World Cultures 11

Unit II: Russia

Name _______________________________
Date _______
Block ___________

Read the article entitled The Collapse of the Soviet Union and complete the questions below.
Indentify/define each of the following: [remember to answer fully]
a. Politburo The parliament within the USSR.
b. Soviet hard-liners - the older members of the communist party
c. coup - an attempt to overthrow the ruler/government
d. CIS Yeltsin put this together after the fall of the USSR
e. shock therapy- the economic plan Yeltsin put in place to attempt to fix his nation.
1. Identify and define two early changes that Gorbachev made? How were these changes
different from previous Soviet leaders?
The two changes were Glasnost and perestroika. Glasnost allowed the people greater freedom
of speech. Perestroika is the reconstruction of the economy by allowing a small amount of
capitalism.
2. Why would it be ineffective for the central government to decide what should be produced
all over the country?
The people did not have the drive to produce more than the required amount, and therefore
would not produce more than necessary.
3. Explain Gorbachevs third reform and how it would help to move the country toward
democracy.
His third reform allowed people to elect different people, opening up for other parties to run.
4. What was the IMF Treaty? Why did Gorbachev agree to sign it? What effect do you think
this Treaty had on the Cold War?
The IMF treaty was made to limit the amount of nuclear missiles both Russia and America had.
Gorbachev did not want his nation to fall into war with the US. This brought the cold war closer
to ending.
5. What effect did Gorbachevs reforms have on Russian ethnic minorities?
The ethnic minorities called for their freedom .
6. Which satellite nation was first to defy Gorbachev? How did Gorbachev respond?
Lithuania was the first to defy Gorbachev. He responded by ordering his men to attack the
Lithuanian capital, thus killing 14 civilians.
7. What was Boris Yeltsins position in Soviet government. Why did he oppose Gorbachev?
He was a member of the parliament. He opposed Gorbachev due to his reaction to Lithuania,
and that he was not changing the nation fast enough.

8. What name was given to the older communist members in parliament? What opinion did they
have regarding both Gorbachev and Yeltsin? Explain your answer.
The HardLiners are the older communist members. They view the Gorbachev and Yeltsin as
traitors and would stop them. they were fearful of losing power and position.

9. What was the August Coup? Who orchestrated it?

The August Coup was an attempt to end gorbachev from doing what he was doing. The hardliners did not want him in power anymore.
10. What were the most important reasons for the failure of the Coup?
The soldiers would not attack Moscow because Yeltsin had convinced them that they could be
free if they followed him.
11. How did the 15 soviet Republics respond to the failed Coup?
They all declared independence.
12. When Gorbachev stepped down as president, who became the next president?
Yeltsin had become the new president of the nation.
13. What was the new name of the Soviet Union after this coup?
The name was not the Commonwealth of Independent States, or CIS.
14. What was Yeltsin attempting to do by forming the CIS? What effect would it have on the
traditional Soviet Union?
He wanted to keep the nations loosely connected.
15. After the breakup of the Soviet Union, Yeltsin was faced with economic issues. What did
he do to attempt to solve these issues? Did it work? Why or why not?
He put in place a plan known as shock therapy- shifted to free market economy.
16. When Yeltsin stepped down, a new leader was elected. What are some of the problems
that faced this new leader, Vladimir Putin?
Putin had to solve problems with economy and housing of the people.
17. What was the Chechnya issue? How did Putin deal with it? Was he able to end this issue
for the new Federation? Explain.
Chechnya attempted to become independent, and they were denied and fighting broke out.
Putin was able to slow the fighting into nonexistence.
18. In what ways were the policies of Gorbachev, Yeltsin, and Putin similar?
They all sought to free the people of the Nation.