Many educators in high schools and colleges have taught about European history and politics in the context of the Cold War and the division of Europe into two blocs. The revolutionary changes in 1989 and the collapse of the Soviet Union have made obsolete the superpower spheres of influence that divided Europe. This curriculum project contributes…

This unit introduces students to the principles of democracy through a variety of teaching/learning techniques. Each lesson builds upon the opinions/knowledge developed in previous lessons and utilizes them to expand to a higher understanding of the principles of democracy. The principles and values that this exposes can be applied to and…

This lesson examines the Hungarian system of government so that students compare that governmental system with the U.S. model. The lesson is structured with: (1) background on the parliamentarian form of government; (2) description of the judiciary in Hungary and/or the issue of local self-governments; (3) highlights on some major differences…

This paper recounts the experiences of a U.S. professor involved in field research in Hungary. The professor visited classrooms and observed civics education practices in Hungary. The paper combines a review of the literature with observations, interviews, and field notes from the Hungarian experience. Specific emphasis is placed on a "Good…

A discussion of the 1988 conference of the International Political Science Association (IPSA) along with a report on the meaning of the IPSA for the Dutch National Institute for Curriculum Development (SLO) are presented in this document. Part 1 includes: general information on the aims, structure, and activities of the IPSA; a description of the…

This lesson summarizes the most significant facts about the communist period in Hungary and briefly examines the Hungarian electoral system. The lesson is structured with: (1) background on the communist period (1948-1989) and the evolution of the democratic political system and institutions during 1989-1990; (2) description of the electoral…

This study unit for grade 10 world history classes helps students understand the economic, social, and political causes and effects of revolution, using the Hungarian Revolutions of 1848 and 1989 as examples. The unit cites an educational goal; lists objectives; provides a detailed procedure for classroom implementation; describes standards; notes…

The contradictions of political education in East European socialist countries based on the Hungarian experience are explored in this paper. Divided into three parts, the first part gives a brief sketch of institutionalized political education, while the second concerns the crisis of Hungary's political education emerging in the 1980s. In the…

This paper examines the U.S. educational system foundations, with particular emphasis on the state of Florida and contrasts that system with the Hungarian system, long under the communist control of the Soviet Union. Funding, educational initiative, and curriculum control are discussed. The paper concludes with accounts of personal experiences in…

This lesson describes the current government of Hungary and its underlying political and electoral systems. The lesson is structured with: (1) background on the parliamentary model of government, political parties, and Hungary's unique electoral system; (2) a summary of the six major political parties in Hungary and voter information for the 1990…

This set of collaborative lessons and teacher resources offers a unique focus on Central and Eastern Europe and the tremendous changes of the last decades. Thirty-five lessons present material about the history and government of Central and Eastern European nations and ask students to use comparative analysis with their own nation's history and…