Turkey was a traditional Islamic country and Mustafa Kamal tried to modernize it. He led Turkish nationalists in overthrowing the last Ottoman sultan. In 1923, Kemal became the president of the new republic of Turkey, the first republic in Southwest Asia. His goal was to create a modern, democratic, and a secular nation state. Kemal modernized the country's legal and educational systems and encouraged the adoption of a European way of life. Under Kemal, women gained more freedom. He granted women the right to vote and to hold public office. Kemal also launched governments funded programs to industrialize Turkey.
Mustafa Kamal led Turkey in the period after WW I. Religious fundamentalists who had ruled Turkey for years were shocked by the changes. Kamal tried to 'Westernize' Turkey. He even encouraged men to give up the 'fez', a traditional Muslim hat and wear a brimmed Panama hat. Kamal tried to create a feeling of nationalism in Turkey and get the population to move away from a religious dominated society.
Secular: Not concerned with religion or religious matters.
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