20th Century

The 20th Century will become known as a time of great change in China. The last ruling dynasty fell in 1911 at which time China declared itself a republic. After 38 years of civil war (off and on), Mao Zedong emerged as the new communist leader of the People's Republic of China (1949). Upon Mao Zedong's death in 1976, another struggle for power took place. Student demonstrations for democracy were violently crushed in 1989. Although China is still run by the Communist Party, the political future of China is still a major question mark.