Post-Cold War America & Globalization
Aligned to C3.D2.His.9 — C3 Framework for Social Studies State Standards.
What this lesson teaches
The Cold War ended around 1991 when the Soviet Union collapsed, leaving the United States as the world's lone superpower. New computer and internet technology, global trade, and the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks reshaped the American economy, security, and its role in a connected world.
Worked example
On November 9, 1989, crowds tore down the Berlin Wall that had divided communist East from democratic West Germany for 28 years, a moment that came to symbolize the collapse of Soviet control across Eastern Europe.
Practice questions
- What happened to the Soviet Union around 1991?
- Explain how the internet changed the American economy and daily life.
- Analyze how the September 11 attacks changed U.S. security policy and its role in the world.
Watch the lesson
Every lesson comes with a video taught in English and Spanish — the same video the QR code in the printed workbook opens.
▶ Watch this lessonEn español
Estados Unidos tras la Guerra Fría y la globalización
La Guerra Fría terminó alrededor de 1991 cuando la Unión Soviética se derrumbó, dejando a Estados Unidos como la única superpotencia del mundo. Las nuevas tecnologías de computación e internet, el comercio global y los ataques terroristas del 11 de septiembre de 2001 transformaron la economía, la seguridad y el papel de Estados Unidos en un mundo interconectado.
Ejemplo: El 9 de noviembre de 1989, multitudes derribaron el Muro de Berlín que había dividido la Alemania comunista del Este de la democrática del Oeste durante 28 años, un momento que llegó a simbolizar el colapso del control soviético en toda Europa Oriental.
More History lessons
Teach this lesson today
An AI tutor that guides with questions instead of just giving answers — all K–12 core subjects, every child in the family.
Start free — no card required