Hotel+Rwanda+Lesson

As a wrap up for our unit on the impact of imperialism, we are going to watch Hotel Rwanda. The movie is about a civil war that broke out in Rwanda during the 1990s partially due to divisions created by the Belgians during and after the period of imperialism. Here's a VERY brief summary of how divisions were created

During the 1990s, some of the worst atrocities in the history of mankind took place in the country of Rwanda--and in an era of high-speed communication and round the clock news, the events went almost unnoticed by the rest of the world. In only three months, one million people were brutally murdered. In the face of these unspeakable actions, inspired by his love for his family, an ordinary man summons extraordinary courage to save the lives of over a thousand helpless refugees, by granting them shelter in the hotel he manages.
 * Here is a synopsis of the movie from IMDB:**

[|As you watch this movie in class, answer the following questions:]

1. What are the roots of the tension between the Hutus and the Tutsis? 2. How are the Hutus and the Tutsis different from each other? 3. How is Belgium partially responsible for the attempted genocide of the Tutsis?

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 * Follow up: Research What is happening now in Rwanda**

[|Paul Kagame: The Current President]

[|Here's an article discussing the Rwandan president's claim that Rwanda is the Singapore of Africa]