Glencoe World History © 2010

The Berlin Wall

Introduction
The Berlin Wall did more than divide the city of Berlin into East Berlin and West Berlin. The Berlin Wall came to be a symbol of the Cold War division of the world into opposing camps. In this activity you will learn about the conditions that led to the creation of wall, life in the divided city, and the events that led to the fall of the wall.

Destination Title: The Berlin War

Note: Clicking on the link above will launch a new browser window.
Need help using your browser for this activity? Click here for tips.

• Click on "The Rise and Fall of the Berlin Wall."
• Click on each link on the right side of the display.
• Read the information provided for each link and take notes.

Use the information you found to answer the following questions.

1			What action did the Soviet Union take in 1948? Why?
2			According to East German officials, what was the purpose of the wall? What was the wall's actual purpose?
3			Why were East Berliners eager to move to West Berlin?
4			When did the borders finally open between East Berlin and West Berlin? How did citizens of East and West Germany contribute to the fall of the Berlin Wall?
5			Several East German groups began working during the late 1980s for an end to Communist rule. Imagine it is 1989 and you are an East German. Compose a short political manifesto calling on others to work toward democracy and the tearing down of the Berlin Wall. Make references to the conflicting values of democracy and communism, describe living conditions and political conditions in East Germany, and include demands to the East German leader, Erich Honecker, and the Soviet leader, Mikhail Gorbachev.