Place the following events in the correct order, from first to fifth. Indicate the box where each step belongs. (Note: On the real GED \({ }^{\circledR}\) test, you will click on each step and "drag" it into the correct box.) \- Boris Yeltsin is elected president of Russia. \- Solidarity candidates win elections in Poland. \- Coup against Gorbachev is defeated. \- Berlin wall is torn down. \- Estonia declares independence.

The collapse of communist regimes in Eastern Europe was a pivotal moment in the history of the 20th century. It began with Poland, where the Solidarity movement, led by Lech Wałęsa, gained significant traction. In 1989, Solidarity candidates won the parliamentary elections, marking the first non-communist government in the Soviet bloc. This event ignited a wave of democratic movements across Eastern Europe. Countries like Hungary, Czechoslovakia, and East Germany, inspired by Poland's success, also started their own pathways towards freedom from communist rule.

Each nation had its unique journey, but collectively, these events effectively signaled the end of Soviet influence in the region. The fall of the Berlin Wall in November 1989 became a powerful symbol of this shift. Once the wall was torn down, Germany faced reunification, and the citizens of Eastern Europe gained renewed hope for a democratic future.

Following the collapse of communist regimes, Eastern Europe embarked on significant democratic transitions. These transitions were marked by the establishment of new political systems, free elections, and the introduction of market economies. Poland was a forerunner in this process with its Solidarity movement, but soon, other countries followed suit.

The reforms were often challenging. Countries had to build democratic institutions from the ground up, often dealing with economic instability and political unrest. The transition period was crucial for setting the foundation of modern democratic states in Eastern Europe. People in these nations had to learn new ways of governance and had to adapt to open-market economies after decades of centralized control. Despite the difficulties, these transitions were integral to the broader process of European integration and cooperation.

The Soviet Union's dissolution was one of the most significant events in modern history. By 1991, the Soviet empire, which had controlled a vast array of republics, began to crumble under internal and external pressures. Key events, such as Estonia's declaration of independence in August 1991, played critical roles in this dissolution.

The failed coup against Mikhail Gorbachev in the same month demonstrated the fragility of the Soviet state. Gorbachev's policies of 'Perestroika' (restructuring) and 'Glasnost' (openness) had inadvertently accelerated the collapse by introducing reforms that weakened the central control and empowered constituent republics to pursue autonomy. By December 1991, the Soviet Union officially dissolved, leading to the emergence of 15 independent nations, with Russia being the largest successor state.

Several key political figures played monumental roles during the collapse of communism and the dissolution of the Soviet Union. One of the most prominent was Mikhail Gorbachev, the last leader of the USSR. His reforms of Perestroika and Glasnost paved the way for greater political and economic freedom but also hastened the decline of the Soviet state.

Boris Yeltsin emerged as a crucial figure during this period. His election as the President of the Russian Federation in June 1991 was a landmark event indicating the shift towards democratic governance in Russia. Yeltsin stood on a tank during the failed coup attempt in August 1991, defying the hardliners and bolstering his support as a reformer.

In Eastern Europe, figures like Lech Wałęsa in Poland and Vaclav Havel in Czechoslovakia symbolized the struggle for freedom and democracy. Their leadership and vision were instrumental in guiding their nations through the tumultuous period of transition from communism to democracy.