The Road to Communism in China

The story of communism developing in China is complicated. It involved domestic struggle and international conflict. Creating a chronology of these events will help students understand why communism was initially so appealing to many Chinese citizens.

Students will create a storyboard timeline of the development of communism in China in the 20th century. The timeline should include 8-10 cells and must include:

• The role of Sun Yixian, Mao Ze Dong, and Jiang Jieshi
• The role that both WWI and WWII played in creating circumstances for political change in China
• The tensions between the Nationalists and the Communists
• The Long March
• The Great Leap Forward
• The Cultural Revolution
• The harm and benefits of Mao’s implementation of communism

For an alternative to the timeline layout, have students create a timeline poster to incorporate into a presentation or gallery walk. You can add more than one template to this assignment to give students lots of options and adjust the instructions accordingly.

Student Instructions

Create a timeline that illustrates the major events of Chinese communism.

1. Click "Start Assignment".
2. In the title of each cell, note the major events in the rise of communism.
3. In each description box, describe the event.
4. Create an illustration using appropriate scenes, characters, and items.