Story: Armenian Genocide Resolution Causes Outrage in Turkey, 10/15/07
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/features/july-dec07/turkey_10-15.html

Reading Comprehension Questions:

1. What is the purpose of the Armenia genocide resolution?

2. How did Turkey's government react to the resolution?

3. What happened to the Armenians in 1915?

4. How is genocide defined?

5. What does Turkey's government claim really happened?

6. Who were the Young Turks?

7. What did President Bush say about the genocide resolution?

8. What is Turkey considering doing in Iraq?

Discussion Activity (more research might be needed):

1. Do you think the House of Representatives should pass the resolution? Why or why not?

2. Research the history of Turkey. How did it come to be a purely secular state in a very religious region? Why do you think Turkey's government and the Turkish people are so angry about the resolution? What does this issue say about the Turkish national identity?

3. Research other events in history categorized as genocides, such as the Holocaust, Cambodia, Rwanda, Kosovo. What similarities are there to the Armenia events? What is different?

Write a 300-500 word essay on any of these topics providing clear examples. Send your completed editorial to NewsHour Extra (extra@newshour.org). Exceptional essays might be published on our Web site.