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Lessons for teaching Holodomor
Social 20/Secondary
Table of Contents
Foreign Policy ........................................................................................................................................................................... 4
This lesson Based on Re-imagining a Past without Imperialism from LearnAlberta which is
based on Garfield Gini-Newman, “Counterfactual History: Good Teaching, Bad History? Part
I, OHASSTA Rapport, Fall 2003, Volume 24, Number One, and Garfield Gini-Newman,
“Counterfactual History: Good Teaching, Bad History? Part II, OHASSTA Rapport, Winter
2004, Volume 25, Number Two,
Foreign Policy Responses and Genocide........................................................................................................................ 4
Description
Process:
Survey:
Brainstorm Foreign Policies
Categorize Foreign Policies
Foreign Policy Response to the Holodomor
Individual Assignment
First Person Narrative: Contending Loyalties ............................................................................................................. 7
Description
Scenario
Instructions for Lesson:
Historically Significant ........................................................................................................................................................ 10
Suggested Activities
Part I
Part II
Part III
Part IV
About The Historical Thinking Project
Significant Events .................................................................................................................................................................. 18
Bolshevik Revolution
Abdication of Nicholas II
End of Serfdom
1905 Revolution
Civil War in Russia
Lenin Begins the New Economic Plan
War Communism
Death of Lenin
Stalin takes power
Law of State Property
Korenization
Page 1
Elimination of the Kulaks
Soviets raise quotas
Stalinism
Five Year Plans and forced Collectivization
Russian Empire had long dominated Ukraine
Re-imagining a Past - Counterfactual Scenarios and the Holodomor .............................................................. 22
Intro to counterfactual scenarios
Suggested Activities
Counterfactual scenarios
Tips for working with Counterfactuals
Share counterfactual scenarios
Individual Assignment
The Eight Stages of Genocide ............................................................................................................................................ 25
What Constitutes Genocide: Holodomor Case Study and Comparison ........................................................... 27
Social 20
Overview
Instructions for Lesson:
Genocide Comparison Project .......................................................................................................................................... 29
TASK:
Genocide Question
Page 2
Page 3
Part 3 Lessons
Foreign Policy
Framing an Effective Foreign Policy - LearnAlberta
http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/ssoc11/html/framingeffectiveforeignpolicy_cc.html
Students brainstorm FPs. Discuss what the most appropriate FP for genocide is.
Contending Loyalties – First Person Narrative
Students take on role of Ukrainian Communist Official who must write a letter to a brother. The
letter is the main product of this assignment.
Historically Significant
This lesson borrows heavily from
http://historicalthinking.ca/lesson/386
In this lesson students look at a series of event cards ( not really cards yet) and rate them according
to Historical significance. Then they rate them according to their impact on the Holodomor.
Students create a significance timeline, design a webpage and write an article as part of the
assignment.
Re-imagining a Past - Counterfactual Scenarios and the Holodomor
This lesson Based on Re-imagining a Past without Imperialism from LearnAlberta which is based on
Garfield Gini-Newman, “Counterfactual History: Good Teaching, Bad History? Part I, OHASSTA
Rapport, Fall 2003, Volume 24, Number One, and Garfield Gini-Newman, “Counterfactual History:
Good Teaching, Bad History? Part II, OHASSTA Rapport, Winter 2004, Volume 25, Number Two,
http://www.ohassta.org/rapport.htm.
Crystal Zuk
Genocide Comparison
Students compare Holodomor to other genocides to arrive at an answer to the question: Should the
Holodomor be considered genocide?
Historical Globalization - Imperialism
Students compare the Holodomor to actions we usually associate with imperialism
Ukrainian Language Education Centre Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies 430 Pembina Hall
Page 4
Foreign Policy Responses and Genocide
Description
In this challenge, students investigate the role of foreign policy in promoting
internationalism and in pursuing national interests.
Process:
Begin lesson by considering some international event going on in the world. Review the
event and then talk about how the Canadian government should respond to it. What is the
most appropriate foreign policy response to this situation? Alternatively, you could give a
specific scenario and ask the students what the appropriate foreign policy response should
be for that. For example, what should Canada do if one of our allies stops trading with us?
Have each student complete the following survey to get them thinking about Foreign
Policy.
Survey:
StA
Agr
Un
Op
SO
No nation should ever intervene in
the affairs of another. State
sovereignty is the key to the
international system.
If genocide is occurring in a country,
that country loses their right to be
sovereign.
International law is the best way to
prevent or stop genocide.
When genocide occurs we must call
for an international effort to stop it,
but we should be prepared to act on
our own if necessary.
Our government should focus more
on protecting our country and its
interests and worry less about
stopping ethnic hatreds in other
parts of the world.
Putting economic or security
interests before the lives of innocent
people repeats the tragic mistakes of
history.
Supranational institutions, like the
Page 5
UN, threaten the sovereignty of
individual states and usually do
more harm than good.
We should work with other nations
to strengthen the power of the
United Nations so they are better
able to respond to genocide
Foreign policy should only be used
to pursue national interests
Canada should only intervene in
international affairs when something
directly affects us.
Brainstorm Foreign Policies
Ask students to consider specific actions governments take. Brainstorm a long list of
foreign policy actions. Some examples are provided.
Specific Foreign Policy Actions Canada could take




















Unilaterally impose a military blockade against a country
As part of a coalition of nations, impose a military blockade against a country.
Unilaterally use air power against a country
Unilaterally invade another country
As part of a coalition invade another country
Provide foreign aid directly to another country’s government
Provide aid to another country through a Canadian aid agency
Work through a supranationalist organization (UN, WTO) to solve an international
issues
Withdraw from most supranationalist organizations
Set up a trade mission in another country
Make a free trade deal with another country
Conduct espionage against another country
Withdraw from NATO
Work with other countries to standardize legislation on an important international
issue
Sign a treaty with another country to work together for defense
Announce we will be withdrawing from the terms of a treaty
Sign a treaty
Kick the ambassador out of the country
Quit trading with a country
Freeze all assets of a country or leaders of that country that are in our banks
Page 6
Categorize Foreign Policies
After students have brainstormed a long list of actions, assemble the class into groups for
four or five. Tell each group to discuss scenarios for each action – when would this foreign
policy action be appropriate? For example, when would it be appropriate to provide direct
foreign aid to another country’s government? After each policy is discussed, ask the
students to revisit the list and rate the actions as more nationalistic or international. The
action may depend on the context in which is used but most actions will lean one way or
the other.
Each group can then select five actions that they feel best reflect the spectrum from
internationalism to nationalism. Groups could create a visual presentation with their
choices or all groups could add their information to one class continuum.
Internationalism
Nationalism
Foreign Policy Response to the Holodomor
Now that students are thinking about foreign policy issues, think about how Canada should
have responded to the Holodomor. Were there actions Canada should have taken at the
time? Could Canada or other countries in the world have taken actions that could have
changed the outcome or lessened the effect of the Holodomor? Have each group come up
with a Foreign Policy that they feel would have been most appropriate at the time of the
Holodomor. Consider the consequences of the policy itself. Try to be realistic.
These foreign policy responses could be put together into a presentation or simply shared
with the rest of the class
At this point, you may wish to have the students take the survey again and discuss any
changes in their responses.
Individual Assignment
Imagine that there is a genocide taking place in the world today. Have students write a
letter to the Minister of External Affairs advocating a specific action in response. Make sure
that they are specific in what they are suggesting and they provide reasons for what they
are suggesting.
Page 7
First Person Narrative: Contending Loyalties
Social Studies 20-1 Contending loyalties
Description
This challenge provides students with the opportunity to take on the role of a citizen living
in Ukrainian SSR during the Holodomor and explore the issue of contending loyalties.
Students are provided with a scenario, which they are to respond to. To complete the task
students read the following scenario and letters and respond by writing a letter.
Scenario
You are a thirty-two year old man living in a city in Ukrainian SSR. It is the fall of 1932. You
moved away from your family during the Russian civil war fifteen years ago. You have
worked hard for the Bolsheviks and have been rewarded well. You have served both the
party and government in many important positions throughout Ukrainian SSR. When the
country was moving towards collective farming, you convinced your family members to
join immediately.
You have been devastated to see what has happened in Ukraine over the last year and are
very worried as winter approaches. You have seen so many sick and dying people and the
sights of starving children haunt you at night. You worry about your family because most of
them still live on collective farms. You have been able to help family members with food a
few times in the last year but now it is getting impossible.
As the situation worsens, more and more comrades are arriving from Moscow. They have
been taking many important positions and seem to be suspicious of the Ukrainian
leadership. You are particularly concerned about the new Russian commander of the
region – Egorov. The mail has just arrived this morning and the first letter you open is from
comrade Egorov.
Instructions for Lesson:
Write a letter in response to the scenario described above. Make sure to note the specific
requirements of the letter according to Egorov.
Comrade Stalin and Politburo of the CC CP(b)U
Comrade Stalin,
We are collective farmers who gave up land and joined our kolhosp back in 1929 when
many were still saying they were going to keep their land. We supported the party and a
socialist peoples' economy. But comrade, are not allowed to share in this economy?
I ask you, is there a Soviet government law stating villagers should go hungry? Because we,
our entire kolhosp, has not had any bread since June. And it is not only here, in every
district in this region there is mass famine among the people. Why are there abundant
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supplies of different and inexpensive breads in Voronezh, Annovka, Moscow, Kuban, Tbilisi
and Crimea, but there are none in Ukraine? And if you can ever find any bread it is so
expensive that no from our kolohosp could possibly afford it.
The horses are all dead, people took them to eat, which led to so many deaths and sickness;
sanitary conditions are absent. People are eating pig slop, roots, or worse, because there is
nothing else.
Now there are officials coming around to search for food in every kolhosp. But there is no
food comrade. We are starving to death. Your approach to the countryside ... that grain
should be taken away and that villagers be made to work like factory workers maybe
necessary, but forcing the starving to work does not make any sense.
Are we are condemned to starve to death as the harvest is still four months away? What did
we die for on the battlefronts? To go hungry, to see our children die in pangs of hunger?
Please comrade Stalin.
Andriy Kobzar
Based on material from Ukrainian Holodomor Source Book
Comrade Nicholai Kobzar,
I intercepted this letter that your brother had attempted to send to Moscow. I am
disappointed to see that your family is not more supportive of what we are working so hard
to achieve. I do not think it would be helpful for you or your family for this letter to get
through to our leader. I would like you to write your brother and send me a copy of the
letter. May I suggest to you that you follow this outline when you write your letter? I look
forward to reading it.
Send your warm personal greetings
Express empathy for their situation
Explain that you are not able to help them
Explain to them why it is so important for Ukraine to meet the quotas set by our leaders
Explain to them how we are trying to create a better country for all our citizens
Lev Egorov
You are very worried. Many Ukrainian nationalists that were good party members have
lost their jobs in the last few months. Many have been sent to gulags in Siberia. It seemed
that many of them were not really guilty of much. Now as you read this letter from Kobzar
you are wondering if you are being replaced as well. Why did the Commander ask for a
copy of the letter? Is he looking for some reason to fire you? You decide that your best
approach is to follow his instructions completely in writing your letter to your brother.
Make sure that you do
a very good job of the letter! Your life may depend upon it.
(Rubric from web.rbe.sk.ca/assessment/rubrics/languagearts/RAFTS%20Rubric.doc)
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1
2
3
4
The information
provided in the letter
is very incomplete
and/or has major
anachronisms.
The information
provided in RAFTS
has some small
inaccuracies,
omissions or
anachronisms.
The information
provided in THE
LETTER is accurate
but could use more
support or specific
details related to
subject or time period.
Information & details in
THE LETTER are always
accurate and properly
reflect information, ideas
and themes related to the
subject and time period.
Viewpoint or ideas
are sketchy and not
drawn from time
period. LETTER
does not show
insight into how
characters feel or act
during the event(s).
Viewpoint or ideas
reflect current
concerns rather than
time period. LETTER
does not show insight
into how characters
feel during the
event(s).
LETTER maintains a
reasonably consistent
point of view and
includes ideas relevant
to role and time
period played.
Character’s feelings
about the event(s) are
evident.
LETTER maintains clear,
consistent point of view,
tone and ideas relevant to
role and time period
played. Ideas and
information always tied to
role and audience of time.
Characters are insightfully
shown.
Focus
LETTER wanders
from topic; focus
cannot be seen or
has many side
comments.
Central topic and
purpose of LETTER
can be seen, but focus
is inconsistent.
LETTER stays largely
on topic; its ideas are
mostly supported.
LETTER stays on topic,
consistently maintains
form or type; details and
information are included
and directly support the
purpose.
Use of
Class time used to
disrupt others. Class
resources are not or
inappropriately used.
Class time and
resources used to do
work for other classes
and/or chat with
friends.
Class time used
mostly effectively to
research the era and
create coherent
stories.
Class time used efficiently
and appropriately to
research the era and create
interesting, well written,
stories; extra effort or
involvement beyond class.
Writing is unclear
and has gaps or
confusions. Essay is
marred by numerous
errors, which disrupt
reader’s
understanding.
Writing wanders or is
somewhat repetitious.
Essay contains several
sentence errors and
mechanical mistakes
that may interfere
with clarity of ideas.
Audience is irritated
by errors.
Writing is clear and
direct. Essay contains
some fragments, runons or other errors;
occasional mechanical
mistakes. Audience is
informed.
Writing is fluent and
interesting. Essay contains
few or no fragments or
run-on sentences; rare
errors or mechanical
mistakes result from risktaking. It engages and
informs audience.
Accuracy
Perspective
Class Time
Presentation
Page 10
Historically Significant
In this challenge students explore historical significance. Significant events are usually
those that resulted in great change over long periods, for large numbers of people. There
are four different activities in this lesson. Teachers may choose to do only parts of this
lesson.
For further information about historical significance and its application to social studies go
to http://historicalthinking.ca/concept/historical-significance
Suggested Activities
Understanding Historical Significance
Begin the unit by asking students to list the three most significant events in their life. After
students have listed these events on a piece of paper, ask them what made these events so
significant. Using a mind map with significance at the centre, track student responses on
the board (i.e. had a big effect on my life, was a major achievement for me). Once students
have had a chance to respond, introduce the criteria for historical significance:





Resulted in change
The event had deep consequences for many people
The event affected many people
The consequences of this event lasted for a long period of time
Revealing: The event sheds light on an aspect of the past; helps us understand the
past in a new way
Help students see connections between the reasons why they chose particular events as
significant in their own life with criteria for historical significance.
Explain that one of the objectives of this lesson is to help students understand some of the
tools historians use to decide which events in the past should be seen as historically
significant. Clarify to students that the past is everything that ever happened to anyone
anywhere. There is too much that has happened in the past to remember it all. Therefore,
historians must choose which events, people, and developments are worth remembering.
This is where historical significance comes in; these criteria help us decide which events
are the most important.
Page 11
Part I
Announce that you are going to present them with a number of events that occurred in
Russian, Soviet and Ukrainian history. As historians, their job is to determine the historical
significance of these events. Use the Significant Event Cards.
To prepare students for this task, select one of the events to work on together as a class. On
the board (or on an overhead projector) create a model template of the Criteria for
Historical Significance sheet. Go over each criterion one by one —



event had deep consequences
affected many people
consequences of the event lasted for a long period of time
Ask students what evidence there is from the historical event card that would help them to
decide to what extent this event fits the criteria for historical significance. Fill in the chart
on the board with student responses.
Once completed, ask students what evidence may be lacking to determine historical
significance. Ask students to come up with a series of inquiry questions that will guide
them in finding this information. Direct students to their textbook and other resources to
help them answer these questions. When students have found the information, ask them to
rate the event in terms of its historical significance. Finish the practice example by offering
some of your thoughts as to what degree this event fits the criteria for historical
significance.
Then the group adds up the individual ratings to select the five events they consider the
most historically significant and as a group present their selections to the rest of the class.
Data from each group can be collected and analyzed to determine the most significant
events according to the class overall. Class can discuss the results and make arguments for
certain events over others. Another vote where each student selects their top three events
could result in a different class “top five”.
Distribute sets of the Significant Events cards to groups of three or four students. Direct
students to use the information on the cards to complete the "Criteria for Historical
Significance" sheet for each event. Using the three criteria of historical significance, review
how to rank the events on a scale from -2 to +2. Direct students to generate inquiry
questions in order to find information they will need to properly determine historical
significance. Provide access to relevant resources. Have students divide up the events so
that each member has an equal number of events to research for the group.
Page 12
Once students have found the information they need to determine historical significance,
have students rank order each event on the historical significance scale. When students
complete this task they can then use their rankings to determine which five events were
the most historically significant. As this point, ask each group to orally present their
conclusions. Have each group choose one event to use as an example of using criteria to
determine historical significance. Ensure that students keep their sheets because they will
need it for the next activity
Part II
Next, provide students with a brief overview of the Holodomor. Much the main information
has already been covered with the events from Part I. Now, ask students to reconsider the
events from the perspective of the Holodomor. Which of these events is most significant in
relation to the Holodomor? Which events had the most impact on whether the Holodomor
happened or not? Allow the students to discuss this in groups and redo their rating system
from Part I. During their discussions have students individually rate each event, by the
degree to which it affected the Holodomor. From this, students again select the top five
events.
Each student should then construct a a significance grid to construct a chronological
timeline of these events. On the x axis of the timeline have students plot four distinct lines,
labeling them from bottom to top: 0, +2, +4, +6. Have students plot their events
chronologically corresponding to the ranking they gave the event for historical significance.
For each event, have students include a picture and a brief explanation as to why they
consider the event to be historically significant. Remind students that their explanation
must be based on the criteria for historical significance.
Teachers may wish to evaluate the timelines based on the following rubric
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Criteria
A
Events
1
The timeline is
missing several
events, or those
included are not
complete.
2
3
4
Timeline includes Timeline includes Timeline includes
5-6 historical
6-7 historical
8 historical events,
events, in
events, in
in chronological
chronological
chronological
order placed
order placed
order placed
according to their
according to their according to their rating of
rating of
rating of
significance (+2significance (+2- significance (+2- +6)
+6)
+6)
B
Few events
Some events
Most events
Each event
Significance
contain an
contain an
contain an
contains an
effective
effective
effective
exceptional
description
description
description
description
explaining why
explaining why
explaining why
explaining why it
they were
they were
they were
was historically
historically
historically (had historically
significant. (had
significant (had
deep
significant (had
deep
deep
consequences for deep
consequences for
consequences for many people,
consequences for many people,
many people,
affected many
many people,
affected many
affected many
people and the
affected many
people and the
people and the
consequences
people and the
consequences
consequences
lasted for a long
consequences
lasted for a long
lasted for a long
period of time.
lasted for a long
period of time.
period of time.
period of time.
C
Few pictures are Some pictures are Most pictures are All pictures are
Pictures
effective and relate effective and relate effective and relate exceptionally
to the events. Few to the events.
to the events.
effective and relate
pictures are cited Some pictures are Most pictures are to the events. All
accurately in a
cited accurately in cited accurately in pictures are cited
bibliography.
a bibliography
a bibliography.
accurately in a
bibliography.
D
The timeline is
The overall
The overall
The overall
OverallImpression difficult to
appearance of the appearance of the appearance of the
interpret.
timeline is
timeline is
timeline is
somewhat easy to pleasing and easy exceptional, and
interpret.
to interpret.
very easy to
interpret.
Page 14
Part III
Discuss Holodomor. Talk about how so few people still know about this event. One way to
spread information about the Holodomor is through the world wide web. Propose the
following scenario: A historical society is going to sponsor a contest to create a title page
for a new section on the Holodomor on a popular history website.
In the next activity, students select their top event from Part II and use this to help design a
page for a new website being created on the Holodomor. To create their design, students
can cut out art, draw, color, or use whatever tools/techniques they have at their disposal.
Students are required to hand in either a completed design or a comprehensive detailed
description of the elements of a web page on the Holodomor.
Students would only have to create one page. This page should include




Name of the section
Headline for the feature article, (the event they personally select as most historically
significant) and a brief description of this event that will catch the reader's attention
Reference to four other events that would be included in the magazine if an entire
magazine were being produced (these might simply take the form of four catchy
headlines)
Pictures with accompanying captions that will capture the reader's interest
Page 15
Layout
The webpage is
exceptionally
attractive in
terms of design,
layout and
neatness
The webpage is
attractive in
terms of design,
layout and
neatness
The webpage is
acceptably
attractive though
it may be a bit
messy
The webpage is
distractingly
messy or very
poorly designed.
It is not
attractive.
Feature
article
The feature
article has a
strong hook or
attention
grabber that
captures the
reader’s
attention
The feature
article has a hook
or attention
grabber that
captures the
reader’s
attention
The feature
article has a hook
or attention
grabber, but it
does not capture
the reader’s
attention
The feature
article does not
capture the
reader’s
attention
Required
elements
(Name of
webpage,
Headline/desc
ription of
feature article;
Reference to 5
other events;
Text and
pictures that
capture
reader’s
interest)
The webpage
includes all
required
elements as
well as
additional
information.
The webpage
includes all of the
required
elements.
All but 1 of the
required
elements were
included on the
webpage cover.
Several elements
were missing
from the
webpage cover.
Includes welldetailed
supporting
graphics/pictur
es. All pictures
are accurately
cited.
Includes good
supporting
graphics/picture
s. Most pictures
are accurately
cited.
Includes
satisfactory
supporting
graphics/pictures
. Some pictures
are accurately
cited.
Has poor
supporting
graphics/picture
s. Few pictures
are accurately
cited.
Graphics
Page 16
Part IV
Students will write a full-page article in the form of an editorial that explains why the event
they chose is the most historically significant event in relation to the Holodomor.
To help students write an effective editorial discuss the criteria and format of writing an
opinion piece. To help students write an editorial that communicates a clear statement of
purpose and presents convincing arguments in support of their position, visit the following
link on the Online Guide to Implementation for support materials:
http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/sssm/html/writinganeffectiveeditorial...
About The Historical Thinking Project
This lesson is based on the work of The Historical Thinking Project, which is an initiative of
the University of British Columbia’s Centre for the Study of Historical Consciousness. It was
initiated in partnership with the Historica Foundation, and has received support from the
Canadian Council on Learning, and the Canadian Studies Program, Department of Canadian
Heritage. This lesson on historical significance can be adapted to Social 20 or Social 30
Page 17
Event:
Date:
Deep consequences:
Justification:
-2
-1
+1
+2
Affected many:
Justification:
-2
-1
+1
+2
Long lasting:
Justification:
-2
-1
+1
+2
Deep consequences:
Justification:
-2
-1
+1
+2
Affected many:
Justification:
-2
-1
+1
+2
Long lasting:
Justification:
-2
-1
+1
+2
Deep consequences:
Justification:
-2
-1
+1
+2
Affected many:
Justification:
-2
-1
+1
+2
Long lasting:
Justification:
-2
-1
+1
+2
Total Points:
Event:
Date:
Total Points:
Event:
Date:
Total Points:
Page 18
Significant Events
Bolshevik Revolution
The October Revolution or the Bolshevik Revolution overthrew the Russian Provisional
Government and gave power to the local soviets dominated by Bolsheviks. Since the revolution was
not universally recognized outside of Petrograd there followed the struggles of the Russian Civil
War and the creation of the Soviet Union. The revolution was led by the Bolsheviks to organize the
armed forces. Bolshevik Red Guards forces began with a takeover of government buildings.
Abdication of Nicholas II
The Tsar received a telegram from the Chairman of the Duma urging him to return to the capital:
The situation is serious. The capital is in a state of anarchy. The Government is paralyzed.
Transport service and the supply of food and fuel have become completely disrupted. General
discontent is growing... There must be no delay. Any procrastination is tantamount to death.
The Tsar took a train back towards Petrograd, which was stopped after having been instructed to
divert by a group of disloyal troops. When the Tsar finally reached his destination, the Army Chiefs
and his remaining ministers suggested in unison that he abdicate the throne, which he did. He
returned to Petrograd where he was placed under house arrest. A provisional government took
over
End of Serfdom
Tsar Alexander II finally freed all serfs in a major agrarian reform in 1861, stimulated by fear that
"it is better to liberate the peasants from above" than to wait until they won their freedom by
risings "from below." Serfdom was abolished, but its abolition was achieved on terms unfavorable
to the peasants and served to increase revolutionary pressures.
The serfs had to work for a landlord as usual for two years. The nobles kept nearly all the meadows
and forests and had their debts paid by the state while the ex serfs paid over-the-market price for
the shrunken plots they kept.
1905 Revolution
The 1905 Russian Revolution was a wave of mass political and social unrest that spread through
vast areas of the Russian Empire, much of it directed against the government. It included worker
strikes, peasant unrest, and military mutinies. An Orthodox priest led a huge workers' procession to
the Winter Palace to deliver a petition to the Tsar. The troops guarding the Winter Palace who had
been ordered to tell the demonstrators not to pass a certain point, opened fire on them, which
resulted in between 200 and 1000 deaths. The event, known as Bloody Sunday, is usually
Page 19
considered the start of the active phase of the revolution. It led to the establishment of limited
constitutional monarchy, the State Duma, the multi-party system, and the Russian Constitution of
1906. The Tsar ultimately refused to cede enough authority to the Duma to allow it to be effective.
Civil War in Russia
The Russian Civil War was a multi-party war that occurred within the former Russian Empire after
the Russian provisional government collapsed to the Soviets, under the domination of the Bolshevik
party. Soviet forces first assumed power in Petrograd (St. Petersburg) and subsequently gained
control throughout Russia.
The principal fighting occurred between the Bolshevik Red Army, often in temporary alliance with
other leftist pro-revolutionary groups, and the forces of the White Army, the loosely allied antiBolshevik forces. Many foreign armies warred against the Red Army, notably the Allied Forces, and
many volunteer foreigners fought on both sides of the Russian Civil War. Other nationalist and
regional political groups also participated in the war, including the Ukrainian nationalist Green
Army, the Ukrainian anarchist Black Army and Black Guards.
Lenin Begins the New Economic Plan
The New Economic Policy (NEP) was an economic policy proposed by Vladimir Lenin, who called it
state capitalism. Allowing some private ventures, the NEP allowed small animal businesses or
smoke shops, for instance, to reopen for private profit while the state continued to control banks,
foreign trade, and large industries. In essence, the policy required the farmers to give the
government a specified amount of raw agricultural product as a tax in kind. Further decrees refined
the policy and expanded it to include some industries.
War Communism
War communism or military communism was the economic and political system that existed in
Soviet Russia during the Russian Civil War. This policy was adopted by the Bolsheviks with the aim
of keeping towns and the Red Army supplied with weapons and food, in conditions in which all
normal economic mechanisms and relations were being destroyed by the war. The Supreme
Economic Council enforced war communism until it was replaced by with the New Economic Policy.
Death of Lenin
Vladimir Ilyich Lenin was the creator of the Soviet Communist Party, leader of the October
Revolution, and founder of the USSR. As head of the Bolsheviks, he led the Red Army to victory in
the Russian Civil War, before establishing the world's first officially socialist state. As a theorist, his
Page 20
extensive theoretical and philosophical contributions to Marxism produced Leninism. With his
death, the party was thrown into a power struggle that was ultimately won by Joseph Stalin.
Stalin takes power
Joseph Stalin was among the Bolshevik revolutionaries who brought about the October Revolution
and held the position of first General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union's Central
Committee from the start of the Soviet Union until his death. While formally the office of the
General Secretary was not regarded as the top position in the Soviet state, after Vladimir Lenin's
death in 1924, Stalin managed to consolidate more and more power in his hands, gradually putting
down all opposition groups within the party. Stalin's idea of socialism in one country became the
primary line of Soviet politics.
Law of State Property
The Soviet Government passed a law that stipulated that all food was state property and that mere
possession of food was evidence of a crime. Among the most enthusiastic enforcers of the law were
urban members of youth organizations, educated under the Soviet system, who fanned out into the
countryside in order to prevent the "theft" of state property. They constructed and staffed
watchtowers (over 700 in the Odessa region alone) to ensure that no peasants took food home from
the fields. The youth brigades lived off the land, eating what they confiscated from the peasants.
Korenization
Korenization was an early Soviet policy that promoted representatives of the different nations of
the USSR and national minorities on lower levels of the administrative subdivision of the state, into
local government, management, bureaucracy and nomenklatura in the corresponding national
entities. Korenization implied the introduction of the local languages into all spheres of public life
and usage of the local languages to the widest possible extent, particularly, in education, publishing,
culture, and, most importantly, government and the Communist Party. Not only was the local cadre
of the titular nations to be promoted at all levels but the ethnic Russians who served in the local
governments were encouraged (or required) to learn the local culture.
Elimination of the Kulaks
The most successful farmers who flourished under the New Economic Policy were labeled ‘Kulaks’
and a propaganda campaign was initiated against this class of people. When the NEP was replaced
with the Five-Year Plan the Soviet government began to methodically attack peasant farmers who
were resisting collectivization. Hundreds of thousands of peasants the government called ‘Kulaks’
were arrested, sent to prisons, tortured and/or killed. With these people gone the government got
Page 21
rid of the group most likely to oppose collectivization but they also got rid of the group with the
most expertise in farming.
Soviets raise quotas
The worldwide depression, which began in 1929, resulted in a drop in wheat prices that seriously
affected the government’s ability to meet the objectives of the Five-Year Plan. In response, the
Soviet government increased quotas dramatically for wheat production in 1932. Collective farmers
who were unable to meet quotas were stripped of food, livestock, seeds and tools. Starving peasants
were forbidden to take food from the fields where they worked. When peasants tried to flee the
region the government erected military blockades to prevent them from leaving the country or
travelling between districts. Peasants were prevented from travelling to towns where more food
was available and thousands were shots trying to flee the famine or search for food.
Stalinism
Joseph Stalin becomes General Secretary of the Communist Party of Soviet Union. After Lenin’s
death in 1924, a power struggle ensued resulting in Joseph Stalin emerging as the new leader of the
Soviet Union. Stalin’s approach to running the country, known as Stalinism, was characterized by
terror and totalitarian rule. Stalin rejected the softening of communist principles under the NEP. In
1928, he began a series of five year plans that forced peasants to give up their property and join
kolkhoz (collective farms). These five year plans set economic goals aimed at making the nation
militarily and industrially self-sufficient. The idea was to sell wheat abroad and buy foreign
machinery and technology with the money generated. These Five-Year Plans became the model by
which the Soviet economy was organized for the next sixty years.
Five Year Plans and forced Collectivization
Stalin replaced the New Economic Policy with a highly centralized command economy, launching a
period of rapid industrialization and economic collectivization in the countryside. As a result, the
USSR was transformed from a largely agrarian society into a great industrial power. As part of the
first Five-Year-Plan, the Soviet government imposed collectivization on the peasants of the Soviet
Union. Many peasants, who felt betrayed by the government, reacted by burning their crops and
killing their livestock. Most peasants were not happy to give up their property and be forced to join
collective farms. When they were given no choice, many burned their fields and livestock in protest
rather than hand them over to the authorities
Russian Empire had long dominated Ukraine
While Ukraine has long been a separate national cultural group, the Ukrainian people have a long
history of being dominated politically, primarily by Russia. At the beginning of the twentieth
century, the area that is now Ukraine was divided between the Russian and Austro-Hungarian
Empires. Ukrainians experienced many periods where their culture and language came under
attack by Russian imperial policy aimed at “uniting” the empire.
Page 22
Re-imagining a Past - Counterfactual Scenarios and the Holodomor
This lesson could be adapted to Social 10, 20 or 30.
Students investigate the long-term implications of significant events in history by imagining how
present conditions for Ukrainian peoples may be different if a specified event in history had not
occurred or had turned out differently.
This assignment requires that students have a basic understanding of the Holodomor as well as
an understanding of modern-day Ukraine. Teachers should discuss why many consider it
important that the Holodomor be better known and understood.
Intro to counterfactual scenarios
Using counterfactual scenarios can be an effective means to engage students in learning
history. To introduce students to the idea of counterfactual history consider showing them the
first twenty minutes of the movie Sliding Doors. In this movie, Gwyneth Paltrow plays a young
woman who gets fired from her job. On her way home she barely manages to get on the subway
as the doors close. At this point the movie backs up and we see her just failing to get on the
subway. From this point the movie follows Paltrow’s character from the two scenarios; one
where she gets on the subway, gets home relatively quickly and catches her live-in boyfriend
with another woman; the other whereby she missing the subway, must take a cab to get home,
but is mugged while waiting for a cab. By the time she gets home, the other woman has left. A
chance occurrence has significant consequences on her life. The television show Fraisier did a
variation on this theme with an episode available on Youtube here. Search for Sliding Fraisiers.
After viewing this excerpt from the movie or show ask students to select an event or decision in
the lives of their parents that could have significantly altered their (the students) lives. Students
can construct parallel mind-maps to show the impact of the actual decision/event and the
counterfactual scenario. This quick activity helps to lay the foundations for students working with
counterfactuals.
Suggested Activities
One way to approach this lesson is to assign students to groups of 3 to 5. Have them begin their
discussion with one of the scenarios below or one the students and teacher have agreed upon.
At first, the students should discuss whether the scenario would have resulted in a change in
the Holodomor? What consequences would have resulted from this scenario that would have
impacted the Holodomor? Would the Holodomor still have occurred? Why or why not? Give
students time to try to arrive at a consensus position in their group. If all groups are working on
the same scenario it would be helpful for each group to share their ideas and discuss the
conclusions as a class.
Next students should return to their groups and discuss how this scenario would have affected
present day Ukraine. Ask students to determine the implications for contemporary Ukrainian
peoples in these five dimensions:
Page 23





population
political autonomy
culture and language
territory
economic well-being
Counterfactual scenarios






The policy of Korenization continues throughout the history of the Soviet Union.
The Czar retains power throughout WWI and continues to rule Russia for several more
decades.
Ukrainian Nationals defeat Bolsheviks and others and finally declare the Ukrainian
Republic as an independent state in 1922
Central Powers win WWI and all Ukrainian territory becomes part of Austro-Hungarian
Empire after WWI
The New Economic Policy is continued after Stalin comes to power.
Trotsky becomes the leader of the Soviet Union after Lenin’s death
Tips for working with Counterfactuals




It will be important that students research a representative range of the perspectives on
the topic but to be aware of bias and look for evidence of a lack of balanced or fairminded treatment in the resources they consult.
Avoid beginning with a preconceived view of history as you would like it to have been
and then reimagining events so as to create the history of our desires.
Be careful not to reach erroneous conclusions based on faulty reasoning.
Counterfactual history can never lead to a definitive alternate history––at best it can
suggest what might have been.
Share counterfactual scenarios
Arrange for students to share their counterfactual scenarios with the rest of the class.
Students could present the information in a variety of ways. Teachers may wish to provide
some structure to their presentations and provide the students with a criteria that they may
be marked on. Alternatively, teachers may wish to make the presentations brief and simple
at the end of the discussions. Then students could be given the following individual
assignment.
Page 24
Individual Assignment
The final assignment is for students to use the counterfactual scenario as the basis for a
description of what Ukraine would look like today. In this assignment You are a Canadian
diplomat living in the capital of Ukraine for the last five years. A new Canadian ambassador
has arrived who knows very little about this nation. You have been assigned to provide the
ambassador with an overview. You will need to write a report (or use some other format
approved by your teacher) that gives information about the following:





population- how many people
political autonomy - what type of nation is Ukraine? Is it an independent nation-state or
part of a larger entity? What other nations have strong ties to Ukraine?
culture and language - what is the language and culture of this nation?
territory - how big is Ukraine? where are the borders?
economic well-being- what type of economy does Ukraine have? How is the economy
doing?
Page 25
The Eight Stages of Genocide
1. Classification:
All cultures have categories to distinguish people into “us and them” by ethnicity, race, religion, or
nationality: German and Jew, Hutu and Tutsi. If societies are too segregated (divided) they are most likely to
have genocide.
2. Symbolization:
We give names or other symbols to the classifications of ethnicity, race, religion, or nationality. We name
people “Jews” or “Gypsies”, or distinguish them by colors or dress; and apply them to members of groups.
Classification and symbolization are universally human and do not necessarily result in genocide unless they
lead to the next stage, dehumanization. When combined with hatred, symbols may be forced upon unwilling
members of minority groups: the yellow star for Jews under Nazi rule, the blue scarf for people from the
Eastern Zone in Khmer Rouge Cambodia.
3. Dehumanization:
Dehumanization is when one group treats another group as second class citizens. Members of a persecuted
group may be compared with animals, parasites, insects or diseases. When a group of people is thought of as
“less than human” it is easier for the group in control to murder them.
4. Organization:
Genocide is always organized, usually by the state, though sometimes informally or by terrorist groups.
Special army units or militias are often trained and armed. Plans are made for genocidal killings.
5. Polarization:
Extremists drive the groups apart. Hate groups broadcast propaganda that reinforces prejudice and hate.
Laws may forbid intermarriage or social interaction between the groups. Extremist terrorism targets
moderates, and intimidates them so that they are silent. Moderate leaders are those best able to prevent
genocide and they are often the first to be assassinated.
6. Preparation:
Victims are identified and separated out because of their ethnic or religious identity. Death lists are drawn
up. Members of victim groups are forced to wear identifying symbols, like the Yellow Stars worn by Jews
during the Holocaust. They are often segregated into ghettoes (confined living quarters), forced into
concentration camps, or restricted to a famine-struck region and starved.
7. Extermination:
Extermination begins, and quickly becomes the mass killing legally called “genocide”. It is “extermination” to
the killers because they do not believe their victims to be fully human (see dehumanization). When it is
sponsored by the government, the armed forces often work with private armies to the killing. Sometimes the
genocide results in revenge killing by groups against each other, creating the downward whirlpool-like cycle
of mutual genocide where the victims actually organize and commit a second genocide on the perpetrators.
8. Denial:
Denial is the eighth stage that always follows genocide. It is among the surest indicators of further genocidal
massacres. The perpetrators of genocide dig up the mass graves, burn the bodies, try to cover up the
evidence and intimidate the witnesses. They deny that they committed any crimes, and often blame what
happened on the victims. They block investigations of the crimes and continue to govern until driven from
power by force, when they flee into exile. Leaders of the genocide continue to deny the crime unless they are
captured and a tribunal (special court) is established to try them.
This is based on a document that was edited for students by the Genocide Education Project in
cooperation with the original author, Gregory H. Stanton.
Page 26
Bosnia
Rwanda
Darfur
Kurds in Iraq
1992-1995
1994
2003present
1987-88
Angola
Khmer Rouge
in Cambodia
East Timor
Nigeria
1974-99
1966
1975-2000
1975-79
Banglades
h 1971
Burundi
Lebanon
Armenian
1972
1982
1915
Zanzibar
Turkish
Kurds
Guinea
Guatemala
1968-79
1982-83
1964
1937-38
Page 27
What Constitutes Genocide: Holodomor Case Study and Comparison
Social 20
Overview
In this lesson, students investigate various case studies of genocide and compare these to
the events of the Holodomor. Students present their analysis of the different case studies
perspectives to develop a position to the question. Students uncover different aspects of
genocide by comparing the Holodomor to other events considered genocide. Then they
examine similarities and differences of each in relation to ultra-nationalism and the eight
stages of genocide.
Instructions for Lesson:
Teachers can begin a class discussion by asking students such questions as:

How many people need to die before an event is considered a genocide?

Do all of the victims have to be located in the same geographic area?

How should the international community respond to genocide events?

Why would some groups refuse to recognize events like the Holodomor as
genocide?
Then discuss the relationship between ultranationalism and genocide. As a class go
through the questions on genocide as they relate to the Holodomor.
1. Where and when did the genocide occur?
2. What was the victim’s national association based on? In other words, why did these
people feel connected? Was it historical, geographic, economic, linguistic, cultural,
ethnic, religious or political connections? Note: a nation may include more than one of
the classifications listed above, but only include substantial connections.
3. Whose national interests were being satisfied with the genocide?
4. Explain the role ultra-nationalism played in the genocide.
Page 28
5. Find insistences within your genocide that exemplify the Eight Stages. Refer to each of
the eight stages of genocide handout to help understand these. Make sure to reference
these eight stages in your presentation.
Cut up the list of genocides attached and have students randomly choose their case study.
For each case studies students need to thoroughly address all of the questions. Students
will need to have access to a variety of resources to do their research.
Next, have each group present their information to the class. This presentation could be
used as a summative evaluation or could be a simple discussion of the answers to the
questions. As the students present information about their selected genocide, make
continual comparisons to information presented earlier about the Holodomor.
Once the entire class has presented their information, create a t-chart on the board like the
following. Talk about the controversy about whether Holodomor should be considered
genocide or not. Ask the students to present arguments on both sides of this chart.
Should be recognized as a genocide
Should Not be recognized as a genocide
Once the class has finished filling in the T-chart the teacher will lead a discussion as to
which position is most correct and persuasive according to the arguments listed. The
following questions may be asked: Which position has the stronger arguments. Why are
these arguments stronger and how did they help us as a class come to this conclusion. Did
comparing the Holodomor to other genocides affect our final decision? Why and how?
Teachers could have students present a final product such as a paper, multimedia
presentation, poster, etc. that presents their position on the main question.
Page 29
Genocide Comparison Project
According to the United Nations, genocide is the deliberate and systematic destruction, in
whole or in part of an ethnic, racial, religious or national group; however, legal scholars
continue to debate whether certain events constitute genocide or not. What is clear is that
ultra-nationalism plays a role in each act of genocide. The Holodomor is one event that is
under debate by scholars as to whether it should be considered genocide or not. Your task
is to take a position on this issue.
TASK:
After discussion of the six genocide questions as they relate to the Holodomor, you will be
assigned a specific genocide to research. Answer the five questions for your assigned
genocide.
Genocide Question
1. Where did the genocide occur?
2. What was the victim’s national association based on? In other words, why did these
people feel connected? Was it historical, geographic, economic, linguistic, cultural,
ethnic, religious or political connections? Note: a nation may include more than one of
the classifications listed above, but only include substantial connections.
3. Whose national interests were being satisfied with the genocide?
4. Explain the role ultra-nationalism played in the genocide.
5. Find insistences within your genocide that exemplify the Eight Stages. Refer to each of
the eight stages in your presentation
Present your answers to the above questions to the class. Discuss the format of your
presentation with your teacher. Review the attached rubric to ensure you have included
all required elements in your presentation.
Page 30
Evaluating
Student
Presentations
Analysis of
Information
/10
Position
/10
Appearance
/5
Presentation
(effective
communication,
organization)
/5
2
3
4
5
The analysis
of information
is simplistic
or incorrect
and considers
only one
source and
perspective.
The analysis of
information is
simplistic and
considers few
sources and
only one
perspective.
The analysis of
information is
straightforwar
d and
considers few
sources and
perspectives.
The analysis of
information is
logical and
considers
several sources
and
perspectives.
The analysis of
information is
extraordinary
and considers
multiple
sources and
perspectives.
The
student(s)
explore the
issue
minimally
with the lack
of arguments,
which makes
the position
unclear.
The student(s)
explores the
issue in an
incomplete
manner by
using limited
arguments in
the defense of
their position.
The student(s)
explores the
issue in a
straightforwar
d and
conventional
manner by
using adequate
arguments in
the defense of
their position.
The student(s)
explores the
issue clearly
and adeptly by
using
purposeful and
sound
arguments in
the defense of
their position.
The student(s)
explores the
issue
insightfully by
using
convincing and
logical
arguments in
the defense of
their position.
The project’s
appearance is
sloppy and
illustrates
originality.
The
appearance
limits the
originality of
the project,
which does not
meet
acceptable
standards.
The project’s
appearance
and originality
are
satisfactory.
The project is
aesthetically
pleasing and
fairly original
that makes it
eye catching.
The project is
outstanding in
appearance
and originality
that makes it
standout.
The
presentation
flowed
adequately, is
sufficiently
organized, and
volume and
pitch were at
adequate
levels.
The
presentation
flowed well, is
mostly
organized, and
volume and
pitch were at
reasonable
levels.
The
presentation
was delivered
in a clearly
organized way,
and volume
and pitch are
at excellent
levels.
1
There is little
to no evidence
of conciseness
or
organization,
and volume
and pitch were
at
inappropriate
levels.
There was
some evidence
of conciseness
and
organization in
the
presentation,
and volume
and pitch were
inconsistent.
Total
/30
Page 31