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Understand the basic principles of totalitarian governments.
Become familiar with examples of 2 totalitarian rulers: Stalin and Hitler.
Imagine what life would be like in a country under totalitarian rule.

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For pairs:

Copies of the Totalitarian Rulers handout
Poster paper
Paint, crayons, or markers

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Read through and familiarize yourself with the entire activity.

Gather materials, including printed copies of the Totalitarian Rulers handout.

Familiarize yourself with information about totalitarianism, Joseph Stalin, and Adolf Hitler. Below are helpful webpages to read through for background information on these topics:

Adolf Hitler:

Joseph Stalin:

Totalitarianism:

","worksheets","multimedia","steps","

Write the word totalitarian on the board or chart paper. Explain that this word describes a form of government. Ask students to find the word that begins totalitarian (total).
Explain that a totalitarian government is one in which the ruler has total control of its people's public and private lives. Ask the students how they feel about a government having that much control over a person's life.
Tell the students that today they will learn more about totalitarianism and totalitarian rulers, and then they will have a chance to make a poster saying \"no\" to this form of government.
Give the following information to the students and try to answer questions they may have:
- Totalitarianism is an extreme form of government.
- Totalitarian rulers typically have some sort of goal they want to achieve. These rulers get people to also believe in this goal, and achieving it often replaces other beliefs. Totalitarian rulers try to achieve their goal no matter what.
- There is often a lot of violence as the rulers try to reach their goal. People are often forced to follow the demands of the ruler or government. Those who do not follow face harsh punishments.
- When totalitarianism begins in a country, the ruler often changes or gets rid of political institutions, laws, traditions, and social norms.
- Under totalitarian rule, people are often forced into mass conformity, meaning that they are all the same in certain ways, such as how they look or act, or what they believe, wear, and do.
After hearing this information ask students: How might it feel to live under totalitarian rule? Why?
Identify 2 well-known totalitarian rulers from the past: Joseph Stalin and Adolf Hitler. Explain to the students that you will be passing out some information on these 2 rulers, highlighting aspects of their totalitarian rule.
Break students into pairs. Have each pair choose 1 ruler from the handout and take turns reading about him. Then have them reread the section and underline details that made the leader a totalitarian.
Ask pairs to share their ideas with the whole group. Then, based on the details they learned, have the group brainstorm negative aspects of totalitarianism. Write their ideas on the board.
Have students return to partner to create a poster entitled \"No to Totalitarianism.\" The poster should highlight 1 or more negative aspects of this form of government.
Display the finished posters in the room, and have students walk around to view them.
Finally, have a brief discussion using the following questions:a. What surprised you most about a totalitarian government?b. How is a country under a totalitarian government different from our country?c. What do you think it would be like to grow up in a country ruled by a totalitarian ruler? What might be unpleasant or frightening?

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Students could create a short graphic novel depicting what they think a day under totalitarian rule would be like.

Students could brainstorm ways individuals and groups can fight to prevent totalitarianism.

The whole group could work together to fill out a Venn diagram comparing totalitarianism to our own form of government, a democratic republic.

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Students dive into historical events that have shaped government structures and other crucial organizations around the world.

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No to Totalitarianism

No to Totalitarianism

No to Totalitarianism

Overview