Berlin tore down the Berlin wall to unify Berlin. The collapse of the soviet union changed the world because the U.S became the worlds only superpower and the threat of nuclear war decreased.

Creation of Israel

Zionism was a political movement during the late 19th century to create a Jewish homeland in Palestine. Israel had to fight wars with their neighbors because the Arab Muslims hated them and wanted that land. Israelis and Palestinians don't get along because they feel they should control that land, not the other.

Nelson Mandela and Apartheid

Apartheid is a policy of racial segregation that existed in South Africa from 1948 to 1994. Under Apartheid blacks were not even allowed to be citizens. Apartheid ended in 1994 with the election of Nelson Mandela as President. Nelson Mandela is a hero because he endured 27 years of hard labor in prison and the government couldn't break him. He's so admired the South Africans and by the author of the book because he never called for violence and because he was willing to forgive the white population of South Africa.