1800s: Poland does not exist as a separate, sovereign nation but as a territory of Russia. Efforts to suppress any glimmer of Polish nationality include closing all of the universities.

1960s: Poland is a nominally independent country economically and militarily controlled by the Soviet Union, although with more autonomy than many other Soviet client states. It is referred to as the Polish People's Republic.

Today: Poland is a constitutional republic with no political ties to Russia.

1800s: The vast majority of Poles work in rural areas or on small family farms.

1960s: The Polish economy is experiencing near total collapse, and the price of food and other goods begins to skyrocket.

Today: About 19 percent of the Polish workforce is involved in agriculture, but Poland still experiences difficulty meeting its requirements for food and feed grains. Other economic sectors include fertilizers, electronics, ship building, and...