1 / 15

Poland & the Baltics

Poland & the Baltics. Ch 15 Section 3. History. Poland = Slavic for “plain” or “field” Largest of the European countries; once part of the Soviet bloc until 1990s 1700s & 1800s – under RUSS AUS and PRU occupied areas of PLND Was independent until after WWII = communist government.

nibal
Télécharger la présentation

Poland & the Baltics

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Poland & the Baltics Ch 15 Section 3

  2. History • Poland = Slavic for “plain” or “field” • Largest of the European countries; once part of the Soviet bloc until 1990s • 1700s & 1800s – under RUSS • AUS and PRU occupied areas of PLND • Was independent until after WWII = communist government

  3. Baltic countries: independent from Russia after WWI • Estonia • Latvia • Lithuania • Soviet Union took over after WWII = communist government until 1991 - democratic

  4. Some ppl still favor communist rule • Russia still controls Kaliningrad • City along with surrounding territory is an exclave

  5. Kaliningrad • Slightly larger than Connecticut • Russia is 200 miles away • Founded by GRM knights in 1200s – Königsberg or “King’s City” • Was the seat of Prussian government • WWII – staging area for German attacks • Soviets took control of it

  6. Soviets wanted to remove much of the German culture • Renamed city • Destroyed historical sites • Forced Germans to leave; some to prison camps • Key base for USSR navy • After fall of CMMSM – K = market economy • Businesses receive special tax breaks

  7. Poland • Ethnic Poles • Language: Polish – Slavic language • Religion: Roman Catholic • Capital: Warsaw – along the Vistula River • Est. 1,000 years ago • 1500s – capital of the kingdom of Poland • 1900s – largest urban Jewish population in the world

  8. WWII – invasion of Poland – Jews forced to live in a ghetto – section of a city where a minority group is forced to live. • Warsaw Ghetto Uprising of 1943 • 60,000 Jews died • WWII devastated the country; rebuilt • Population: 2.2 million

  9. Krakow • Medieval city • University • Monuments • Museums • Gdansk – main seaport – shipbuilding city since 1500s

  10. Economy • Progress since Communist era • Foreign investment • Auto & glass manufacturing • Coal & Steel industries – lagging • 1997 – new constitution – market economy • 2004 – joined the EU • Agriculture: thick deposits of loess • Cereals, potatoes, sugar beets

  11. The Baltic Countries

  12. Middle Ages: two groups of people • Balts – occupied modern Latvia & Lithuania • Finns - settled in Estonia • Lithuania – independent country for a long time • LAT & EST did not • Vikings, German Knights (Teutonic Order) invaded and conquered

  13. Teutonic Knights - German culture and Christianity to EST & LAT • Baltic Sea – busiest trade routes in N. EUR. • What does trade bring? • Language • Religion

  14. EST lang. – related to Finnish • EST religion – Lutheran • LAT – ties to Sweden • LITH – closer culturally to Poland and the Roman Catholic Church • Festivals tied to church holidays • Folk music important • Similar instruments to Poland • Cymbaly

  15. Russian minorities in each country keep Russian cultural traditions alive • Challenges: • rebuild their economy • Small populations • Limited natural resources • – rely on trade for economy

More Related