2. Topography of Russia

3. Rich Soil of the Steppes Chernozen Soil

4. GEOGRAPHY OF RUSSIA  Largest country in the world  Twice the size of the U.S.  Spans 11 time zones

5.  Russia was not always so big.  Many small villages along rivers, brought together by trade.  Original people were called Slavs.  They were farmers that traded and became merchants. They used rivers to trade.  By the 800’s, they had built many towns in southern Russia.

7.  Vikings (from Sweden, Norway, Denmark) began to invade from the north.  Vikings were also called Norsemen.  Slavs called the Vikings the “Rus” (Pronounced Roos). It means “Swedes”.  Many Vikings wanted to stay along the rivers with the Slavs.  They forced the Slavs to trade with them and pay a tax, or Tribute.

8.  Over many years, the two sides blended together, taking up each other’s customs.  Combined, they were called the Russians.

9.  At first, most of the Slavs and Rus worshipped their own Gods.  Merchants soon begin to introduce new religions like Islam, Judaism, and Christianity. (the belief in one God)  From the south was the Byzantine Empire, which was Christian. Greek missionaries from the empire brought Christianity north.

10.  The first woman ruler of Russia was Princess Olga, from Kiev. She took over when her husband was killed in 945.  Olga converted to Christianity while visiting Constantinople (capital of Byzantine empire)  Her Grandson, Vladimir became a Christian in 988, and ordered everyone in the city of Kiev to convert.

11.  Around 700 years ago, Mongols invaded Russia.  It is easy to invade because of the flat grasslands known as the Steppes.

12.  The Mongols were horse riders, which made it very easy to cross the Steppe.  No natural barriers protect Russia.  Russia is in two continents (Europe and Asia); divided by Ural Mountains (geography term).  Ural Mtn’s are small, so the Mongols easily rode over them to invade Russia.

13.  During the 13 th Century, the Mongols were very powerful. They controlled China, almost all of Asia, and Russia.  Fierce, blood-thirsty warriors; they had no mercy, often wiping out entire cities, killing everyone, including the animals.

16.  In 1238, Mongols burned 14 cities in a single month.  After the Mongols rode through and robbed and killed, most left.  Those that remained blended with Turk tribes from the south. They were called Tartars.  Tartars forced local Russians to collect their taxes and pay tribute to them.

18.  The city of Moscow is located near major waterways, and in not as cold as eastern Russia. (How might this have been helpful for them?)  The city-state of Muscovy (Where Moscow is located) remained more powerful than other areas because of their government.

19.  REASONS THAT THEY STAYED POWERFUL:  Land succession  Ivan “The moneybag”

20.  When he was a boy, Muscovy was always fighting. Relatives tried to steal his fathers rule, and govern for themselves.  They kidnapped both Ivan and his father.  A civil war occurred. They were released when their side won.

22.  He defeated the enemies of his father, then he fought against the Tartars.  When his father died, he became the Grand Prince of Muscovy…at 22!!!

23.  In 1480, Ivan defeated the Tartars, and Russia was free.  Muscovy grew in size because of this.  As he gained land, he became harder on land owners, or boyars. (why do you think? Remember when he was young.)

24.  Ivan ruled with absolute power. (Remember 4 th grade? How do we rule in the USA?)  He declared himself the Czar. (This means “Caesar”)

26.  During the time, the “Renaissance” was beginning in Europe.  Russia was NOT part of the progress from this time.  Sophia, Ivan’s wife, was from Italy and part of the Renaissance. IVAN DIDN’T LIKE THE CHANGES!!!

27.  Ivan dressed in golden robes and threads. He felt he was like God.  Many people were very poor in Russia. They were called the Serfs.

29.  Serfs were very poor farmers, very similar to slaves.  If a landowner sold his land, the Serfs came along with sale.

30.  To make himself look more God-like, Ivan made up stories about his ancestors (do you know this word?)  He built large buildings dedicated to himself. He also built Kremlins that were in his honor.  He built the Moscow Kremlin.

33.  Ivan IV became the Crown Prince when he was three, but his mother and Boyars ruled because of his age.  When he was 8, his mother died. Boyars fought over who would rule.  Because of this, he trusted no one.

34.  Like his Grandfather Ivan the Great, he wanted to be Czar.  After he became Czar, he was ready to marry. He married Anastasia Romanova, and she became Czarina.  She was gentle, and the people of Russia were safe from Ivan while she lived.

35.  He expanded the lands of Russia by waging war on neighbors.  To celebrate a particular victory, he had St. Basil’s Cathedral built.

37.  Ivan IV never trusted people, especially Boyars.  When his wife died, Ivan started to become “Terrible”!!!  He even struck and killed one of his sons in anger!

39.  He arrested and executed many people through horrible torture.  Because of his actions, Russia was in disorder for many years after his death.

41. Peter the Great was born in Moscow on June 9,1672. He is the son of Czar Alexis I, who ruled Russia from 1645 until 1676.

42. Peter’s education ended at age 10. As a child, Peter enjoyed playing games. Peter learned Dutch and was very fluent at it. Peter started as a tsar at age 10.

43. Peter the Great married twice. His first wife’s name was Eudoxia. He had eleven children. Many, however, died at birth.

44. Peter wanted a strong, educated army and navy. He had a large desire to expand Russia. He tried to make Russia modern like Europe. He also shared rule of Russia with his half brother Ivan V at the start of his reign.

45. Peter went to Europe for a tour in 1697. He was amazed with the technology of Western Europe. He then wanted to make Russia more like Europe.

46. A large part of Peter’s reign was spent involved in the Great Northern War. After winning the war with Sweden, Russia was called an empire and Peter the Great was named the emperor and also gained access to the Baltic Sea and the Baltic trade.

47. During the Great Northern War, Peter built a new capitol, Saint Petersburg, in the early 1700s. Saint Petersburg was like a European city with elegant places, public squares, and canals. It was founded on May 16, 1703. It was the capitol of Russia for more than 200 years. It is Russia’s second largest city.

48. In 1724, Peter jumped into the Gulf of Finland to save a soldier who’s ship had been stuck on a sandbar. He caught a cold, and became very ill. Peter then died on February 8, 1725.

49. 1. Grand Duchess Catherine became Empress Consort of Russia. Empress Consort 2. 1762 to 1796

50. 1. Catherine the Great promoted education and the Enlightenment among the elite.

51. 1. She allowed more religious freedom. 2. Catherine was not a very religious person. 3. However, she did not allow dissenters to build chapels, and she fought religious dissent after the beginning of the French Revolution. 4. Also, she put strict rules. on Roman Catholics.Roman Catholics

52. 1. Catherine made Russia the dominant power in south- eastern Europe after her first Russo-Turkish War against the Ottoman Empire (1768–1774).south- eastern Europefirst Russo-Turkish WarOttoman Empire 2. The Russian victories allowed Catherine's government to obtain access to the Black Sea and to incorporate the vast steppes of present-day southern Ukraine.Black Seasteppes Ukraine

53. 1. Catherine converted to Orthodoxy. 2. Catherine's apparent whole-hearted adoption of things Russian (including Orthodoxy) may have prompted her personal indifference to religion.Orthodoxy 3. Politically, Catherine exploited Christianity in her anti-Ottoman policy, promoting the protection and fostering of Christians under Turkish rule.Christianity

54. 1. She married to the heir to the Russian throne, the Grand Duke Peter of Holstein, grandson of Peter the Great.

55. 1. During Catherine's reign, Russians imported and studied the classical and European influences which inspired the Russian Enlightenment.Russian Enlightenment

56. 1. Catherine the Great was checking on her staff when, in a tragic accident, a clotheshorse fell on her. 2. Catherine suffered a stroke on 6 November 1796 and died in her bed at 9:20 the following evening without having regained consciousness. 3. Catherine was buried at the Peter and Paul Cathedral in Saint Petersburg.

57. 1. Catherine's patronage furthered the evolution of the arts in Russia more than that of any Russian sovereign before or after her. 2. Catherine had a reputation as a patron of the arts, literature and education.