Andrew Abujawdeh

Mrs. Recktenwald
Honors History
20 December 2015

Interview
Question 1: How was your life effected by the revolution?
My life was affected in so many ways. Travel was restricted and we moved from Beirut, the
capital, to our hometown, Brummana, in the mountains. I had to change schools and lost touch
with many childhood friends
Question 2: What is the biggest thing you think changed because of the revolution?
The peoples way of life, liberties and their increase worry about safety and security.
Question 3: What was the revolution sparked by?
Political disagreements which led to tension and armed militants
Question 4: How did society change because of the revolution?
People became very divided, and identified more with religion, then their alliance to the
country. People judged other people on their religious beliefs
Question 5: As a child, did you realize what was going on?
Travel was restricted, the news was false, and propaganda on television scared everyone

Question 6: Did the revolution effect any of your family members jobs?
Yeah, the companies whom my mom worked for had to move their offices to safer areas
Question 7: What parts of society were effected most because of the revolution?
Economic and political. Companies were affected because of the disagreements and the
government was divided
Question 8: Did the revolution ever cause physical harm to you or your family?
Not to my immediate family members. But I had many friends and acquaintances who lost
loved ones or got badly injured or had their homes damaged.
Question 9: Does the revolution still affect society today?
You try to learn lessons from it in order to build a better future
Question 10: Did the revolution cause you or anyone you know to change religion?
No, but disagreements were very common
Question 11: How would your life be different without the revolution?
I would probably be taking my family and I to visit more frequently and investing more money
and time into the country
Question 12: How did the revolution benefit you?
It helped me move and establish myself in the United States, build my own business and
family
Question 13: How did the revolution hurt you?

I lost touch with many childhood friends. I was also away from my parents for a long time and I
wish I spent more time with them before they passed away
My dad was raised in Lebanon when he was a child. While he was growing up in
Lebanon, the Lebanese Civil War, also known as a Revolution was going on. It lasted from 19751990. As my dad was growing up, he was a citizen in the midst of a political and economic
dispute. The revolution affected my fathers life in so many ways. It also changed the countrys
present and past.
As shown in the interview, we learn my fathers life was drastically changed. My father
was force to move away and change many ways that he was used to. His family was forced to
move from dangerous city to a small desert town. When he moved, he lost many friends and lost
access to many things convenient in a city. Society became very divide and alike opinions
seamed to side together. His travel across the country became very limited and dangerous.
Religions seemed to segregate the people. My dad explains how people would ask you
what your religion before they got to know you. He infers that people werent judged on what
they did or are doing, they were judged on their beliefs. This sparked many disputes and debates
that some unfortunately ended violent.
The revolution not only affected my fathers childhood, but also his future. The
revolution changed the country and cause him to want leave and start a new life. He says that he
would visit more if the situation were the same pre-revolution. It hurt many relationships with
people who stayed because he left them behind and was unable to return without fear. It also
changed a country that was once thought of as peaceful to have a dangerous and threatening
reputation.