Revolution in Tunisia (1989-2015)
NEW Scheme of Work for the IBDP History 2026 Paper 1 "Protest and Change" (Sourcework) Topic
An introduction to the Tunisian Revolution
- In 1956, Tunisia gained independence from the French Empire, which had controlled the country since they seized it from the Ottoman Empire in 1881.
- In 1987, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali became President and rapidly established an authoritarian regime.
- However, in December 17th 2010, the Jasmine Revolution (named after Tunisia's national flower) began. On that morning, Mohamed Bouazizi, a street vendor, set himself on fire in protest against police harassment and the confiscation of his goods.
- His act of desperation sparked nationwide protests against Ben Ali, who fled into exile in Saudia Arabia in January 2011. The success of the Tunisian Revolution inspired a wave of similar protests throughout the Middle East and North Africa known as the Arab Spring.
The Life and career of Ben Ali: video documentary (60m) and accompanying worksheet | Completed teacher version
As an introductory overview of the career of the Tunsian dictator, complete with structured questions. Could be set to complete over several lessons, or as a homework activity. The worksheet is broken into key sections:
- Early Life and Education
- Entry into the Military and Early Political Connections
- Political Climate and the Path to Power
- The 1987 "Change of November 7" and Consolidation of Power
- Control, Repression, and Opposition
- The Regime's Decline and Corruption
Failed Economic Reform and Unemployment
President Ben Ali came to power in 1987 promising economic modernization through free market capitalism, and promptly delivered on his promise with blatant nepotism. The Trabelsi family, related to Ben Ali through his wife Leila, monopolized key sectors such as banking, tourism, and real estate. This worksheet provides detailed information about Ali's economic policies and asks students to categorise them meaningfully. A sourcework question is also provided along with clips to plenary videos.
Repression and Censorship by the Ben Ali Regime - Overview | Interactive Quiz | Paper-based test
The Ben Ali regime was characterized by authoritarian control, political repression, and widespread censorship.
The ruling party, the Rassemblement Constitutionnel Démocratique (RCD), stifled opposition and dissent.
In this task, students read through a series of detailed points and then organise them under between 4 meaningful headings of their choice.
Repression and Censorship by the Ben Ali Regime - Individual Case Studies | Top Trumps Template
"Some of the most outspoken critics of the Ben Ali regime are provided below. Divide all or some of these names between the members of the class. Each student should conduct research on their allocated characters to produce a set of ‘Top Trumps’ cards. These cards will be collected in and turned into a full playing deck (or several decks, depending upon the size of the class).
Influence and spread of revolutionary ideas
The influence and spread of revolutionary ideas - both within and outside of Tunisia - was a major catalyst for the Jasmine Revolution. In this activity, the class should be divided into six teams. Each team should research how one factor from a list of six helped to inspire the Jasmine Revolution and produce a short presentation to share with the rest of the class. Next, two teams (one 'domestic', one 'international') takes turns to present their findings. The audience should take notes in the table (above) and then discuss if either of these were the more 'significant' event, or if they were equally inspiring but in different ways. This process should be repeated until all six factors have been properly considered.
What changes did the protest movement achieve, and with what limitations? | Interactive online version
"CUT and PASTE each of the bullet points in this list into the appropriate cell of this table. TIP: There should be THREE points in each cell when it is completed".
Next, students provide answers to these two questions:
- Which of the three main areas of change (Political and Legal Changes, Social Changes, Role and Status of Women) saw the most progress after the Jasmine Revolution?
- What, in your view, is the most disappointing limitation?
Sourcework Assignments
Sourcework questions are provided at key points within the above worksheets, and ActiveHistory additionally provides the following exercises which are based on the new IBDP History Syllabus.
Sourcework: What led to the Jasmine Revolution in Tunisia (2010-2011)?
Sourcework: How did repression and censorship by the Ben Ali regime contribute to the Jasmine Revolution in Tunisia?
Sourcework: What changes did the protest movement achieve, and with what limitations?
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