Ms. Susan M. Pojer Horace Greeley HS Chappaqua, NY Adapted by Reiner Kolodinski

Former Soviet Region Compared in Latitude & Area with the United States

Russia’s Time Zones

Topography of Russia Ural Mts.Amur River – 2700 miles

Rich Soil of the Steppes Chernozem Soil

What does all this mean? Russia is HUGE! Russia has vast resources! Russia is very DIVERSE! –Geographically & Demographically Russia is complex!

Themes in Russian History  Expansion by conquest.  Need for warm-water ports.  The necessity of a strong, central government.

Novgorod Middle Ages Political, economic, cultural center

Early Russia Vladimir of Kiev –10 th 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 Invade “The Golden Horde”

Early Byzantine Influences: Orthodox Christianity

Early Byzantine Influences: Cyrillic Alphabet

Russian Landed Aristocracy “Boyars”

Russian Expansion Moving North

Alexander Nevsky: Battle on the Ice (Neva River) Against the Swedes Teutonic Knight

The Mongols Invade Russia

Ivan (the Great) III ( ) Ivan III Unified Northern Russia + ended Mongol rule Ivan III Unified Northern Russia + ended Mongol rule Ivan III Tearing the Great Khan’s Letter Requesting More Tribute in 1480

Russia in the Late 1500s

Ivan IV “Terrible” Tsar at 16 Reforms, Trade Modernized Legal Code Expanded Territory Wife died >> ‘Dark’ Ivan “Oprichnina” War – Ruin - Tragedy

Tsar Michael Romanov (r ) (r ) “Time of Troubles” >>>> Established Romanov Dynasty Stability Beware the Streltsy

Romanov Dynasty ( ) Romanov Family Crest

The Pendulum of Russian History Pro-West For Progress & Change Encourage New Ideas, Technologies, etc. Anti-West Isolationist Xenophobic Ultra-Conservative  Most Tsars  Russian Orthodox Church  Military  Boyars  Serfs = peasants  A few Tsars  Intellectual elites  Merchants/businessmen  Young members of the middle class. REFORM-MINDED LEADER DEMAGOGUE

Peter the Great (r ) 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

Russia vs. Sweden After the Great Northern War Warm Water Port Defeats Sweden Peace of Nystad St. Petersburg

St. Petersburg, Russia New Capital & Western-style Court