World Cultures 11

Unit II: Russia

Name: Davon Burrell

Date : 11/15/2014

Block: 4

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 They were the ruling committee of the communist party
b. Soviet hard-liners Group of officers
c. coup Played a main role in accelerating the breakup of the Soviet Union
d. CIS Former Soviet terrorists
e. shock therapy An arrupt shift to free market economics

1. Identify and define two early changes that Gorbachev made? How were these changes
different from previous Soviet leaders? The government was able to open churches, created
new policies to help the people.
2. Why would it be ineffective for the central government to decide what should be produced
all ove the country? The people were working so hard in the area, so if they were to be able to
decided what would be produced no one would want to buy it.
3. Explain Gorbachevs third reform and how it would help to move the country toward
democracy. Opened the political system, election of new legislative system, voters gained
freedom election, no longer had to choose from the handpicked candidates by the communist
party, instead voters could choose from a list of each office.
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? Gorbachev agreed to sign it because he knew that the Soviet
economy couldnt afford the costly arms race with the US. The affect is had on the Cold war
was it shortened it.
5. What effect did Gorbachevs reforms have on Russian ethnic minorities? Various
nationalities in the Soviet Union began to call for their freedom. Ethnic tensions brewed
beneath the surface of the Soviet society. As reforms loosened central controls, unrest spread
across the country. Demanded self-rule. The Muslims peoples of the Soviet Central Asia called
for religious freedom.
6. Which satellite nation was first to defy Gorbachev? How did Gorbachev respond? Lithuania,
declared independence.
7. What was Boris Yeltsins position in Soviet government. Why did he oppose Gorbachev? He
was the party boss, mayor of Moscow in 1985, member of the parliament. He opposed it because
of the crackdown on Lithuania.

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.
Hard-liners; they disliked them because Gorbachev had given up the Soviet Unions and role as
the dominant force in Eastern Europe.
9. What was the August Coup? Who orchestrated it? Attempted to demand Gorbachev to
resign as Soviet president, attempted to take control of the country. Russian parliamentarians.
10. What were the most important reasons for the failure of the Coup? Return of the country
11. How did the 15 soviet Republics respond to the failed Coup? All declared independence.
12. When Gorbachev stepped down as president, who became the next president? Boris
Yeltsin
13. What was the new name of the Soviet Union after this coup? August coup
14. What was Yeltsin attempting to do by forming the CIS? What effect would it have on the
traditional Soviet Union? The formation of the CIS meant the death of the Soviet Union
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? Put slaves back into
work, and no it didnt work because he didnt give the people what they wanted.
16. When Yeltsin stepped down, a new leader was elected. What are some of the problems
that faced this new leader, Vladimir Putin? He brought shame to the town
17. What was the Chechnya issue? How did Putin deal with it? Was he able to end this issue
for the new Federation? Explain. No because many people disliked him and didnt like what he
did to the town
18. In what ways were the policies of Gorbachev, Yeltsin, and Putin similar? They all ruled to
make it a democracy.