Early Russian History

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Early Russian History
Ms. Susan M. PojerHorace Greeley HS Chappaqua,
NY Adapted by Reiner Kolodinski
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Former Soviet Region Compared in Latitude Area
with the United States
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Russias Time Zones
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Topography of Russia
Ural Mts.
Amur River 2700 miles
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Rich Soil of the Steppes
Chernozem Soil
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What does all this mean?

• Russia is HUGE!
• Russia has vast resources!
• Russia is very DIVERSE!
• Geographically Demographically
• Russia is complex!

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Themes in Russian History

• Expansion by conquest.
• Need for warm-water ports.
• The necessity of a strong, central government.

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Novgorod
Middle Ages Political, economic, cultural center
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Early Russia

• Vladimir of Kiev
• 10th c. ruler who brought Greek Orthodoxy to R
• Yaroslav the Wise
• Developed Kiev
• Pursued W contact
• Rise of Boyar class
• Great, White Little (U) Russian cultural groups
  emerge
• Autonomous kingdoms emerge
• Mongols Invade1223-1480 The Golden Horde

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Early Byzantine InfluencesOrthodox Christianity
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Early Byzantine InfluencesOrthodox Christianity
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Early Byzantine InfluencesCyrillic Alphabet
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Russian Landed Aristocracy Boyars
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Russian Expansion Moving North
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Alexander Nevsky 1220-1263
Battle on the Ice(Neva River) Against the Swedes
TeutonicKnight
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The Mongols Invade Russia
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Ivan (the Great) III (1462-1505)

• Ivan III Unified Northern Russia ended Mongol
  rule
• Ivan III Tearing the Great Khans Letter
  Requesting More Tribute in 1480

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Russia in the Late 1500s
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Ivan IV Terrible

• Tsar at 16
• Reforms, Trade
• Modernized Legal Code
• Expanded Territory
• Wife died gtgt Dark Ivan
• Oprichnina
• War Ruin - Tragedy

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Tsar Michael Romanov (r. 1613-1645)

• Time of Troubles gtgtgtgt
• Established Romanov Dynasty
• Stability
• Beware the Streltsy

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Romanov Dynasty(1613-1917)
Romanov Family Crest
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The Pendulum of Russian History
Pro-WestFor Progress ChangeEncourage New
Ideas,Technologies, etc.
Anti-WestIsolationistXenophobicUltra-Conservati
ve

• Most Tsars
• Russian Orthodox Church
• Military
• Boyars
• Serfs peasants

• A few Tsars
• Intellectual elites
• Merchants/businessmen
• Young members of the middle class.

REFORM-MINDEDLEADER
DEMAGOGUE
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Peter the Great (r. 1682-1725)

• Peter or Ivan V?
• Secure the Throne
• Control Boyars Streltsy
• Modernize military navy
• Expand military by conscription
• Westernize Russia Beard Tax, clothes, court
• Expand Territory

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Russia vs. Sweden After the Great Northern War

• Warm Water Port
• Defeats Sweden
• Peace of Nystad
• St. Petersburg

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St. Petersburg, Russia

• New Capital Western-style Court