Russia and the Western Republics

Chapter 16, section 1

Birth of an Empire Russian state began in the region between the

Baltic and Black Seas

Birth of an EmpireVikings settled near present-day Kiev on

the Dnieper River

Birth of an Empire Viking expansion was halted in the 13th century by

the arrival of Mongolian invaders, the Tartars

Birth of an EmpireThe fierceness of the Mongolian warriors

is legendaryControlled the region until the 1500sPushed out by Ivan the Great (Moscow

prince)

By the 17th century, the Russian Empire expanded to the Pacific Ocean

Russia lags behind Western Europe

Behind in science and technology

Peter the Great tried to change RussiaMoved capitol to St.

Petersburg Idolized Europe and

felt it was superior so he tried to mimic them

•Forced nobles to dress more European and cut off beards

•Anyone who wanted to keep their beard had to pay a tax

Russia lags behindDid not industrialize until the end of the

1800sResulted in harsh working conditions, low

wages and other hardships

Contributed to the people’s anger against the czars

Rise of the Soviet Union 1917 – Russian revolution resulted in the end of

the rule of the czars

Petrograd, 4 July 1917. Street demonstration on Nevsky Prospekt just after troops of the Provisional Government have opened fire with machine guns.

Rise of the Soviet UnionRussian Communist

Party took control of the government, led by V.I. Lenin

By 1922 they reorganized all the people absorbed by Russia’s expansion into the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR)a.k.a – Soviet Union

Rise of the Soviet Union Moved capitol back to

Moscow By WWII, Joseph Stalin

had taken control Installed pro-Soviet

governments in Eastern European countries they had gained control of during WWII

Stalin’s Kill Listup to 14.5 million needlessly starved to

death At least one million executed for political

"offenses" At least 9.5 million more deported, exiled

or imprisoned in work camps, with many of the estimated five million sent to the 'Gulag Archipelago' never returning alive

Building a Command Economy

Inspired by the works of Karl MarxSaid capitalism was doomed

and would be replaced with communism

Believed if citizens would own property together, then everyone would share the wealth

Adopted a command economy – central gov’t makes all important economic decisions

Building a Command Economy

Took control of the major sources of state’s wealth

Gov’t decided what products factories would manufacture, what crops farms would grow, and what prices merchants would charge

Industrialization became a major goal

Building a Command Economy Created collective farms

– large teams of laborers were gathered to work together

Millions of citizens starved to death in famines caused by the creation of collective farms

Police quickly punished any form of protest

Cold War

Stalin’s desire to spread communism led to tension between the USSR and the U.S. called the Cold WarNever grew into open warfareContinued from the 1940s – 1991

Fall of the Soviet Union

In the 1980’s, Mikhail Gorbachev stared giving people more freedom which led to the collapse of the Communist gov’t in 1991

Fall of the Soviet Union Divided into 15 independent republics

Russia is the largest and most powerfulPopularly elected president and the Federal Assembly

– 2 chambers: Federation Council and the State Duma

A Rich CultureRich variety of ethnic groups due to

Russian expansionNearly 70 groups make up Russia’s

diverse populationMost Russians are Eastern Orthodox

ChristianOther religions include Buddhism, Islam, and

Judaism

A Rich Culture Art and religion are closely related

Churches are among the region’s earliest artistic achievements

Writers, composers, and artists have also given attention to the culture of this region

Russian Life

Major Russian cities resemble major cities in the West

Rye bread and Kasha are traditional foods made from grain grown in the region’s steppe

Russian Life¼ of Russia’s population live in rural areas

but nearly 30% own country homes (dachas)

Russian LifeBanya – Bathhouse in which Russians

perform a cleaning ritual