1. FIRST PEOPLE IN RUSSIA

2. EARLY RUSSIAN TRIBES Originally home of the Slavs Agricultural tribe
Cimmerians BC
Scythians BC
Asian nomadic tribe
Sarmatians
200 BC-200 AD
Scythian engraving
Sarmatian warriors

3. MORE INVADERS Goths 200 AD-400 AD Huns 400 AD-550 AD Avars

4. MIGRATION OF THE SLAVS West Slavs
Migrated to Poland, eastern Germany, and Czechoslovakia
South Slavs
Migrated to Bulgaria, Greece, Montenegro, Albania, and Yugoslavia
East Slavs
Stayed in their native region and became ancestors of Russians and Ukrainians

5. ARRIVAL OF THE VIKINGS
East Slavs benefited from contact with Greek city-states around Black Sea
Set up several city-states of their own to trade with their neighbors
700 AD
Byzantine Empire
Prosperity attracted the attention of the Varangians (Vikings)
Would play important role in development of Russian civilization during 9th and 10th centuries AD

6. VARANGIAN RUSSIA
Vikings began to use trade links set up by East Slavs as their own trade route to Constantinople
Not clear as to precisely how they became rulers of region
Became upper class within East Slav city-states and dominated trade with Byzantine Empire

7. EMERGENCE OF THE RUSSIANS
Vikings gradually became absorbed into East Slav population
Both groups began to call themselves “Ros”
By 1100, this mixture of Viking and East Slavic people had become the “Russians”

8. KIEV
Viking chieftain Rurik assumed control of all city-states in region
Made capital in Novgorod
Son Oleg transferred capital to Kiev
Took over some formerly independent Slav tribes
Took title of “Prince”
Credited with the creation of the Kievan State
Rurik
Oleg

9. KIEVAN STATE
Stretched from Baltic Sea in the north, to Black Sea in the south, and from Nizhny Novgorod in east to Rumania in the west

10. GOLDEN AGE OF KIEV
Indigenous culture, art, architecture, language, and law flourished
Prince Vladimir
Adopted Byzantine Christianity in 988
Created Russian Orthodox Church

11. RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH
Turned Russia away from Western Europe and influence of Roman Catholic Church
Cyrillic Alphabet
Invented by St. Cyril
The institution of a uniform religion, a uniform written language, and a united state headquarter in Kiev helped create idea of a separate Russian state and a sense of national identity.

12. APPANAGE RUSSIA
Prince Yaroslav divided state into a number of principalities—one going to each son
Kiev itself was controlled by his sons on a rotating basis
System quickly created tension and acrimony among descendants and ultimately gave rise to “appanage” Russia
Period where individual princes ruled pieces of old Kievan state and fought among themselves

13. MONGOL INVASION
Mongols (Tatars) invade Russia in 1236 and, by 1242, had conquered all the appanage principalities
Capital at Old Sarai and developed simple administrative system
Each Russian principality paid an annual lump sum cash payment to Mongol ruler (khan)
In exchange, Mongols allowed the various princes to maintain their positions and run their territories as they saw fit

14. KHANATE OF THE GOLDEN HORDE
Mongols appoint one appanage prince to collect tribute for them
Called “Grand Prince”
Disputes between princes were settled by the principals appearing at Old Sarai
Khan settles dispute
Awards winner, kills loser
Russian politics took the form of various local princes jockeying and groveling for the support of the Mongol khan in order to advance their petty schemes