Materials

• Textbook
• Transparency: “Fascism and the Axis Powers” (Attachment A)

Instructional Activities

1. Provide students with a definition of fascism — a political philosophy that advocates giving total power to a dictator and denying individual freedoms. Display the transparency at Attachment A, and have the students note the country associated with each of the three fascist dictators. Explain that these countries made up the Axis Powers during World War II. Ask, “Why was the word axis used for the alliance of these three countries?”
   
   
2. Explain that Adolph Hitler and Benito Mussolini were elected to power by their countries’ people. Ask, “Why would a country elect a leader who believes in fascism?”
   
   
3. Note-taking tip: Ask students to take two-column notes in their notebooks by dividing a page lengthwise with a line so that two-thirds of the page is on the right side of the line, and one-third is on the left. Have students write main ideas on the left side and then fill in details opposite the main idea on the right side. Emphasize that it is a good idea to write main ideas in the form of a question to use later as a study guide.
   
   
4. Display the following Main Idea prompt on the board or overhead, and solicit students’ ideas for details to put into the column on the right side:
   
   

   Main Idea What political and economic conditions in Europe following World War I led to the rise of fascism and eventually to World War II?	•   Worldwide depression •   High war debt owed by Germany •   Extremely high inflation •   Massive unemployment

   
   
   

Discuss with students that conditions were so poor in Germany and to a certain extent in Italy after WWI that the people were looking for a very different type of government.