Mustafa Kemal Attaturk and the modernization of Turkey

Mustafa Kemal Ataturk was born in 1881 and became the founder, and first president of the Republic of Turkey. He brought new laws that made Turkey a more modern country such as France and other European nations. He passed laws that made it illegal to wear a hat called fez which sometimes has a tassel over it. He made Turkey look more modern with new clothing like European hats, tuxedos, pants and boots. Women also would stop wearing the veil. Ataturk put into effect an independent dress code for Turkey. He also gave women the right to vote. He made Turkey a secular country. In a secular country, people are governed by the government and its laws, not by religion. He also changed the Turkish calender from Islamic to Western. Mustafa Kemal Ataturk died in 1938 at the age of 57.