Question

Reminder: To show your personal understanding, all assignment responses must be in your own words unless

quoting a source.
08.04 The Iron Curtain Comes Down Assessment
Name:
Date:
Step 1:
Identify four different reasons that answer the question and add them in the spaces provided.
Question: What were the biggest causes of the fall of the Soviet Union?
List your causes here. For each one, name it and briefly explain how it contributed to the fall.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Step 2:
Compare the causes and choose a winner. Explain each of your choices of winner in 2-3 complete
sentences, summarizing specific information from the lesson.

Answer 1

The biggest causes of the fall of the Soviet Union were economic instability, political corruption, nationalism, and the reforms of glasnost and perestroika. The winner among these causes was economic instability.

Step-by-step explanation:

The biggest causes of the fall of the Soviet Union were:

1. Economic instability: The Soviet economy was struggling due to inefficiency and lack of innovation, resulting in widespread poverty and shortages of basic goods.
2. Political corruption: The Soviet government was plagued by corruption, with high-ranking officials abusing their power and embezzling resources.
3. Nationalism: Ethnic tensions and desires for independence grew within the Soviet Union, leading to the breakup of several republics and weakening the central government.
4. Glasnost and Perestroika: The relaxation of censorship and introduction of economic reforms by Mikhail Gorbachev led to greater freedom of expression but also created political turmoil and inadvertently accelerated the collapse of the Soviet Union.

The winner: The biggest cause of the fall of the Soviet Union was economic instability. The inefficiency and lack of innovation in the Soviet economy led to widespread poverty and shortages, undermining the government's legitimacy and contributing to the overall collapse.

Keywords: fall of the Soviet Union, economic instability, political corruption, nationalism, glasnost, perestroika

Learn more about fall of the Soviet Union