The Forbidden City
Story Synopsis
When Alex's father, c cameraman for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, comes home and tells Alex they are going to China, the 17 year old Chinese history buff is overjoyed. A year in China means finally getting to see the famed Terracotta Warriors of Xian. In the spring of 1989, as the media prepares to cover an historic visit of the Russian premier, Gorbachev, events in Beijing begin to heat up. Protesters fill Tiananmen Square. Posters demanding that the voices of the student demonstrators be heard hang bravely in the center of the square. Alex finds himself unable to stay away. He turns out to be a great help to his father, but not without great personal sacrifice. What Alex sees in Tiananmen Square changes his life forever.
Web Sites
This site provides a virtual tour of the Forbidden City. A clickable map makes navigation easy.
A virtual tour of the Qin dynasty Terracotta Warriors.
General information about Tiananmen Square and its history.
Great site on human rights in china.
ABC video and slide show of Tiananmen protest.
Fantastic site provided by Nightline. Interactive tour, chronology of the protest, democracy wall and related links...a must!
Full Lesson Plan
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