Curated OER
Fall of Soviet Union/Rise of Chinese Communism
Ninth graders examine the reasons for the fall of communism in the Soviet Union and the rise of communism in China. They listen to a lecture and complete slot notes, listen to and read the lyrics to the song "We Didn't Start the Fire"...
University of California
The End of the Cold War (1979-1991)
Scholars use primary and secondary documents, as well as video evidence, to investigate the end of the Cold War. After completing the final installment of an eight-part series, class members better understand the issues surrounding...
Curated OER
Chapter 28: Red Flags and Velvet Revolutions: The End of the Cold War, 1960-1990
Set your historians up for testing success using this interactive flashcard tool. It is one of many learning strategies offered in this thorough online resource. Although designed for use with a text, the site is valuable independently....
Curated OER
Memorandum of a Conference with President Eisenhower after Sputnik
Students use the National Archives to research how the United States and the Soviet Union south to maintain its supremacy after World War II.
Curated OER
The Cold War Era (1945 - 1991)
Provide learners with an excellent resource focused on the Cold War Era. Starting in 1945 and going all the way to 1991, the Cold War Era included major historical events, such as the Berlin Wall, Warsaw Pact, the Korean War, and the...
Curated OER
Berlin Wall Lesson Plans
Berlin Wall lesson plans can teach students how this barrier divided a country and why it gained so much international attention.
Curated OER
What Was the Cold War About?
Students explore a website to gather some first impressions of the Cold War era and its impact on Canadian society and politics. They, in groups, answer questions about the Cold War on a worksheet imbedded in this plan.
Curated OER
Battles and Events of World War II
In this battles and events of World War II study guide worksheet, pupils read the notes provided and add notes of their own.
Curated OER
US Government: Foreign Policy (Part 1)
Students explore foreign policy. In this foreign policy activity, students define terms regarding foreign policy. Students respond to questions regarding textbook readings and a lecture regarding U.S. foreign policy.
Curated OER
John Paul II: Statesman of Faith
Students view a documentary on Pop John Paul II. He is the spiritual leader of almost one billion people worldwide and beloved ambassador of peace to untold millions more. After viewing, students discuss what they saw and create a...
Curated OER
The Arms Race - From the Beginning to the End
Ninth graders focus on the political and technological developments of the Cold War. They, in groups, read and summarize the speech they are given. They should provide a short presentation based on their interpretation.
Curated OER
The Berlin Wall
Young scholars enter the classroom and observe a wall that is set up with desks, bookshelves, or anything else available. to create a barrier that they cannot cross during the class. The class then is divided into East and West Berlin...
BBC
Bbc News: Soviet Union Timeline
A timeline covering the history of the Soviet Union from 1917 to 1991.
The Cold War Museum
The Cold War Museum: Fall of the Soviet Union
The Cold War Museum offers many resources on the Cold War, including this particular article on the "Fall of the Soviet Union."
New York Times
New York Times: Times Machine: End of the Soviet Union
Images of the New York Times from December 26, 1991 depicting the fall of the Soviet Union and Mikhail Gorbachev.
Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
Woodrow Wilson Center: Digital Archive: Mitrokhin Archive
The Mitrokhin Archive consists of summarized notes taken by Vasili Nikitich Mitrokhin, a former KGB archivist who defected to the United Kingdom after the fall of the Soviet Union. Primarily, this collection contains items from his...
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: The End of the Cold War
Read about the surprising and swift collapse of the Soviet Union and its satellite countries beginning with Poland in 1989. Watch a map which shows the change from a single country, USSR, into many independent countries, and find out...
Steven Kreis, PhD
The History Guide: Perestroika Defined (1987)
Perestroika, as defined by Mikhail Gorbachev. This excerpt includes the many definitions and applications of the concept of perestroika when used to describe the internal reforms of the Soviet Union that occurred during the 1980s.
AllRefer
All Refer Reference: Russia: Declining Health Care in the 70s and 80s
A great article depicting the declining standard of living in the Soviet Union. Research showed rising infant mortality, falling life expectancy, among other grim statistics painting a bad picture of state of health in the Soviet Union....
Louisiana Department of Education
Louisiana Doe: Louisiana Believes: World History: Fall of Communism
Students develop and express claims through discussions and writing which examine tensions during the Cold War and actions taken as a result.
PBS
Pbs: Int. With Nina Mihailovna Motova, Factory Worker
You've learned about the fall of the USSR in history books, but what did it mean to a common citizen? Read the interview with Motova, a ballbearing factory worker in Russia, for insight on her thoughts.
New York Times
New York Times: Islam in Russia
An interesting look into the spread of Islam in Russia. After the fall of the Soviet Union Islam has become more and more influential in Russian life. Audio and pictures tell the story of the spread of Islam in Russia.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Us History: 1945 1980: Richard Nixon as President
Learn about Nixon's presidency, including his strategy to get the United States out of the Vietnam War, his foreign policy maneuvers with China and the Soviet Union, and his fall from grace due to the Watergate scandal.
Digital History
Digital History: Collapse of Communism
Overview of the collapse of communism at the end of the 1980s and early 1990s ushered in by Mikhail Gorbachev and his reforms.