 Analyze why Russia was isolated from Western Europe.  What changes Peter the Great brought to Russia.

◦ Fascinating Facts about Peter the Great  6 feet 7 inches in height  Strong – Able to crumple a silver plate in his hand  Drank heavily – Took great pride in out drinking all who challenged him  He enjoyed cruelty (He sometimes liked to visit the state torture chamber)  Whenever he felt threatened, his whole body shook violently  He was afraid of cockroaches  He was an honest man (he meant what he said)  Simple Tastes  Hard worker – rose each morning at 4 am

 Peter strengthened absolutism by: ◦ creating a strong, loyal army ◦ ruthlessly crushing the nobles ◦ appointing royal governors to replace local officials ◦ exerting government control over the Russian Orthodox Church

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 One of Peter’s major goals was to enable Russia to end its landlocked situation and gain warm-water sea ports on the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea.  The Ottoman Empire, which controlled all of the land from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean Sea blocked this goal.  In order to defeat the Turks he would need two things, help from western Europe and a stronger, more efficient Russia.

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 In 1697, Peter disguised himself and went on a foreign mission to western Europe to create an alliance against the Turks  His visit lasted 18 months.  Disguised as a commoner, he visited factories, almshouses for the poor, museums and hospitals, and even learned some skills in dentistry and surgery.

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 Upon his return, Peter Wanted to model Russia after European culture, rather than Asian or Byzantine culture.  He introduced Western Ideas on science, education, military training, and industry.  He introduced Arabic numerals and simplified the Cyrillic alphabet.  To imitate the west, he ordered his male subjects to shave their beards and discard their long coats.

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 Peter Sought “windows” to the west to provide his landlocked country with water routes to trade with Europe.  In a long war with Sweden (Great Northern War), he won territories along the Baltic Sea.  Here he built HIS capital St. Petersburg.

 Excellent example of architecture, politics, and urban development.  During the 18 th century, St. Petersburg became one of the largest and most influential cities in Europe.  The new city was Baroque in its layout and design. ◦ Broad, straight avenues ◦ Houses were built in a straight line ◦ There were parks, canals, and streetlights ◦ Each social group was to live in a specific section of the city  All groups, especially peasants, bore heavy burdens for its construction.

 Russia’s capital returned to Moscow after the Bolsheviks seized power in  After Lenin’s death in 1924, the communists renamed the city Leningrad in his honor.  The city’s long history as the imperial capital causes it to remain as the cultural center of Russia today.  With the collapse of communism and the breakup of the Soviet Union, Leningrad became St. Petersburg again in 1991.

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 Peter attempted to westernize his country.  His purposes, however, were to strengthen his army and support his autocratic rule.  Peter’s reforms were superficial, affected only a thin top layer of Russian society, and lacked permanence.

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