Room 613 Student Blogs - 2005/2006

I write this to you with sadness for our great leader Mustafa Kemal Ataturk died last night.  I’m sorry for the smudging; I can’t hold back my tears when I think about him.  Mustafa Kemal Ataturk was born on March 12th 1881 in Thessaloniki, Greece.  I was just born when he first became the leader of Turkey 15 years ago in the year of 1923.  In the years since he made many improvements in the lives of my people.  He gave women the right to vote, let women/girls go to school, introduced the Roman alphabet which is my second language and ordered all Turks to chose a family name.  He was given the name Ataturk that means father of the Turks. 

My favorite quote of his is “Those heroes that shed their blood and lost their lives…you are now lying in the soil of a friendly country, therefore rest in peace.  There is no difference between Jonnies and the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side.  Here in this country of ours…you, the Mothers, who sent their sons from far away countries wipe away your tears.  Your sons are now lying in our bossom and are in peace.  After having lost their lives on this land they have become our sons as well.”  I think that this was Mustafa Kemal Ataturk’s finest speech given at the Anzac Memorial in 1934.

Mustafa Kemal Ataturk lived a relatively short but fulfilling life which he dedicated to improving the lives of others.  Now you know why I and my fellow countrymen are grieving and why he will be greatly missed.

1938

Dear American friend,

As you know I am a citizen of Turkey. Much has happened that you have yet to hear. So without further ado, let me tell you! You know those hats that men would always wear? They were called a fez. Men started wearing them when an Ottoman sultan demanded his officials and soldiers to where fezzes. This was actually an advantage for the Muslim men because when they prayed, their hats reached the ground and made it easier for their foreheads to reach. Then in the year 1925, Mustafa Kemal (our president of the Turkish republic) showed up with a hat that had no brim, and western clothing. So being the dictator he is, Mustafa made all men wear these hats. Yuck! These poor men then had to give up their lovely fezzes because Mustafa made it a law that they shall no longer where fezzes. Many men disliked this law and wished the could have their fezzes back! If I had to do that, people might have thought I’d given up my religion! But for us, we just had to wear veils. So I thought! He then took our veils away. He was like taking everything away from us! Then we got to go to school, get jobs and vote! That was pretty good. But all this was new to us so we adapted pretty slow. Wouldn’t you? All of this took part after World War One. But Mustafa carried on again about how he wanted more changes to our government.

You know Mustafa gave the idea of western clothing? Well guess what else he did, he moved the capital from Istanbul to Ankara, showed an alphabet that was related to the Roman alphabet for Western European languages. Then he printed new covers of newspapers, books and street signs in his own style. You may recognize this name Mustafa came to be known by, Ataturk. That means “Father of the Turks.” Pretty cool name! The government changed many times over the past five decades after Mustafa’s death, this year.

Well I’m out of time!

Write back as soon as you get a chance!

Hope all is well in America!

~ Katarina

Dear Amy,
Hello. How are you? In my last letter I didn’t explain to you exactly how much my life has changed. Our dictator (he called himself a president), Kemal Ataturk (Mustafa Kemal), has died, and my parents are glad. They hated the rules he set. He made all men abandon their fez wearing tradition, and he made all women uncover their faces. He wanted us Turks to be modern. My parents say that giving up these traditions showed that you had abandoned the Muslim religion. I do want to be modern, but that would mean giving up tradition. I don’t like how he came in and changed all of our customs. I do like that he gave women the right to vote. Our capital is now Ankara, which doesn’t really matter to me. We do have a new alphabet though, and now, everything is written in the Roman alphabet! That really affected me, because I had to learn a new alphabet. I’m adapting though. There are elections, but only one political party. That’s okay, but not if there is only one person to vote for (I don’t know if that would ever happen)! Anyway, I don’t know when we’re going to get a new president (or dictator). I hope that our Muslim tradition will be restored. My parents will be happy if that happens.
Write soon,
Omyia

Kemel Ataturk

Dear Joe,
I can’t believe what happened! The leader of my country, Turkey, Kemel Ataturk finally died. Maybe life can go back to normal like it used to be so long ago. Did I ever tell you about Kemel Ataturk? I can’t believe I keep calling him that! His real name is Mustafa Kemal, and always will be. He had no right to do what he did. Let me tell you the story.
Long, ago before Kemel barged in and ruined our religion, life was different. We wore the wonderful religious hat called a fez. Fezzes were made especially for praying so they wouldn’t fall off your head. And what did Kemel do? He banned fezzes and forced us to wear hats that fall of during praying! It’s an outrage! He also made us wear his kind clothing, and gave equal rights to woman! Women should wear veils just like they used to! Women should not be able to vote! Voting is a man’s right. Now we all walk around like idiots in brimmed hats! I guess Kemel didn’t understand that changing what we wore on our heads didn’t change what was in our heads. I also can’t imagine why he moved the capital from the great Istanbul to Ankara. The thing that made me mad the most was the fact that the reason they changed his name to Ataturk was that Ataturk means “father of the Turks”. Some father! He was supposed to be president, but got the powers of a dictator and controlled us! Anyway, he just died, and I hate to admit it, but I’m a little bit happy.
Well, see you later, and write back soon!
Love from,
Alparslan (1938)

Dear American friend,

I live in Turkey and have lived there my whole life. I live in the time period 1938. After World War I my life changed dramatically. One thing Kemal Ataturk, President of Turkey changed in 1938 was the capital from Istanbul to Ankara. Another change was I used to wear a veil but now Ataturk changed the law so we’re not allowed to wear the veils. My brother also used to wear a fez, which is a felt hat with a flat top, and had no brim. The non-brimmed hat made it easier to touch the ground with his forehead when praying. Now he wears a brimmed hat that shows that he has changed the law. Also, I used to go to school at home but now I go outside my home. Ataturk changed our language. At first I had a very hard time reading but I am used to it now. Because now books, newspapers and street signs are changed to the new western language. The new alphabet is somewhat of based on the Roman alphabet. Did you know that Ataturk means “Father of the Turks”? The government has changed to become a republic. Turkey has modernized from our old traditions. I forgot to mention because of the new rules, my mom now has to work. Before she stayed at home and did all of the housework and chores. Also, all women can vote because all women and men have all the same rights now. Ataturk died a few months ago. My family was happy that he died so he doesn’t make our town any different. But we are happy of some of the new laws so we are more modernized. I hope that you have learned about Turkey in 1938. Good-bye American friend.

Your friend,

Tracy

Dear My American Friend,

Here in Istanbul, Turkey, things haven’t been the same as it used to have been since 1925. Everyone here has changed the way they dressed by males wearing hats with brims than a fez, which is a felt hat with a flat top. Females don’t wear veils to hide their faces in public places and are going to school now! Well, it’s official, Kemal Ataturk, meaning “father of the Turks”, a.k.a. Mustafa Kemal has changed our way of life permanently. Mustafa Kemal was our powerful president of Turkey, but he more likely had all the power making him a dictator of this republic and his was the only political party to be allowed to run for office. But one day in 1925, he was found wearing Western clothing with a brimmed hat and made a law to ban all fezzes and veils from that day forth. After World War I, Kemal wanted to make great changes to Turkey, so he ended the rule of the Ottoman sultans, making Turkey now a republic, but that wasn’t enough for Kemal. Making Western clothing the fashion that was sweeping the nation for all people, thanks to Kemal, and he moved to our capital, Ankara, and introduced the Roman alphabet. Everything changed for 5 decades since today when Kemal died now in 1938 and everything should be back to normal in time, maybe. All for a good cause, I guess.

Your Turkish Friend,

John Akmed

Dear Ben,

My dear friend,

I have so much to talk to you about. Since World War (I) ended things have changed in many ways. Turkey is all thats left of the Ottoman Empire. All the rest of the empire was divided up by Britain,France and Italy.

Our president has changed and now it is Mustafa Kemal. He is of the Turkish Republic. Some of his changes are good and some are not. He is known as the “Father of the Turks.” I am not sure how I feel about him. He has told the men they can not waer anymore fezzes. He made it against the law. Fezzes are a flat topped hat with no brim. The fez hat made it easy for men to kneel and touch the ground with their foreheads when they prayed. He has the men wearing a western hat instead. This is hard for some of our men because they feel like they are being pulled from their faith.One man that I know put bandages around his head so he would not have to wear the hat Mustafa wants him too.

Turkish women have so many changes happening. We always wore vails to cover our faces. Now we are not allowed. Mustafa Kemeal thinks woman should be equal. I feel this is a good thing. Now woman get to go to real schools.We no longer have to be home schooled. We also can work in Government and business. He is letting us show we have a mind. Also we can vote, but I think it is pointless because our president is known as the president of the republic, but he is in fact a dictator. So elections are held and women can now vote, but our vote is meaningless because (we have) only one political party.

Not only has our clothing style changed,but also our alphabet has changed. He is changing every thing to a new roman base. Months in(to) (his) rule, he has ordered all newspapers, books and even our street signs to be printed in this new style.

Well my friend that covers alot of our changes. Please write back to me and let me know what your thoughts are on your new leader.

Your Friend,

MaryP

You may know who Mustafa Kemal is because of many reasons. For one he was the President of Turkey. About one year ago in 1938 Kemel sadly died. Everyone will remember Kemel but they all have their own opinion on his rules that will live on. Some people did not like some of his rules. Like no more wearing fezzes. He wanted everyone to wear “Western” clothing. If you were wondering, a fezz is a cylinder shape hat with a tassel on the top. They wore this while praying and bowing. They wore these particular hats becasue if they had a brim, the brin would hit the floor when they bowed down and knock the hat off. Kemel also passed a ban where women no longer were allowed to wear veils. Of course the men didn’t worry about that and neither do I. Personally I do not care for veils because even though they covered your face it was see through so the other people could see your face anyhow. One of the things that I appreciate is that he gave women rights like men to make them more equal. We will always remember him in many ways.

Your friend,

AlexC

Dear Ally,

How are you? Ever since Kemal was the leader life has changed so much. First, women can’t wear veils anymore! Also, men can’t wear fezzes either. Instead of fezzes men have to wear a hat with a brim! What’s up with that?! A man faked an injury and wore bandages around his head just so he didn’t have to wear a brimmed hat! Still, Mustafa Kemal has done many great things too. He gave the right for women to vote (awesome), he let’s women go to school and get an education (thanks), and Kemal gave women the right to take jobs too. He changed our lives so much, but in a very great way. All of these changes happened after World War 1. Can you believe it? About the fezzes, he thought that changing what goes on their heads would change what goes on in their heads. Like, how they think. Don’t ask me. I have no idea what was going on in his head. Anyway, Kemal also thought that he should modernize Turkey by having us wear Western-style clothes!

Later, Mustafa Kemal moved the capital from Istanbul to Ankara! What was he thinking? Oh well, it doesn’t bother me that much. After that though he introduced the alphabet based on the Roman alphabet. A few months after the introduction of the alphabet, Kemal ordered to have all of the newspapers, signs, and books to be printed in the new style.

You know how I’ve been calling him Mustafa Kemal? Well he was later called Kemal Ataturk. Ataturk means ” father of the Turks “. Even though he was the president of the ” Republic “, he was infact a dictator! Everyone thought so. It wasn’t fair! Although, he died just this year. Even though he was a dictator I still feel bad about his death.

Your friend,

Kim

1/31/38

Dear Mr. H.,

Greetings!!!! I am a citizen of Turkey in the year of 1938. The leader of Turkey was Kemal Ataturk (Mustafa Kemal). He came into power after World War I, when all the Ottoman Empire was conquered except for Turkey. The Ottoman Empire stretched from Austria to a portion of Morocco. The Ottoman Empire had been around six hundred years. Constantinople was the capital of the whole Ottoman Empire. The capital was named after the great emperor Constantine. We chose the wrong side in World War I; it was the United States, France, and Great Britain against Hungary, Germany, and the Ottoman Empire. Turkey’s main religion is Islam because we have mosques, are biggest mosque is the Blue Mosque. After the war, in 1925, Kemal Ataturk banned people from wearing fezzes. Fezzes made it so it would be easier to touch their foreheads to the ground when praying. Fezzes were a sign of the past to Mr. Ataturk. Kemel Ataturk also wanted the Turks to dress in western clothes. For women, he banned people from wearing veils. Kemal Ataturk thought that men and women should be equal. Kemal thought education was important and he built schools so the children wouldn’t have to learn at home. Kemel gave women the right to vote which was quite unusual. Mr. Ataturk introduced the Roman alphabet used in the western countries. He ordered all writing sources to print the new language. He also changed the capital from Istanbul to Ankara. This made me feel like everyone respects me and that we should be thankful for the rights we have. On the other hand, being a Muslim, I didn’t like the banning of fezzes, but, the western countries wouldn’t treat us poorly. I am enjoying learning the new language but it takes practice. Kemel Ataturk was one of the greatest leaders in Turkish history because he gave us rights we probably would never get. Ataturk has made life more modern than before World War 1. He has made Turkey a better and well-developing country. We are in mourning after the death of Kemal Ataturk this year. He made a big affect on me and my country.

Sincerely,

Your friend from Turkey

Jake S. 6E

Dear New American Friend,

Hello. Apparently, the Unites States and Turkey are much different. Our former leader, Ataturk (who was called the “father of the Turks”) has just recently passed away. Like your culture, when he was alive, we could wear much of the hats you wear. He also made some rules about hats in general; he said that this hat (which we can now wear), a fezz, was not allowed to be worn. The reason people were so angry about this rule was that since we are very religious and pray five times a day toward Mecca (holy city), we must have our heads touch the ground. Well, since most hats have a brim, every time our heads touched the floor we hit our heads! So, we made a hat without a brim. He decided to just ignore people’s wanting of it; not to be mean, but his real intention was to give us new ideas. BY that I mean we have worn these hats for a very long time. So I guess you would say, “Out with the old and in with the new.” That isn’t the only rule change he made; he also wanted to give women equal rights, voting, getting educated, getting rid of the veils that covered women’s faces, and even the right to do a job. I agreed with a lot of these rules (except for the fezz rule). Hopefully, soon, we will have a new leader. Bye for now.

Your new Turkish friend,

Pedro

(by Matthew M.)

Dear American friend,

All of us men in Turkey have been wearing a hat called a Fez for almost a century. It is a circular hat with a flat top. Since there was no brim on Fezes, it made it easier for Muslim men to touch their foreheads to the ground when they were praying. In 1925 Mustafa Kemal, the presedent of the Turkish republic, was wearing a Western style hat with a brim. He told all of us that we had to wear the Western style hats. Many of us were very upset with this new law. The lives of women were also changed. Turkish women wore veils to cover their faces in public. Then Kemal told all Turkish women that they could not wear veils anymore. Girls in Turkey used to go to school in their homes. Kemal made them go to school outside their homes. Kemal wanted everyone to have equal rights. He gave all women the right to vote and the right to take jobs in business and government. Kemal wanted to make everything modern. That’s why he made all of us stop wearing Fezes. He changed many more things like moving the capital from Istanbul to Ankara, and introducing an alphabet based on the Romen alphabet. All newspapers, books, and street signs were printed in the new style. Mustafa Kemal was eventually called Kemal Ataturk. Ataturk means “father of the Turks”. In 1938 he died. My life and everyone else’s has changed a lot because of Kemal Ataturk.

Sincerely,

Your Turkish friend

Dear Fredrick in America,

Just 2 weeks ago our leader Kemal Ataturk died so I decided to tell you a bit about him and what he has done to our country, Turkey. Ataturk was a great leader. One of the great things he did was give the women in our country the right to vote. Even though there was only one party to vote for, Him!! But the women could now vote for governors and other smaller political leaders. The only thing I disagreed with him about was the fact that he outlawed the fez hats! I personally think that the fez hats were a part of our traditional religion and that that was a bad thing to do. But away from the negatives, Ataturk modernized our country and I believe that our country would still be too ancient to survive without him. Also, without him we wouldn’t have all these modern things like, busses, trams, skyscrapers and cars. So now that Ataturk is gone first off we don’t have our great leader to lead us but we also don’t even have a leader. Who will lead us next? Well that’s all I know about Kemal Ataturk, Your friend in Istanbul, Turkey, Muslima Alli

You are a citizen of Turkey in the year 1938. Write a letter to your friend in America describing the life and accomplishments of the “Father of the Turks.” Make sure you include in your letter how your life in Turkey has changed since the end of World War I under the new leader Ataturk.