El Salvador Revolution NAME:

Directions: Using a highlighter and a pencil, you will first annotate the paragraph below. Make sure to use all of
the annotation strategies such as circling unknown words, writing in the margin, and adding an exclamation
point when you see something surprising! After you have finished highlighting and annotating, you will then
answer the questions below.

Part 1: Background and Context

El Salvador, a country that gained independence from Spain in 1821, has faced numerous
challenges throughout its history. The government has been ruled by corrupt leaders who
showed little concern for the well-being of the people. They kept shifting from dictatorship to
dictatorship. Despite holding fraudulent elections, it was widely known that these leaders were
cheating their way to power. In response to this oppression, a group called the Farabundo
Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN) emerged, aiming to fight for the rights of the people.
With support from Cuba and the Soviet Union, El Salvador eventually descended into a brutal
civil war, with different sides battling each other.
Vocabulary:
Fraudulent - dishonest and illegal. Soviet Union - Russia.
Emerged - rose up and took importance.

1. How did El Salvador start as a government?

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2. What does FMLN stand for? Why was the FMLN created?
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Prepare to share to your table group, what do you think THE MOST IMPORTANT information in this
passage is?
El Salvador Revolution NAME:
Directions: Using a highlighter and a pencil, you will first annotate the paragraph below. Make sure to use all of
the annotation strategies such as circling unknown words, writing in the margin, and adding an exclamation
point when you see something surprising! After you have finished highlighting and annotating, you will then
answer the questions below.

Part 2: Leading up to the Salvadoran Civil War

In 1977, General Carlos Romero seized power through a fraudulent election, sparking
widespread discontent among the population. When citizens protested in the capital city,
San Salvador, the military responded with violence, shooting at the crowd and causing
numerous casualties. Romero further escalated the situation by removing people's rights
and forming special groups that targeted anyone supporting the left side. In 1979, the
military took control and established a new government known as the Junta Revolucionaria
de Gobierno (JRG). Despite their knowledge of the JRG's oppressive actions, the United
States supported them out of fear that the left side would gain power and become
enemies.
Vocabulary:
Seized - took control with force. Fraudulent - dishonest and illegal.
Oppressive - cruel and unfair.

1. Why was there discontent within the population when Carlos Romero came into power?
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2. What were the consequences of Carlos Romero removing people’s rights?

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Prepare to share to your table group, what do you think THE MOST IMPORTANT information in this
passage is?
El Salvador Revolution NAME:

Directions: Using a highlighter and a pencil, you will first annotate the paragraph below. Make sure to use all of
the annotation strategies such as circling unknown words, writing in the margin, and adding an exclamation
point when you see something surprising! After you have finished highlighting and annotating, you will then
answer the questions below.

Part 3: A Turning Point for the Salvadoran Civil War

Amidst the trouble and death, the Catholic Church in El Salvador voiced its opposition to the
government's actions. Archbishop Romero, a prominent figure within the church, openly
criticized the regime, earning him immense popularity among the people. Tragically, on
March 14, 1980, while delivering a speech, he was assassinated by a member of the military.
This act of violence sparked outrage among the population. At his funeral, bombs and
snipers caused further harm and loss of life. These events galvanized those opposed to the
government, leading them to take up arms and wage war against the oppressive regime.
Vocabulary:
Prominent - Important and famous. Galvanized - shocked into taking action.

1. How did Archbishop Romero’s assassination impact the attitude of the people towards the Salvadoran
government?
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2. What were the consequences of what occurred at the funeral?

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Prepare to share to your table group, what do you think THE MOST IMPORTANT information in this
passage is?
El Salvador Revolution NAME:

Directions: Using a highlighter and a pencil, you will first annotate the paragraph below. Make sure to use all of
the annotation strategies such as circling unknown words, writing in the margin, and adding an exclamation
point when you see something surprising! After you have finished highlighting and annotating, you will then
answer the questions below.

Part 4: The U.S. Involvement in the Salvadoran Civil War and the End of the Civil War
The United States attempted to justify its support for the Salvadoran government by pointing
to the election of José Duarte as President in 1984. However, many doubted the fairness of
the election and believed that Duarte was powerless, as the military continued to commit
atrocities across the country. The United States provided money, weapons, and training to
the Salvadoran government during this time. Some of the individuals trained and armed by
the U.S. government were involved in violent groups. Concerned about human rights
abuses, the United States passed a law to ensure improvements before providing aid.

The war persisted without significant progress until 1991 when the United Nations stepped in
to negotiate peace. An agreement was reached, leading to changes within the army, the
creation of a new police force, and the transformation of the Farabundo Martí National
Liberation Front (FMLN) into a political party. El Salvador continues to rebuild and strive for a
better future, learning from its tumultuous past and working towards a more just society .
Vocabulary:
Atrocities - an extremely wicked or cruel act. Aid - Money sent from the United States.

1. Why did the people doubt Duarte’s presidency? What was the military doing?
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2. How did the United States get involved in the Salvadoran Civil War?
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3. What were some of the agreements with the Salvadoran government and the FMLN?
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Prepare to share to your table group, what do you think THE MOST IMPORTANT information in this
passage is?
El Salvador Revolution Jigsaw Organizer
Directions: I want you to summarize what happened in the El Salvador Revolution! As your teammates tell you about what
they read, listen for the WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN, WHY? Take bullet point notes in each box that will help you write a
paragraph summary!

Part #1: Background and Context Part #3: A Turning Point for the Salvadoran Civil
War

Part #2: Leading up to the Salvadoran Civil War Part #4: The U.S. Involvement in the Salvadoran
Civil War and the End of the Civil War
Somebody Wanted, But So Then?
Lesson Objective: Students will be able to explain and connect the uprising that led to the Salvadoran Civil War with the
Reasons to Start an Uprising notes.

In complete sentences, use the following structure to summarize the points you wrote down in your graphic organizer. This
will help you write your summary!

Somebody: Who is the main organization or people? Wanted: What are they trying to achieve? But: What issue do they
face? So: How do they react? What did they do? Then: What happened in the end?

(Sentence starters: ________ is the main person in the Salvadoran Civil War. They wanted to ______)

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