The Collapse of the Soviet Union

Economic and ____________ reforms were occurring within the Soviet Union through the leadership of

their leader, Mikhail Gorbachev.

Slowly, Gorbachev took the steps needed to ________________ their communist government.

He slowly began releasing government control of citizens by increasing ____________________ and

provided more ____________________ to Soviet citizens.

As reforms spread throughout this region of the world, the Soviet Union was no longer _____________.

In 1991, _________________ faced aggression within its own country and a resistance formed.

Communist hardliners within the government were poised to change the country back to its

traditional _____________ system.

Their plan was to accomplish government takeover through a _______________.

This failed due to their soldiers’ _______________ to cooperate.

As a result, the Soviet Union ________________ into fifteen newly separate countries.

These countries became loosely aligned in a “_____________________ of Independent States,” with each existing as a separate independent country.