This document provides discussion questions and prompts about communism in Russia and China in the 20th century. It includes prompts about how communists rose to power in each country, the economic and social changes in each country over the century, and the causes of the fall of communism. The document then provides multiple choice questions to test understanding of key events and leaders in Russia and China under communist rule.

1. Write a thesis paragraph for the prompt:
Analyze the similarities and
differences in how the communist
revolutions changed Russia and
China in the 20th century.

2. Write a thesis paragraph for the prompt:
Analyze the similarities and
differences in how communists rose
to power in Russia and China in the
20th century.

3. Write a thesis paragraph for the prompt:
Analyze the changes and
continuities in the economy of ONE
of the following regions in the 20th
century.
China
Russia

4. Write a thesis paragraph for the prompt:
Analyze the changes and
continuities in the social class
system and gender roles of ONE of
the following regions in the 20th
century.
China
Russia

5. World Communism Review

6. Fall of Communism
What caused the end of communism? (p 1051-1052)
Economic failures & moral failures
Work with your partner and write responses in your
notebook about the end of Communism.
How did communism end in China while the
Communist party stayed in control (p1052-1054)?
How did communist control end in the Soviet Union
(p1054-1057)?
Similarities? Differences?

7. – Similarities – Stalin and Mao criticized
Some openness
Movements toward private ownership & industry
Corruption problems
– USSR
Perestroika & Glasnost
Communist party loses power as Independence movements in
Eastern Europe gain momentum
– CHINA
Party holds the power while transforming the economy
Limits freedom and democracy.

8. World Communism Review
• China, USSR, both, or neither?
• This nation boasted economic gains, especially in
industrialization and employment, while the rest of
the developed world was in the Great Depression.
• USSR
• The communist leaders of this nation were Lenin
and Stalin.
• USSR
• This nation’s communist leaders created a series of
amusement parks – Commieworld and Commieland
• neither

9. World Communism
• China, USSR, both, or neither?
• The communists in this country gained support
because of their more successful guerilla fighting
against the Japanese invaders during WWII.
• China
• This nation’s communist leader was a dominating
basketball player.
• neither
• Communists in this nation gained control of the
country through civil war.
• both
• Communist leaders changed the theories of
Marxism to fit with their own situation.
• both

10. World Communism
• China, Russia, both, or neither?
• Communist leaders offered free puppies to all
people who wore their red t-shirts to work on
Fridays.
• neither
• Economic problems, political weakness, and
social turmoil caused the ruling dynasty to fall in
the early 20th century.
• both
• Communist leaders’ support and interest was
mainly with the urban workers.
• Russia

11. World Communism
• China, USSR, both, or neither?
• Communist leaders’ support and interest was mainly
with the rural workers.
• China
• The communist leader of this nation was really
named Iosif Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili .
• USSR (Joseph Stalin’s real name)
• Communist leaders used collectivization of
agriculture
• both
• The communist leader of this nation led a Cultural
Revolution to punish those who didn’t follow the
leaders vision of communism
• China

12. World Communism
• China, Russia, both, or neither?
• It was cold there.
• both
• This nations “5 year plans” led to rapid
industrialization.
• Both? But Mao’s Great Leap Forward
hurt Chinese industrialization.
• In the last decades, this nation has
turned to a more capitalist economy
while remaining communist in
government.
• China
• This nation smells like Putin.
• Russia