Question 1

What event opened Gorbachev's eyes to the problem of secrecy within the Soviet state?&#10;A) the launch of Sputnik&#10;B) the velvet revolution&#10;C) the explosion at Chernobyl&#10;D) the fall of the Berlin Wall

Accepted Answer

The explosion at Chernobyl in 1986 was a major nuclear disaster that exposed the dangers of Soviet secrecy and lack of transparency in the government. This event made Gorbachev realize that the Soviet Union needed to be more open and honest about its actions and policies.

Question 2

What word described Gorbachev's policy of greater openness in Soviet society?&#10;A) glasnost&#10;B) de-Stalinization&#10;C) perestroika&#10;D) shelkoonchik

Accepted Answer

Glasnost was the policy of greater openness in Soviet society that was introduced by Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev in the 1980s. It was one of the key components of Gorbachev's larger program of political and economic reform, known as perestroika, which aimed to modernize and revitalize the Soviet Union. Through the policy of glasnost, Gorbachev aimed to increase transparency, reduce censorship, and promote public participation in the government and society.

Question 3

Stagflation was a combination of increased unemployment and&#10;A) deflation&#10;B) inflation&#10;C) debt&#10;D) falling prices

Accepted Answer

Stagflation is a phenomenon where there is a simultaneous increase in inflation and unemployment. It is a rare and challenging situation for policymakers because standard solutions for combating inflation, such as tightening monetary policy, can exacerbate unemployment.

Question 4

The failure of the Bretton Woods system ended&#10;A) the free market&#10;B) the economic miracle&#10;C) stagflation&#10;D) the gold standard

Accepted Answer

The Bretton Woods system was a monetary policy that pegged currencies to the value of gold, effectively creating a fixed exchange rate system. However, as the US printed more money to finance the Vietnam War and domestic programs, other countries doubted the value of the US dollar and demanded gold in exchange. This ultimately led to the collapse of the gold standard and the end of the Bretton Woods system in 1971, as the US could no longer maintain the peg. Therefore, the failure of the Bretton Woods system resulted in the end of the gold standard.

Question 5

One of the factors in the economic downturn of the 1970s was&#10;A) the velvet revolution&#10;B) increased oil prices&#10;C) deflation&#10;D) austerity

Accepted Answer

The increased oil prices were a major factor in the economic downturn of the 1970s, as the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) imposed an oil embargo and raised prices in response to American support of Israel during the Yom Kippur War. This caused inflation and a decrease in economic growth, as businesses and individuals had to spend more money on oil and energy.

Question 6

Who did workers in Western countries increasingly blame for high unemployment?&#10;A) capitalism&#10;B) labor unions&#10;C) communism&#10;D) immigrants

Accepted Answer

In Western countries, there has been growing resentment towards immigrants as they are perceived to be taking away jobs from locals. This sentiment has led to an increase in anti-immigrant political movements and policies.

Question 7

The organization which used terror tactics to fight for the independence of Northern Ireland was&#10;A) IRA&#10;B) RAF&#10;C) ETA&#10;D) PLO

Accepted Answer

The IRA (Irish Republican Army) used violent tactics such as bombings and assassinations in its campaign for the independence of Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom. The other options (RAF, ETA, and PLO) were all organizations that used terrorism in their respective causes (left-wing extremism in Germany, Basque separatism in Spain, and Palestinian nationalism), but none were specifically associated with the independence movement in Northern Ireland.

Question 8

European women still bore most of the responsibility for childcare, even when working full time, so the new feminist movement demanded access to&#10;A) affordable childcare&#10;B) contraception&#10;C) safe abortions&#10;D) all of the above

Accepted Answer

The new feminist movement demanded access to all of the above - affordable childcare, contraception, and safe abortions - in order to reduce the burden of childcare on European women who were working full time, and to give them control over their own reproductive choices.

Question 9

The Helsinki Accords was an example of&#10;A) austerity&#10;B) increased tension&#10;C) detente&#10;D) anti-Semitism

Accepted Answer

The Helsinki Accords, also known as the Helsinki Final Act, were signed in 1975 as part of efforts for detente (a period of relaxed tension) between the Soviet Union and Western countries. The Accords outlined a commitment to cooperation in areas such as human rights, economic cooperation, scientific exchanges, and territorial integrity.

Question 10

The power of the Catholic Church was an important factor in the downfall of communism in&#10;A) Czechoslovakia&#10;B) Poland&#10;C) Romania&#10;D) Russia

Accepted Answer

The Catholic Church played a significant role in the Solidarity Movement in Poland, which was a key factor in the overthrow of communism in that country. The Church provided a space for dissent and opposition, and its influence helped to mobilize the population against the regime. In addition, the Church was part of an international network of religious organizations that supported the struggle for democracy and human rights in Eastern Europe. While the Church played a role in the downfall of communism in other countries as well, such as Romania, its impact was most profound in Poland.

Question 11

Perestroika was Gorbachev's plan to&#10;A) reform the Soviet economy&#10;B) open the Soviet system to criticism&#10;C) end communism&#10;D) end capitalism

Accepted Answer

The answer of Perestroika was Gorbachev's plan to&#10;A) reform the...

Question 12

The creation of the euro as a common currency was meant to&#10;A) increase political unity&#10;B) bring down communism&#10;C) end nationalism&#10;D) enhance trade

Accepted Answer

The answer of The creation of the euro as a...

Question 13

What term was invented to describe massacres driven by nationalist fervor in Yugoslavia?&#10;A) genocide&#10;B) ethnic cleansing&#10;C) massacre&#10;D) peacekeeping

Accepted Answer

The answer of What term was invented to describe massacres...

Question 14

The most difficult part of reunifying Germany was&#10;A) political&#10;B) social&#10;C) economic&#10;D) religious

Accepted Answer

The answer of The most difficult part of reunifying Germany...

Question 15

In Russia, corrupt privatization enriched a group of men called the oligarchs, because they&#10;A) gained wealth and political power&#10;B) controlled the government&#10;C) became billionaires&#10;D) re-established communism

Accepted Answer

The answer of In Russia, corrupt privatization enriched a group...

Question 16

Describe Mikhail Gorbachev's intended reforms of the Soviet system. How did these reforms end up dissolving communism in the USSR instead of reforming it?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Describe Mikhail Gorbachev's intended reforms of the...

Question 17

What is stagflation? Why did it happen, and how did various Western governments attempt to deal with it?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What is stagflation? Why did it happen,...

Question 18

Compare and contrast the European Union and the European Economic Community.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Compare and contrast the European Union and...

Deck 14: The Postwar, 1945-1970