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The Beginning
Mao Zedong is born into a weak and not very stable China and is the son of a peasant. -
The First Revolution
Mao first became interested in revolutionary action when he joined the May Fourth Movement - a movement regarding sociopolitical reform. (Exact date is not known, so the first of the first month is used.) -
Learning of Communist Ideals
In September of 1918 while employed at the National Peking University, Mao learns about Communist ideals and becomes "fond" of them. (Exact date is not known, so the first of the month the event occurred/started in is used.) -
Birth of the Chinese Communist Party
Mao and 11 others found the Chinese Communist Party, and Mao begins to work as a revolutionary full-time. He also realizes that the peasant/proletarian class have vast potential regarding a revolution. (Exact date is not known, so the first of the month the event occurred/started in is used.) -
Nationalist Rule
China went under Nationalist rule during this time, and the Nationalists worked to have wealthy businessmen and landowners have control over China. Mao and other Communists were forced to retreat to remote mountains in southern China to build up their rebel, Communist government. (Exact date is not known, so the first of the first month is used.) -
The Long March
After seven years of hiding from the Nationalists, the Long March, a six-thousand mile journey to northern China, began. The Communists suffered from many losses during this time, & Mao was later elected the chairman of the Communist Party because of his courage and leadership during the trek. China thrived during the first few years of his Communist government. (Exact date is not known, so the first of the month the event occurred/started in is used.) -
The Great Leap Forward
The Great Leap Forward was an economic campaign that lasted for 3 years and was created so that China would become more industrial. However, this movement led to great disaster. (Exact date is not known, so the first of the first month is used.) -
The Famine
Mass starvation occurs due to a poor harvest and Mao's rashness during the Great Leap Forward. Millions of people died because of this. (Exact date is not known, so the first of the first month is used.) -
The Cultural Revolution
The Cultural Revolution began during this time, and it was a movement created by Mao to destroy the Four Olds of China. (Old ideas, customs, culture, & habits) Mao regained his popularity after the disaster with The Great Leap Forward by having his face and words plastered across China. (Exact date is not known, so the first of the month the event occurred/started in is used.) -
Mao's Swim
On this day, Mao swam for over an hour in the Yangtze River to prove to China that he was still physically strong and capable of being China's leader again even after the Great Leap Forward's disastrous end. He was 72 at the time. -
The End
Mao died on this day as his health conditions were very poor at the time. He died with much of the world viewing him negatively because of the effects of the Cultural Revolution and The Great Leap Forward on China.
