Transcript Russian History

Russian History
Three Eras:
Czarist Russia,
Soviet Union,
&
Russia Today
CZARIST RUSSIA
Ivan III (Ivan the Great) 1462-1505

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Conquered territory
around Moscow,
tripling the size of
Russia
Liberated Russia from
Mongols
Laid the foundation
for absolute
monarchy
Ivan the Terrible (ruled: 1547-1584)

Grandson of Ivan III
 Strengthened the monarchy:
first “official” czar of Russia.
 Laws restricted the mobility of
the peasants, which would
eventually lead to serfdom
 Added territory, unified Russia
 Created a code of laws
 Ruthless: Exiled or executed
many of his nobles at the
slightest provocation.
Peter the Great (ruled: 1672-1725)
Gains territory, transformed
Russia into a world power
 Looks to Western Europe for
changes
 Introduced the potato
 Started a newspaper
 Raised women’s status
 Introduced western clothing
to Russia
 Opened schools – arts &
sciences

Catherine the Great Catherine II
(Ruled: 1762-1796)
Most
admired of all the Russian
rulers.
German princess who married a
Russian prince.
Educated and well read
Expands empire to Black Sea
area.
prepared for the
Nicholas IINotresponsibilities
of the
(rule:18941917)
throne.
Did not allow representative
power of the people.
Russia went from a great
power to an economic &
military disaster (WWI)
Accomplishments:
 Trans Siberian Railroad
(see map left)
 Factories doubled 18631900
Events leading up to the Russian &
Bolshevik Revolutions 1917
a series of revolutions that led to the dissolution of czarist Russia
Bloody Sunday 1905: Demonstrators petitioning the palace
were gunned down.
 Extreme Poverty of the freed serfs, food shortages
 WWI (1914) – Russia forced into war, suffered huge
losses & social & economic problems worsened.
 Nicholas abdicated in 1917. In 1918 he & his family were
murdered by the Bolsheviks (Communists).
 The next 75 years Russia was dominated by “Rule by
Fear” & by men like Lenin & Stalin…

Lenin’s Take Over
(chairman 1917 - 1924)
The First Head of the Soviet Socialist Republic
Introduced a series of reforms: New Economic Policy
(NEP)
 Allow individuals to buy and sell for profit
 Gov’t controlled major industries, banks,
communications
 Farmland was seized from wealthy, divided
among the peasants - encouraged collective
farming
Reforms:
Women received equal pay
Education important – stressed socialist doctrine,
technical schools
Religion was discouraged
Joseph Stalin
(chairman:1924-1953)
Stalin ended the NEP
Returned to command economy
5 Year Plan
 Goal – turn Soviet Union into a
modern, industrialized society
 Collective farming failed –
famine crop failure millions died
 Steel production increased
significantly
 Purges – a large scale elimination of
enemies.
 Estimated 5 million were
arrested, deported, or executed
between 1934-1939

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
Problems of the New Soviet Union
Problem
Attempted Solution
Results
Near economic
collapse
Lenin’s NEP
Moderate success
Agriculture
Collective farms
Failed; famine
Power struggle –
Stalin and Trotsky
Savage and brutal
competition
Stalin emerged as
victor
Little economic
growth
Stalin’s first 5 year
plan
Succeeded n
reviving industry
somewhat
No increase in
consumer goods
Second 5 year plan
Industry grows –
people starve
The Cold War (1945-1991)



This “war” was a battle of words and rising armaments
between USSR and US.
Specific events during the Cold War intensified hostilities,
or decreased them.
It ended with the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991
Fall of Communism

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Mikhail Gorbachev head (“Premier”) of the USSR 19851991
Relaxed economic control
Reduced military spending
Introduced reforms –
 Glasnost: openness by the gov’t &
 Peristroika: political & economic reforms
Results:
 Increased tensions between ethnic groups
 People began demanding more and more freedom and
independence.
 1991 Soviet Union ceased to exist
Yeltsin
(president: 1991-1999)

First elected President
 Transformation
democracy
 High
to
inflation
 Unemployment
 Food and housing
shortages
 Open Russia to foreign
investment
 Privatized industry
Vladimir Putin
Leader of Russia since 2000
 He increased GDP by 72%
 Real wages tripled during his
first two terms in office.

•
However, he rules like a dictator and after he
hand-selected his successor in 2008, he ran for
another term in 2012 which was increased from
4 years to 6.
•
Countries around the world including the
US worry about his leadership