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English I - Animal Farm - Beal Co-Taught

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Animal Farm 
Leaders, Ideas, and the Secret Police
English I

Directions:  In order to more deeply understand George Orwell’s novel, Animal Farm, it will be helpful for you to have some background knowledge of key figures, ideas, and institutions from the Russian Revolution. In class you were asked to consider the following topics: Power, Corruption, Leadership, Rebellion, and an Ideal Society (Utopia).

 

These topics will apply as you learn more about the people and theories below. To find books about the people and related topics see the Animal Farm IMC Booklist.

Karl Marx

 

  • Who was Karl Marx? Why is he influential in politics?

  • What happened in his early life and early adulthood?

  • What ideas and events in his life influenced him and his thinking?

  • What books did he write? What were they about?

Karl Marx – World Book

Marxism Overview – Student Resources

Communism

Communism – World Book 

Communism - GVRL Topic Overview   

 

  • Provide a definition of communism. Where did the main ideas of communism come from?

  • How did Communism rise in Russia? Which rulers oversaw communism in Russia? Give a brief idea of what occurred under each ruler.

  • Describe differences in the ideal version of communism the way some world rulers chose to run their own communist systems.

  • Was communism fair to citizens living under communist rule?

  • In what ways has communism been successful in the world? In what ways has it failed?

Vladimir Lenin

    

  • Who was Vladimir Lenin?

  • What was Lenin’s early life like? What did he do before getting involved with communism?

  • How did Lenin take power in Russia?

  • What was he like as a leader?

  • What happened in Russia under Lenin’s rule?

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Vladimir Lenin - Student Resources

Lenin – World Book

Vladimir Lenin - GVRL

 

Leon Trotsky

   

  • Who was Leon Trotsky?

  • What was his early life/adulthood like?

  • How did he become involved in communist politics? What role did Trotsky serve in the Russian Revolution?

  • What was Trotsky’s relationship with Vladimir Lenin like? What was Trotsky’s relationship with Josef Stalin like?

  • Describe Trotsky’s exile from Russia and his death.

Trotsky – World Book

 

Trotsky - Student Resources 

 
 

 Josef Stalin

   

  • Who was Josef Stalin?

  • What was his early life like? How did he become involved with communist revolutionary politics?

  • What was his relationship like with Vladimir Lenin? How did he help Lenin?

  • How did Stalin take power in Soviet Union? What type of ruler was he?

  • What were some things he did that benefitted the Soviet Union and its people?

  • What were some things he did that were harmful to the Soviet Union and its people?

Stalin – World Book

Stalin - GVRL

Ukrainian Famine - Library of Congress (LOC)



 Secret Police 

  • What are secret police? Provide a definition. (NOTE: Make sure to point out general ways that the KGB was different than an ordinary police force)
  • When was the Cheka (first version of KGB) created?
  • What things did the Cheka do during the 1920’s in Russia?
  • What were the purges under Stalin, and what was the Cheka/GPU/OGPU’s role in it?
  • What were Gulags? How were the secret police affiliated with it?
  • What were some of the secret police force’s tactics?

The KGB – GVRL

Gulag – World Book

KGB - Encyclopedia Britannica

NKVD - World Book