-
800
Early Russian History
Scandinavian Warriors (Varangians) & Slavs settle near Volga & Dnieper Rivers -
1200
Early Russian History
Mongols invade Kiev - rule area for over 200 years -
1470
Early Russian History
Ivan III “The Great” ended Mongol rule; expanded territory -
1530
Early Russian History
Ivan IV “The Terrible” became Russia’s first crowned czar
Czar - Supreme Ruler
Country faced foreign invasions, economic decline, & social upheaval -
Early History
Peasants became Serfs
Serfs - virtually enslaved workforce bound to the land & under the control of the nobility -
Early History
Peter I “The Great” came to power
Goal - modernize Russia
Enlarged territory
Built stronger military
Developed trade partners w/ W Europe
Built new capital
St. Petersburg
“Window to the West” -
revolution & change
Czar Alexander II - (1855-1881) assassinated
Serfs moved to cities
Non-Russians faced prejudice
Russification - which encouraged people to speak Russian & follow E Orthodox Christianity -
revolution & change
Workers sought Socialism
Socialism - belief that calls for greater economic equality in society
Karl Marx -”classless society” equal sharing of wealth, public ownership of land (1848) -
revolution & change
Workers sought Socialism
Socialism - belief that calls for greater economic equality in society
Karl Marx -”classless society” equal sharing of wealth, public ownership of land (1848) -
Part II: Lenin- Stalin- Putin
1917 Bolsheviks seized control from Czar Nicholas II
Bolsheviks - revolutionary group, believing in Communism, led by Vladimir Lenin
Communism - philosophy based on Karl Marx’s ideas that called for the violent overthrow of the government & a society led by workers
Vladimir Lenin - head of Soviet government from 1917-1924
Changed Soviet Union into a one-party Communist State
Organized the death & persecution of up to 140K people, many members of high-class bourgeoisie -
Joseph Stalin
Governed Russia with an ‘Iron Fist’ (1922-1952)
Eliminated those who disagreed w/his policies
Killed 20-25 million Russians (Hunger, Murder)
Defeated Hitler in WWII
Demanded half of Europe after WWII -
Cold War - Post WWII
Cold War - Soviet Union (Communism) vs. NATO (US/allies) (Democracy)
4 Decades
State of geopolitical tension where both sides did not directly attack each other, but propped up smaller nations in “proxy wars”.
Vietnam
Korea
1985- Mikhail Gorbachev assumed power
Reform minded
Perestroika - policy of economic restructuring
Glasnost - policy of greater political openness -
1991- Present
Communism collapses (Republics declared independence)
Boris Yeltsin named 1st President
Command to Market economy
Vladimir Putin - became President 1999
Stabilized economy
Joined NATO
Named successor - Dimitry Medvedev
Appointed self “Prime Minister” 2008
Ran for 3rd term : 2011:
Still President (6 year terms)
