HIS 100 Module Three Activity Context Template #3
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Dec 6, 2023
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HIS 100 Module Three Activity Template: Historical Context
Replace the bracketed text below with your responses.
Identify the topic you chose to explore:
The Chernobyl Disaster
Describe the historical context surrounding your historical event.
On a political point, because of the accident at Chernobyl, many regulations and laws have been
created about nuclear plants. Chernobyl was the only commercial nuclear accident that caused
fatalities from radiation. Chernobyl was built with many design flaws that combined with human
error that contributed to the accident and explosion. The design of Chernobyl was never made
outside of the Soviet Union due to problems with startup and shut down problems. Since we will
probably never know the exact human total of the accident, we can judge issues with how
people are affected today. There has been a rise in thyroid cancer in children from areas around
the plant.
Chernobyl’s’ reactor four, which was the one that exploded, is now encased in a 100-ton
concrete sarcophagus which is growing weaker over time. It is expected to last another 100
years. Around the time of the explosion, the reactor number four contained about 190 metric
tons of uranium dioxide fuel. It is estimated that around 30% of that nuclear fuel and fission
products escaped into the atmosphere. Scientists have stated that around 60% of the
contamination affected Belarus.
Describe a key historical figure or group’s participation in your historical event.
The one major group involved in this disaster is the Soviet Unions government. They were
responsible for making and running the nuclear plants. There are other groups involved – The
United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation and The World
Association of Nuclear Operators. The Reactor Bolsho Moshchnosty Kanalny meaning “High-
power channel reactor” is the group that designed the reactor (Geist, 2015).
Explain the key historical figure or group’s motivation to participate in your historical event.
The Soviet Unions government was motivated to cleanup and contain the radioactive material.
There was a disruption of a large population of humans and animal life during the time of the
disaster. The radioactive material was carried by the wind to surrounding areas including Russia
and Eastern Europe and Europe in general. About 5 million people were affected most around
the plant itself. Towns like Pripyat were evacuated and residents were told they would be back in
the following days. The town is still deserted and plants and wild animals have taken over.
Articulate how the historical context caused or influenced your chosen historical event.
I was 15 at the time the disaster occurred. It really gave me a true idea of what the soviet
government was all about and was just concerned with secrecy. Some 30 years later, the area is
still uninhabitable and some sources state that the area could be uninhabitable for 20,000 years.
I just cannot believe it could be that long to make it habitable again. The year 22,023 is the date
to return? Unbelievable.
Explain how connecting your historical event and current event improves the understanding of
your topic.
As I connect these two events, it helps me with my understanding of my topic. This makes me
realize that disasters of this magnitude can and probably will happen later on down the line.
Governments can make cost cutting rule changes that does not help the safety of the plant or
the people around them. After Chernobyl, the entire town of Pripyat was evacuated and its
population would never be allowed to return. There are some scientists that state the area
around Chernobyl may not be suitable for human life for 20,000 years. What would happen if
something like Chernobyl happened here in the United States and say the state of Florida
became uninhabitable? It gives me the shudders.
References
Geist, E. (2015). Political Fallout: The Failure of Emergency Management at Chernobyl. Slavic review,
74(1), 104-126.
https://doi.org/10.5612/slavicreview.74.1.104
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