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 Communist Party
b. Soviet hard-liners - politicians who had certain beliefs and stuck to them
c. coup -A sudden, violent, illegal seizure of power from a government
d. CIS Commonwealth of independent states
e. shock therapy- treatment of chronic mental conditions by electroconvulsive therapy

1. Identify and define two early changes that Gorbachev made? How were these changes
different from previous Soviet leaders?
They allowed churches to open and release dissidents from prison which changed how the state looked at
them.
2. Why would it be ineffective for the central government to decide what should be
produced all over the country?
If farm owners decided how much should be produced it would most likely make the most of economy.
3. Explain Gorbachevs third reform and how it would help to move the country toward
democracy.
His third reform was opening the political system. He did this by democratization and gradually opened the
government. This would help the country move toward democracy.
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?
With the Soviets lacking funds and the U.S boasting in it, they signed a nuclear forces treaty (INF) that banned
missiles with ranges from 300 to 3400 miles. This stopped bombings in the Cold War.
5. What effect did Gorbachevs reforms have on Russian ethnic minorities?
The reforms wanted self-rule and freedom.
6. Which satellite nation was first to defy Gorbachev? How did Gorbachev respond?
Lithuania, and he responded by making an economic blockade of them.
7. What was Boris Yeltsins position in Soviet government. Why did he oppose Gorbachev?
He was a member of the parliament and opposed Gorbachev because he disagreed with the Lithuania situation.
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.
They were named hardliners that were mad at Gorbachev because they lost power and they feared they would
lose more power.
9. What was the August Coup? Who orchestrated it?
Orchestrated by hardliners, The August Coup was the demand for Gorbachev to resign as the Soviet President.
10. What were the most important reasons for the failure of the Coup?
The hardliners ordered troops to attack the parliament building but they refused.
11. How did the 15 soviet Republics respond to the failed Coup?
They had all declared for independence by December after it failed.

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?
The Russian Federation.
14. What was Yeltsin attempting to do by forming the CIS? What effect would it have on the
traditional Soviet Union?
It showed the Soviet Union was dead because he had a more free government.
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 lowered trade barriers, removed price controls, and ended subsides to state owned industries. This did not
work as prices flew and factories cut production or shut down. He caked this shock therapy.
16. When Yeltsin stepped down, a new leader was elected. What are some of the problems
that faced this new leader, Vladimir Putin?
He had many economic, political, and social problems after taken over for Yeltsin.
17. What was the Chechnya issue? How did Putin deal with it? Was he able to end this issue
for the new Federation? Explain.
Unable to end the fighting in Chechnya after saying he would, Chechen rebels seized a theater in Moscow and
150 people died in a rescue attempt during October.
18. In what ways were the policies of Gorbachev, Yeltsin, and Putin similar?
They all put their ideas towards the country. All of them never was really a good leader.