Russian Exploration and Colonization

Historically speaking, Russia, as a part of Europe, has generally “faced” West: Moscow St. Petersburg Kiev Novgorod

Today Russia is a vast land stretching 5,000 miles east to west

The Urals created a formidable natural boundary

Today Russia is a vast land stretching 5,000 miles east to west

Small Taganany Mountain - Urals

Urals

Cossacks

Russian fur trappers “Promyshlenniki” Were after sable fur Very valuable Fine coat – soft and warm

Conquest of Siberia by Vasily Surikov – 1632

In 1648 Dezhnev (a Cossack) led 90 Promyshlenniki on a 1,450 mile journey across the northern coast of the Russian Far East and around the Chukchi Peninsula. Only 12 men survived.

Who should get the credit? Dezhnev in 1648 or Bering in 1728

Cape Dezhnev is the eastern most point in Russia and Asia

Native dancers near Cape Dezhnev

Native Dancers near Cape Dezhnev

In 1711 Peter Popov was sent to East Cape to persuade the Chukchi natives to pay a fur tribute to the Russian Tsar. The Russians named the people, the peninsula, and the nearby ocean “Chukchi” The name was based on the Chukchi word, “Chauchu,” which means “rich in reindeer."

Peter The Great Stood 6 foot 8 inches tall Born in 1672 and he died in 1725 Tsar of Russia from 1682 to 1725 Know as Peter I Active Reformer – credited with dragging Russia out of the medieval times. Toured Europe and to see new technology and techniques He centralized Russia’s government He modernized the Russian army and navy In 1725 He ordered an expedition to the Pacific Northwest

Vitus Bering - Born in Denmark in 1681 Became an officer in the Royal Russian Navy 1724

In 1725 Bering was selected to lead the “First Kamchatka Expedition” The purpose of the expedition was to determine the geographic relationship between Asia and North America. Bering was also directed to claim for Russia any new lands he found. Bering led his 80 member crew from St. Petersburg, across Siberia, to Okhotsk. The nearly 5,000 mile trek took 20 months.

Bering reached Okhotsk in 1728 and began construction on a small sailing vessel which he named the Fortuna. They sailed across the Sea of Okhotsk to Bolsheretsk, a small village on the western shore of Kamchatka. At Bolsheretsk they disassembled their boat and had natives (Kamchadals) help them carry the parts 500 miles overland to the east coast of Kamchatka.

At the mouth of the Kamchatka River, Bering supervised the construction of the St. Gabriel. The St. Gabriel was a small ship designed mainly to follow coastal waterways. Bering planed to chart the coast of the Russian Far East

In the summer of 1728 Bering charted the coast of Kamchatka, the Gulf of Anadyr, and the Chukchi Peninsula, to latitude 67. Bering also sighted and named St. Lawrence Island. Due to fog, Bering was not able to locate land to the west.

The Great Northern Expedition (1733 – 1743) In 1733 a group of expeditions were launched to map all of Siberia as well as to chart the coasts, waterways and islands of the Far East. Bering was to command a second “Kamchatka expedition,” with orders to locate, map, and claim all unoccupied areas of the Northwest region of North America for Russia. Bering made plans to enlist shipbuilders, and other craftsmen, so that he could turn Okhotsk into a real port city Bering had two ships built - the St. Peter and the St. Paul. In the summer of 1740, Bering sailed for Kamchatka to where he planed to spend the winter.

Bering commanded the St. Peter Chirikov command the St. Paul Bering and Chirikov became separated during a storm on June 20 th On July 15 th Chirikov sighted Prince of Wales Island in the Alexander Archipelago. On July 16 th Bering sighted a mountain he named Mt. St. Elias. Bering and Chirikov initially sailed southeast to 46 north latitude searching for “Gamaland”

Mt. St. Elias form Icy bay. It rises 18,008 feet above the ocean.

Bering landed on and explored Kayak Island.

Bering named the Shumagin Islands after a sailor whom he buried there.

Scurvy – Vitamin C deficiency

Bering was bedridden when the St. Peter landed on an island 100 miles from Kamchatka. The crew thought they had reaches the mainland. A storm had ran the St. Peter aground and damaged it beyond repair. The crew abandoned ship and made for the beach.

Stranded on the island, and with few supplies, Bering and much of his crew died.

Those that did not die, survived off sea otters and sea “cows”

Early Russian map of the North Pacific