Activity 1 - Who was Mao Zedong?

Activity Tasks
  1. Review - Read and make notes from Slides 3-8 of the Lesson Presentation on Mao Zedong’s early career
  2. ​Identify - Identify the five most significant events from Mao’s early life between 1891-1927. 
  3. Write - Write a paragraph explaining what you think are the main reasons for Mao's rise to power up to 1927.
  4. Discuss - Which were the most impactful events on Mao’s developing career?

Activity 2 - What did Mao do after the split?

Activity Tasks
  1. Read - Read Slides 8-20 of the Lesson Presentation and pages 274-279 of Zarrow, China in War and Revolution: 1895-1949. Make notes on what happened to Mao Zedong and the CCP after the 1927 White Terror.
  2. Organise - Make a list or table showing both the positive and negative impacts of the White Terror on the CCP.
  3. Discuss - To what extent could the White Terror be interpreted as a positive event for the CCP? ​

Activity 3 - Did ideology divide the CCP?

Activity Tasks
  1. Identify - Read pages 81-84 of Lynch, Access to History - China 1839-1997 and make notes on CCP ideology.
  2. Sort - Complete the table on this worksheet by comparing and contrasting orthodox and national communism. 
  3. Analyse - Analyse the four sources from Mao Zedong on this worksheet and complete the ten questions that follow.
  4. Discuss - In your opinion, which version of communism was better placed to appeal to the Chinese people?

Activity 4 - How did Jiangxi help Mao?

Activity Tasks
  1. Read - Read pages 279-288 of Zarrow, China in War and Revolution and make notes on how the CCP evolved during the Jiangxi Soviet.
  2. Examine - Using the readings and notes so far, explain how each of the events on this worksheet may have helped or hindered Mao’s rise to power.
  3. Discuss - What are the main lessons that you think Mao learnt about peasant revolution from the Jiangxi Soviet?

Further Reading

obligatory reading
  1. Lynch, M. (2016). Access to History - China 1839-1997, pp. 81-89
recommended reading
  1. Zarrow, P. (2005). China in War and Revolution: 1895-1949, pp. 274-279, 279-288
supplementary reading
  1. Spence, J.D.(1990). The Search for Modern China, pp. 370-379

Y7-9 MYP

Y7 Humanities
Y8 Humanities
Y9 History

Y10-11 IGCSE

IGCSE History
Big History
Social History

Y12-13 IBDP HISTORY

Paper 1 SL/HL
Paper 2 Cold War / Paper 2 Authoritarian States
Paper 3 HL Only
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