Process Paper

My History Fair project is about the Cold Wars end through the leadership of Ronald
Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev. The Cold War was started because the United States of America
and the Union of Soviet Republics (USSR) had different ideas on how to run a nation. The USA
believed in democracy while the USSR believed in communism. Despite Gorbachev being a
leader in the USSR, Reagan and Gorbachev ended the Cold War, fought to end Communism, and
worked well together on ending the reign of nuclear weapons.
I thought of the idea for my project through the help of family members. I surveyed
members of my family and asked them who and what they thought of as having left a great
legacy in their time. I ended up participating in History Day because I felt that Leadership and
Legacy was an interesting theme and it would help me learn something new.
My research began when I looked for resource materials on the particular men involved
in my topic and the war itself. My most valuable resource were the pictures of Reagan and
Gorbachev together. This is important to me because it showed how two different men with
different ideas can work side by side and create a good outcome. Some ideas about my topic
changed as I did my research. I learned how different communism run country is from a
democracy. I also learned how Gorbachev became instrumental in helping to end the Cold War.
To decide what information I would use in my final project, I read everything through and took
the parts I found most interesting and informative.
I put my entry together by making a website. I put all my important information into
groups that made menu tabs. I did not experience many problems during my research. While

doing research, I felt like I was finding the same sources over and over again. I would then take a
break and then reevaluate with fresh eyes.
It is very important to study my topic. This was a very important period of time in
American and world history. Reagan and Gorbachev ended the threat of nuclear war. If nuclear
weapons were used in war, most of the world would be gone. My topic is significant in history
because two leaders who were against each other united to stop communism and nuclear threats.
This has been a valuable learning experience for me because it taught me about an important
time during American history and how Reagan and Gorbachev ended the Cold War.
My research led to the conclusion that the Cold War ended because of Reagan and
Gorbachevs work. The USSR was also ended which led to the downfall of communism in this
area. Nuclear weapons were also no longer a threat due to the INF Treaty.