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The Prime Minister Khan overthrows Mohammed Zahir Shah
Khan overthrows Mohammed Zahir Shah, in a military battle. The Democratic Party of Afghanistan comes to power and the monarchy is abolished.The Republic of Afghanistan connects with the USSR. Women have more rights due to the Constitution that Khan proposed. -
Hassan is sexually abused by Assef
The Kite Even occurs in the town square, and Hassan and Amir end up winning. Hassan flies a kite around Kabul, but is led into an alley way where Assef and his friends beat up Hassan. After that, Assef rapes Hassan in front of his two friends, and Amir watches. This event is probably the most important in the entire book. When Amir is deciding whether to help his friend or not he exclaims, "In the end, I ran. I ran because I was a coward" (Hosseini 77). Overall, Amir is a coward. -
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Leadership changes and people flea
There is a divide between people that support Taraki and people that support Deputy Prime Minister Hafizullah Amin. Taraki was killed on Sept. 14 by Amin supporters. The USSR invades Afghanistan, and many people are executed. Deputy Prime Minister Babrak Karmal becomes prime minister. The Soviets become violent, and rebels try to fight off the Russians. Afghans fled from the war to Pakistan and to Iran. Afghanistan troops gain control of rural areas, and Soviet troops hold urban areas. -
Ali and Hassan move out
After the rape, Ali realizes Amir knew about it all along. He decides to take Hassan to a country with many Hazara, and move out of Kabul with Baba and Amir. Soon after this, Amir and Baba are forced to flea their home. When Ali announces the news that they are leaving he shouts, "Life here is impossible for us now...our bags are already packed. We have made our decision" (Hosseini 106). This shows Ali's anger toward Amir. -
Baba and Amir escape to Pakistan
Baba and Amir are forced to leave Kabul because it is unsafe due to the wars. They go to Pakistan on a truck with other Afghan people. They experience major hardship and suffering, and eventually make it to Peshawar. Amir explains the struggle of when he was leaving Kabul, "My eyes stung from the fumes, like someone had peeled my lids back and rubbed a lemon on them" (Hosseini 122). -
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Amir and Baba move to Fremont, California
Amir and Baba go to America and Amir creates a life for himself. He goes to and graduates from college and gets a job. His father is very proud of him, and buys him a new car. He also finds his wife Soraya in a marketplace, and becomes close with her family. Amir explains how his relationship with Baba changed in America, "Wr sank in our seats, laughed until tears rolled down our cheeks" (Hosseini 137). This shows how amazing America was for their relationship. -
Al-Qaeda is formed and their beliefs are spread
Osama bin Laden and other Islamists form the group al-Qaeda, or “the base”. Their belief is a pure nation governed by Islam, and they fight the Soviets to gain this power. They claim victory in their first battle, but begin to focus to America. -
Taliban takes full control of Afghanistan
Taliban recognised as legitimate rulers by Pakistan and Saudi Arabia controlling 2/3 of the country -
Amir gets a call from Rahim Khan and goes back to Afghanistan
Amir gets a call from Rahim Khan informing him that he is sick. Amir goes back to Afghanistan at an attempt "to be good again" and to fulfill Rahim Khans last dying wish. Rahim Khan exclaims to Amir, "There is a way to be good again" (Hosseini 226). He is giving Amir another chance to atone for what he has done. -
Amir and Sohrab come to San Francisco
Amir and Sohrab finally arrive in San Francisco. Amir goes to Afghanistan to talk to Rahim Khan. Then, he goes to find Sohrab at a stadium in Kabul. To add on, he finds Sohrab and they fight Assef and escape. After this treacherous journey, they go to San Francisco where Sohrab will be put in an orphanage because Amir cannot adopt him for two years. Amir says, "Sohrab's little hand in mine" (Hosseini 291). This shows Amirs success and progression where they move to SF soon. -
9/11 Bombing
Hijackers crash 4 airplanes into the World Trade Center Towers in New York, the Pentagon outside Washington, D.C., and a Pennsylvania field. The US found out that Bin Laden was hiding in Afghanistan, and caused the attack. -
"The rule of the Taliban in Afghanistan has totally ended"
The Taliban abandons their final stronghold. Two days after this, they surrender their final territory, the province of Kabul. The rule of the Taliban was finally over, and Hamid Karzai was sworn in as the leader of Afghanistan by the government. The US also supported this decision.
