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 principal policymaking committee of the Soviet Union
b. Soviet hard-liners Old Communists
c. coup To bring down a government
d. CIS Commonwealth of Independent States
e. shock therapy Economic plan by Yeltsin

1. Identify and define two early changes that Gorbachev made? How were these changes
different from previous Soviet leaders?
Allowed Churches to reopen
Allowed the criticism of the government
2. Why would it be ineffective for the central government to decide what should be
produced all ove the country?
No because it would be more efficient if it was not centralized
3. Explain Gorbachevs third reform and how it would help to move the country toward
democracy.
It decentralized the government and by doing so it made the country more democratic.
4. What was the INF Treaty? Why did Gorbachev agree to sign it? What effect do you think
this Treaty had on the Cold War?
It stopped the US and Russia from spending so much money on their militaries and allowed them
to use to money on other essentials. It slowed down the Cold War because it showed that
funding its military were becoming too expensive for Russia and it need to use that money for
its people.
5. What effect did Gorbachevs reforms have on Russian ethnic minorities?
It gave them more freedoms.
6. Which satellite nation was first to defy Gorbachev? How did Gorbachev respond?
Lithuania and he blockaded it economically
7. What was Boris Yeltsins position in Soviet government. Why did he oppose Gorbachev?
8. What name was given to the older communist members in parliament? Whatopinion did they
have regarding both Gorbachev and Yeltsin? Explain your answer.
9. What was the August Coup? Who orchestrated it?

Hardliners detained Gorbachev and demanded that he resign. The next day they sent military
forces into the capital of Russia. The soldiers went against to orders of the hardliners and left
the city.
10. What were the most important reasons for the failure of the Coup?
They wanted to keep their freedoms and they didnt support the hardliners
11. How did the 15 soviet Republics respond to the failed Coup?
They declared independence and formed the Commonwealth of Independent States
12. When Gorbachev stepped down as president, who became the next president?
Yeltsin
13. What was the new name of the Soviet Union after this coup?
Commonwealth of Independent States
14. What was Yeltsin attempting to do by forming the CIS? What effect would it have on the
traditional Soviet Union?
He wanted to be the most powerful man in the CIS. It tore the
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 used shock therapy. He made it severely worse and increase inflation immensely.
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 deal with increases in violence and low standard of living and poor economy.
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 wanted to secede but the Soviet Union didnt want other countries to follow them so
they sent in troops to stop them. It took 2 wars to bring them back.
18. In what ways were the policies of Gorbachev, Yeltsin, and Putin similar?
They all wanted to improve the economy and give more rights to people.