1. A (Brief) History of Russia

2. Early Peoples
Loose union of city-states, known as Kievan Rus, organized by Varangians around 900s
Ruled by princes
Kiev, the leading city- state, controlled trading route and used W. Russian rivers as a link between the Baltic & Black Seas
Weakened by fighting among city-states, ended by 1200s when conquered by a group called Mongols
Territories still had contact with western & central Europe

3. Rise of Russia
Moscow became the center of a territory called Muscovy, under Slavs
Liknked by rivers to trade routes, surrounded by lands food for farming and trapping fur-bearing animals
Why important?
Known as “Muscovites”
Eventually able to drive Mongols out
Prince Ivan III “The Great”
Brought Slav city-states together, expanded area known as RUSSIA.
Built huge fortress called The Kremlin
Ivan IV (Ivan the Terrible)
Ivan III’s grandson
Was Russia’s first crowned czar/tsar, or supreme ruler
Why “terrible?
Foreign invasion, declining economy, social conflict + Romanov dynasty in power  peasants becoming serfs, or virtual slaves of the nobility

4. The Ivans Ivan the Great United Slav city-states into RUSSIA
Built the Kremlin
Ivan the Terrible
Crowned first czar of Russia, or supreme ruler
Lower classes became serfs, or virtual slaves, under his reign

5. The Kremlin in Moscow, built by Ivan the Great

6. Romanov Czars
West Europe doing great during Renaissance (15th c.) while Russia was struggling
Peter I—Peter the Great
Russia enlarged territory, strong military, develop of trade in powerful Europe
Capital of St. Petersburg: access to Baltic Sea as “Window to the West”
Catherine the Great
Expanded Russia further, gained warm-water port on Black Sea
Other non-Russian countries under Russian rule
Culturally: adoption of European ways (French as language)
 cultural gap between nobility & serfs
Serfs had to deal with poverty & heavy work, too.

7. Russian Revolution Inspired by American & French Revolution Catalysts:
Serfs released in 1861, but they were uneducated  working in factories during Industrial Revolution
Policy of Russification introduced: required everyone to speak Russian, follow Eastern Orthodox Christianity
Non-Russians had issues with this
 creation of SOCIALISM, or a belief calling for greater economic quality in society
Karl Marx: German Philosopher
Public ownership of all lands
Classless society with equal sharing of wealth
Prediction: Struggle between wealthy & working classes would lead to worldwide revolution led by the working class and would end power of the wealthy

8. Notable Notables: Karl Marx
German Philosopher
Ideas:
Public ownership of all lands
Classless society in which everyone would share wealth
Became the groundwork for COMMUNISM.

9. Brief Timeline of Russian Revolution
1905: Bloody Sunday
Peaceful crowd of workers who were marching in front of the czar’s palace in St. Petersburg were attacked by soldiers.
Nearly 1,000 people killed
February/March Revolution:1917
WWI hardships  more workers into the streets
Demanded “bread and freedom” and joined by soldiers
Caused Czar Nicholas to abdicate (leave) throne, ending rule of czars in Russia, revolution ends
Results
Czar Nicholas abdicates (leaves) throne, ending rule of czars in Russia
Established representative government

10. Bloody Sunday, 1905
Czar Nicholas abdicates his throne: February/March 1917

11. A Bunch of Bolshevik
Centralized government established after Russian Revolution = super weak
November 1917: Bolsheviks seize control
Who they were: revolutionary group led by Lenin
Believed in communism, or a philosophy based on Karl Marx’s ideas that called for an overthrow of the government & society led by workers
Promise to the people: “Peace, land, and bread!”
Withdrew Russia from WWI, much territory to Germany
Took over industry, established eight-hour workday, reformed army
Not supported by everyone  civil war
Bolshevik Red Army vs. Anti-Bolshevik White Army

12. Back in the USSR…
1921: Bolsheviks (now known as Communists) win Civil War against opponents
1922: Established Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR)
Moscow = capital
1924: Lenin dies; Joseph Stalin climbs to power
Took control of farms & factories
 millions killed or died as a result of hunger, physical harships, or brutal conditions in labor camps
Joseph Stalin: Ruthless leader of the Soviet Union

13. Back in the USSR... (cont’d)
USSR as a superpower
After WWII, USSR controlled much of Eastern Europe. By 1949, many had become Soviet satellites, or countries controlled by the USSR
East Germany, Hungary, Poland helped strengthen military and supplied natural resources
Cold War: 1950s-1990s
USSR vs USA
struggle between communist & capitalist economic systems for world power and influence
COULD have turned into a nuclear war, but conflict itself was avoided BECAUSE of this reason.
Instead, used propaganda against each other, threat of force, economic aid
SPACE RACE!!

14. Cold War Propaganda: USA
“School Closed”

15. Cold War Propaganda: USSR
“Thank you for a joyful childhood!”

16. The Break-Up
USSR Economy weakened during Cold War, everyone else gets stronger
1985: Mikhail Gorbachev begins two policies despite being a die- hard Communist
Perestroika: policy of economic restructuring
Glasnost: political “openness” designed to eliminate censorship in the government
Several communist countries overthrow communist rulers in (Poland, Czechoslovakia) while others declare independence from Russia (Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia)
December 25, 1991: Gorbachev’s presidency ended, USSR over
Boris Yeltsin was elected President of Russia

17. Notable Notables: Mikhail Gorbachev
Two policies:
Glastnost—openness
Perestroika—economic restructuring

18. A Whole New World Russia: Economics
Russia under Yeltsin: Command  Market economy
Government control to control of the people
Initially, caused lots of bad things:
Massive unemployment because outdated and inefficient factories closed and because agriculture was restructured
By 2000, economy DID improve (which was the point, of course)
Ruble, the currency, began to strengthen and stabilize

19. Notable Notables: Boris Yeltsin
Credited with bringing down the Soviet Union
Economic policies eventually helped Russian economy bounce back after his term
Seen as inefficient, corrupt by Russian people
Eventually left office to deal with health problems & alcoholism—died in April 2007

20. A Whole New World Russia: Ethnic Tensions
1990s: ethnic territories wanted complete break from Moscow
Russian government vs. Chechnya
1991: Chechnya declares independence
Fear of Russia’s break-up  Yeltsin sending Russian troops in Chechnya in 1994
Claimed to control much of the territory under Vladimir Putin, who was Yeltsin’s successor, Chechens still fighting
Result:
335,000 people displaced
Food shortages
Ravaged oil-based economy
Also drained economic-development funds from Russia!

22. Russia Today Current president: Vladimir Putin
1st presidential term:
Prime Minister under Mendevev:
Re-elected president in 2012—will serve until at least 2016
Russia is a major industrial power, but factories & plants are outdated, inefficient, and in terrible condition
Less than 8% of the land is arable
Good grain production  (North European Plain)
Economy is growing after hit in the late ’90s, but still has hurdles
Organized crime, high levels of poverty, scarred environment (years of neglect and no regulations)
Also, high rates of alcoholism!