Slide 1.) Ladies and Gentleman, today you will learn about a horrible event unfolding in Syria today.
Slide 2.) Today there is an issue facing the Arab nations of the Middle East.
Slide 3.) In December of 2010, Mohamed Bouazizi lit himself on fire, an act known as self-immolation, in protest of the confiscation of his merchandise by the government. This merchandise was his only means of income. In the middle of traffic on a busy street, he lit himself on fire in front of the governor’s office. This event sparked protests throughout the Middle East
Slide 4.) The goal that the protesters in general were trying to achieve was to have greater economic opportunity, social equality, and more political equality. Some protesters goals also extended to the removal of the current government or power.
Slide 5.) As with the rest of the Arab Spring, the protests spread to Syria. This would eventually lead to the Syrian Civil War.
Slide 6.) On the 15th of March 2011, protesters took to the streets in the cities of Daraa and Homs. Over seventy thousand people participated in the protests.
Slide 7.) In Syria, the people had slightly different goals from their Arab neighbors. The goal of the protests in Syria was to demand the release of political prisoners, an end to government corruption, tax cuts, greater political freedom, and a stronger judicial system from President Bashar Al-Assad.
Slide 8.) The majority of the protesters were unemployed youth and families of political prisoners. There were also large amounts of ethnic minority groups, like the Syrian Kurds.
Slide 9.) Compared to the rest of the Arab world, the protests started out relatively peaceful, with campouts, marches, and arrests.
Slide 10.) As time wore on, the Al-Assad regime responded violently. They fired rubber bullets, fired tear gas canisters, used water cannons, and beat protesters. Due to the ineffectiveness of the crackdown, the police started to fire live ammunition into the...
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