East German coffee crisis

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/east-german-coffee-crisis

1. What kind of government does East German coffee crisis have?
2. What is the event?
3. What is the period of occurrence?
4. What caused the coffee shortage in East Germany in the 1970s?
5. Why did the East German government feel the need to use weapons to get coffee?

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What kind of government does East German coffee crisis have?Increased diplomatic and trade relations with African and Asian coffee-producing nations
2. What is the event?East German coffee crisis
3. What is the period of occurrence?Late 1970s
4. What caused the coffee shortage in East Germany in the 1970s?Poor harvests in coffee‑producing regions and rising world prices made it hard for East Germany to buy enough coffee.
5. Why did the East German government feel the need to use weapons to get coffee?Because they didn't have enough money to buy coffee, they traded weapons and equipment to African and Asian countries in exchange for coffee beans.

Centrally Planned Economy: An economic system where the government makes all decisions regarding production, distribution, and pricing of goods and services.
Commodity Prices: The fluctuating market values of raw materials or primary agricultural products traded internationally.
Geopolitical Objectives: The goals and strategies of a nation concerning its international relations, power, and influence.