During World War I, the Council of Lithuania declared the Act of Independence on February 16, 1918, restoring Lithuania as an independent democratic state. The Act was signed by 20 members under the chairmanship of Jonas Basanavičius. In 1990, the Supreme Soviet of the Lithuanian SSR adopted the Act of the Re-Establishment of the State of Lithuania on March 11th, formally declaring Lithuania's independence from the Soviet Union. Lithuania has since joined the United Nations and European Union and celebrates its independence annually on February 16th.

1. INDEPENDENCE
OF LITHUANIA

2. Long time ago Lithuania wasn‘t a free
country. Lithuanian people patiently and heavily
fought with enemies that a hometown would be
free.

3. Lithuania‘s history started in 13th century when
the king Mindaugas created a state, later Lithuania
was expanded from the Baltic sea to the Black sea.
In 16th – 18 th centuries Lithuania and Poland were
accounted general state.
In 1975 Russia, Austria and Prussia conquered Poland
and Lithuania.

5. During WORLD WAR I, Lithuania had
changes :
The Council of Lithuania declared the act
of Lithuania Independence.
The act was signed on 16th February, in 1918.

6. Excerpt from the Act of Independence
of 16 February 1918:
“The Council of Lithuania in its session of February 16, 1918 decided unanimously to address the
governments of Russia, Germany, and other states with the following declaration:
The Council of Lithuania, as the sole representative of the Lithuanian nation, based on the recognized right
to national self-determination, and on the Vilnius Conference’s resolution of September 18–23, 1917,
proclaims the restoration of the independent state of Lithuania, founded on democratic principles, with
Vilnius as its capital, and declares the termination of all state ties which formerly bound this State to other
nations.
The Council of Lithuania also declares that the foundation of the Lithuanian State and its relations with
other countries will be finally determined by the Constituent Assembly, to be convoked as soon as possible,
elected democratically by all its inhabitants.”

7. The Act was signed by twenty signatories,
chaired by Jonas Basanavičius.

8. MEMBERS : COUNCIL OF
LITHUANIA
• Pranas Dovydaitis
• Jurgis Šaulys
• Steponas Kairys
• Jokūbas Šernas
• Petras Klimas
• Antanas Smetona
• Donatas Malinauskas
• Jonas Smilgevičius
• Justinas Staugaitis
• Vladas Mironas
• Aleksandras Stulginskis
• Alfonsas Petrulis
• Jonas Vailokaitis
• Kazimieras Steponas Šaulys
• Jonas Vileišis
• Saliamonas Banaitis
• Mykolas Biržiška
• Kazys Bizauskas
• Dr. Jonas Basanavičius
• Stanisław Narutowicz

9. THE ACT

10. The First
publication where
was mentioned
this event

11. IT‘S INTERESTING : Final text of the Act
The Council of Lithuania in its session of
February 16, 1918 decided unanimously to address
the governments of Russia, Germany, and other
states with the following declaration:
The Council of Lithuania, as the sole
representative of the Lithuanian nation, based on
the recognized right to national self-determination,
and on the Vilnius Conference's resolution of
September 18–23, 1917, proclaims the restoration
of the independent state of Lithuania, founded on
democratic principles, with Vilnius as its capital, and
declares the termination of all state ties which
formerly bound this State to other nations.

12. The Council of Lithuania by informing the
Government of ... to this effect requests the
recognition of the Independent State of Lithuania.
The Council of Lithuania also declares that the
foundation of the Lithuanian State and
its relations with other countries will be finally
determined by the Constituent Assembly, to be
convoked as soon as possible, elected
democratically by all its inhabitants.

13. THE ACT OF THE RE-ESTABLISHMENT OF
THE STATE OF LITHUANIA –
Act of March 11

14. • The Act of the Re-Establishment of the State
of Lithuania was an Independence declaration
by the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic.
• Adopted on March 11, 1990.
• Signed by all members of the Supreme Soviet
of the Lithuanian SSR.

15. • SSR elected Vytautas Landsbergis as its
chairman, changed its name to the Supreme
Council of the Republic of Lithuania, and
formally declared the re-establishment of the
State of Lithuania.
• The act was approved at 10:44 pm by 124
members of the council.

17. FACTS :
• Iceland was the first to recognize Lithuanian
Independence.
• After the failed August Coup, it was followed
by the United States.
• President George H.W. Bush announced that if
Russia used armed force against Lithuania, the
US would react accordingly.
• Finally, Lithuania’s Independence was
recognized by the Soviet Union.

18. • Recognition of Lithuania’s independence was
quickly followed by several countries including
Hungary, Bulgaria, Italy, Poland, Malta, San
Marino, Portugal, Romania, Ukraine, Latvia and
Estonia.
• On September 17, 1991, LT was welcomed as a
member of the United Nations.
• In 2004, LT was welcomed as a member of the
EUROPEAN UNION.

19. In 2014 on 11th March we are going to
celebrate 24 years anniversary as Lithuania is
free state – the same are we : free, and the most
important – happy.
I love LITHUANIA! What about you? 

20. WHAT DO YOU
REMEMBER?
When did Lithuania have changes?
a) During World War I;
b) During World War II;
c) In 13th century.
Who declared the act of Lithuania Independence?
a) Vytautas Landsbergis;
b) The king Mindaugas;
c) The Council of Lithuania.

21. When was the act signed?
a) In 1918, on February 16th;
b) In 2004, on May 13th;
c) In 1917, on September 16th.
How many signatories did Lithuania‘s Council have?
a) Thirty;
b) One hundred;
c) Twenty.
Who was a chairman?
a) Aleksandras Stulginskis;
b) Jonas Basanavičius;
c) Antanas Smetona.

22. How we can call THE ACT OF THE RE-ESTABLISHMENT
OF THE STATE OF LITHUANIA?
a) Act of March 11th;
b) Act of February 16th;
c) „Lietuvos aidas“.
Who was a chairman of SSR?
a) Petras Klimas;
b) Vytautas Landsbergis;
c) Steponas Kairys.

23. What was the first state, recognized Lithuanian
Independence?
a) Estonia;
b) Poland;
c) Iceland.
Who said : ’If Russia used armed force against
Lithuania, the US would react accordingly‘?
a) George. W. Bush;
b) August Coup;
c) A chairman of SSR.
Are Lithuania a member of EUROPEAN UNION?
a) Yes;
b) No.

24. THANKS FOR
ATTENTION

25. AUTHOR:
Gintautė Jegorovaitė,
9a form student
KALTINĖNAI ALEKSANDRAS
STULGINSKIS
GYMNASIUM
LITHUANIA