What is 68.77.89?
A curriculum designed for teachers using the stories of artists, students, and everyday individuals to teach about how a nation peacefully transitioned from 41 years of Communist rule to democracy in 1989
What makes 68.77.89 different is that it involves students with real voices from real people.
Students will read excerpts of relevant literature, listen and watch excerpts of oral histories, view excerpts of media of the time, and respond to compelling questions to stimulate deep class discussion.
Students will be challenged to apply the lessons from the experiences of Czechs and Slovaks to better understand issues of democracy today and their responsibility for preserving democracy for the future.
1968: Life Under Communism, Warsaw Pact Invasion, Exile
The 1968 Prague Spring was a period of political liberalization in Czechoslovakia during the era of its domination by the Soviet Union after World War II. Photo © 1968 Paul…
1968: Life Under Communism, Warsaw Pact Invasion, ExileRead More
1977: Artists’ Censorship, Samizdat, Charter 77, Persecution
Charter 77 was an informal civic initiative in communist Czechoslovakia from 1976 to 1992, named after the document Charter 77 created in January, 1977.
1977: Artists’ Censorship, Samizdat, Charter 77, PersecutionRead More
1989: Student Protests, Velvet Revolution, Democracy
The 1989 Velvet Revolution was a non-violent transition of power in what was then Czechoslovakia, occurring from November 17 to December 29, 1989. Photo © ČTK/Khol Pavel
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Legacy: Lasting Impact, Global Influence
The Soviet-led Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968 crushed the Prague Spring reforms and resulted in the installation of a hard-line regime that stymied development in all fields for…