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The End of the Cold War

Driving Question: Was there a “winner” in the Cold War?

The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 left the United States as the world’s sole remaining superpower—reshaping the global economic and political landscape in the process. For some, this changed landscape resulted in increased freedom; for others, particularly in the former Soviet republics, it resulted in economic uncertainty and gave rise to ethnic violence.

Learning Objectives

  1. Explain the causes of the end of the Cold War.
  2. Create and support arguments with historical evidence to evaluate the interconnection between decolonization and the Cold War in two regions of the world.

Vocab Terms:

  • autonomy
  • buffer
  • communism
  • economic stagnation
  • ethnic
  • repression
STEP 1

Opener: The End of the Cold War

STEP 2

Who Is “Winning” The Cold War?

Teaching Tools

To teach this lesson step, refer to page 3 of the Lesson 8.8 Teaching Guide Locked .

Want to see a Gamified “Who is Winning the Cold War? External link ” Read this thread on the Community Forum.

STEP 3

Collapse of the Soviet Union

Teaching Tools

To teach this lesson step, refer to page 6 of the Lesson 8.8 Teaching Guide Locked .

How did one of the biggest and most powerful nations on earth collapse? And how did that collapse help end the Cold War?

STEP 4

Closer: The End of the Cold War

Teaching Tools

To teach this lesson step, refer to page 7 of the Lesson 8.8 Teaching Guide Locked .

The Cold War ended in 1991…right? Find answers to this Cold War question by reading this blog from our OER Project historians.