nPostednon March 20, 2014
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It’sna young democracy. In early 2011, the people of Tunisia rebellednagainst the dictator that had ruled their nation for 24 years.
It’sna young democracy. In early 2011, the people of Tunisia rebellednagainst the dictator that had ruled their nation for 24 years.n
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nThis leader was about to be “elected” into power again…
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nBut the peoplenprotested. They wanted real elections, free elections. After anmonth of protests, the dictator and his family fled to Saudi Arabia. n
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nAndnsoon after that, the Tunisians did get their free elections. Butnthere were more effects of this overthrow: a wave of protests,ndemonstrations, even riots swept over the Arab world. According tonWikipedia, in just two years rulers had been forced from power innEgypt (twice), Libya, and Yemen; uprisings had occurred in Bahrainnand Syria; major protests had been held in Algeria, Iraq, Jordan,nKuwait, Morocco, and Sudan; and minor protests had broken out innMauritania, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Djibouti, Western Sahara, and thenPalestinian territories!
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nWhonknew that little Tunisia had such influence in the region?
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nThis wave of protest has been called “Arab Spring.” But it has nothing to do with Tunisia’snIndependence Day. Instead, today commemorates the nation’s 1956nindependence from France.
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nUnfortunately,nthat particular “independence” did not usher in freedoms andnliberties—instead it ushered in the repressive rulers that Tunisianfinally escaped in 2011.
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nTunisianis the northernmost nation in Africa. The southern portion of thisnnation is covered by the Sahara Desert, but the part close to thenMediterranean Sea is rich and fertile. The country is a little bitnsmaller than Wisconsin.
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nDidnyou know…? n
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Then ancient city of Carthage is near the modern-day capital of Tunis. Itn was THE city to be in Africa at the time of the Romans, and theren are plenty of Roman ruins to explore now, including public baths andn an amphitheater.n
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nSeveraln Star Wars movies feature the planet of Tatooine, and the Tatooinen scenes were largely shot in Tunisia! In addition to the desertn locations such as the one pictured here, Luke Skywalker’s movie homen is a real-life hotel in Tunisia. Each room has been carved out ofn sandstone and is in fact a cave that has been painted white! If youn stay at the hotel, you can see some of the futuristic Star Warsn equipment that was left behind. (Other movies—like a little filmn called Raidersn of the Lost Ark—weren partially shot in Tunisia, as well.)n
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nInn Tunisia, you can see a really large chott. I know you’re wonderingn if I just made up that word, but the lake beds in the Sahara Desertn that are dry most of the year but have a little water in the wetn season are, in fact, called chotts.n The 5,000-square-kilometer chott pictured here is covered with saltn crystals, so it seems very white and even sparkly. There are a fewn stops along the road that goes through the chott; at most stopsn there are some natural salt “sculptures” and a refreshmentn booth.n
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nAlsonon this date:
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Illustrator Mitsumasa Anno’s birthday
Illustrator Mitsumasa Anno’s birthday n
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nSnowmannBurning Day
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nVernalnEquinox
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nFirst Daynof Spring
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nAnniversarynof the publication of Uncle Tom’s Cabin
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nPlannahead:
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nChecknout my Pinterest boards for:
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nn Marchn holidays
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n n Historicaln anniversaries in March
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nAndnhere are my Pinterest boards for:
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nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn
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nApriln holidays
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