People throughout the world are still struggling for the basic democratic rights many Americans take for granted. In this unit, we will look at the historic origins of democracy, three early democratic revolutions, and modern movements for democracy. This last section will be centered around the recent events of the Arab Spring. Hopefully, students will emerge from this unit with a better understanding of how people gain rights, as well as how countries successfully make lasting changes that give their citizens more rights.
Unit Question: How do you create lasting change in a society?
Essential Questions: What causes people to revolt against leaders? How do revolutionaries make permanent changes in their society?