Mikhail Gorbachev

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/mikhail-gorbachev

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the policy pillars?His leadership was defined by 'glasnost' (openness), 'perestroika' (restructuring), and 'demokratizatsiya' (democratization)

Glasnost: A policy of 'openness' that allowed for greater freedom of speech, press, and public discussion, which was intended to make the Soviet government more transparent and accountable to its citizens.
Perestroika: A program of 'restructuring' the Soviet economy that aimed to decentralize decision-making and introduce more efficiency, moving away from the rigid, state-controlled planning that had dominated the Soviet era.
Cold War: A prolonged state of geopolitical tension and competition between the United States and the Soviet Union, characterized by an arms race and ideological conflict, which lasted from the end of WWII until 1991.
Politburo: The executive committee for the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, which functioned as the highest policy-making authority in the country and made all major decisions regarding state governance and party direction.