1. Chapter 19 The Age of Absolutism
19.2 Russia in the Age of Absolutism

2. I. Isolation and a New Dynasty
Reasons for isolation
differences- Asian influence, Eastern Orthodox, Cyrillic Alphabet
Geography- separated- landlocked
New Dynasty
Ivan the Terrible died (1613)- Michael Romanov gains power
Romanovs rule for the next 300 years

3. II. Peter the Great (1689-1725) Ruthless but great vision
Foreign Mission
Acquire warm water ports- Sea of Azov and Black Sea
Visited western Europe- disguised learn their methods

4. II. Peter the Great (1689-1725) cont.
C. Westernizing Russia 1. improved army 2. St. Petersburg- new city- closer to west 3. social changes- women less isolated, shaved beards, dress western 4. “service nobility” 5. Absolute Power= resentment by nobles

5. III. Catherine the Great (1762-1796)
Policies
Support the arts, science, literature, and theater
Continue Russian expansion
Poland
1. first, second, and third partitions of Poland- split by Russia, Prussia, and Austria
Expansion Eastward
Siberia
Alaska

6. Fun Facts Russia is the largest country in the world
Russia houses more than 100 different ethnic groups, representing a multiplicity of national histories and cultures and distinct language groups, including Indo-European Slavic, Turkic, Finno-Ugric and others.
When Russian ruler Peter the Great discovered that his wife Catherine had been unfaithful, he had the head of her lover, William Morris, chopped off and placed in a large jar of alcohol. Peter insisted that the jar remain on Catherine’s bedside table to remind her of her adultery
Catherine the Great of Russia was so outraged to discover the presence of dandruff on her collar that she imprisoned her hairdresser in an iron cage for three years to stop the news spreading
Ivan the Terrible of Russia was so pleased with the newly built Moscow church of St Basil that he blinded the two architects so that they would never be able to come up with anything better