Early Russian History

Early Russian History

Czars and Empires

Rise of Russia

• Originally called Kievan Rus, the land of present day Russia was split between three groups

• The Ukrainians, Belorussians, and the Russians were the three regional nationalities

• In the Middle Ages, the Mongols invaded Russia and ruled for 250 years

• A Prince from Moscow named Ivan IV, aka Ivan the Terrible defeated the Mongols

Multiple Choice

How many groups lived in present day Russia?

• 1

• 2

• 3

• 4

Multiple Choice

Who invaded Russia in the Middle Ages?

• China

• Mongols

• Spain

• Germany

Multiple Choice

What was Ivan IV known as?

• Ivan the Terrible

• Ivan the Great

• Ivan the Conqueror

• Ivan the Powerful

Czars and Empires

Ivan the Terrible declared himself czar of Russia (Czar means Ceasar or powerful ruler)

In 1613 Michael Romanov became Czar and his family ruled Russia for 300 years

Peter the Great worked to turn Russia into a military power

Catherine the Great encourage the development of Russian Education, journalism, architecture, and theater

The Russian Revolution

• While the Czars enjoyed comfortable lives, the people who worked the land, known as serfs, lived hard lives and could be bought and sold with the land.

• Serfdom was abolished in 1861, but the former serfs remained poor and struggled through life

• In the 1900s, anger with the Czars fueled strikes and demonstrations. In one such demonstration, workers marched towards the Czar's palace. Soldiers fired into the crowd, killing nearly 1,000 people. This became known as Bloody Sunday

• During World War I, food shortages triggered riots in the Capital city. Even soldiers began to fight with the Civilians to protest

• Czar Nicholas was forced to step down, ending the rule of Czars

The Soviet Union

• After the Russian Revolution, a group of Revolutionaries called the Bolsheviks seized power

• Inspired by the writings of Karl Marx, they made Russia into a Communist State, with Vladimir Lenin as the leader of the Soviet Union

• After Lenin died, Joseph Stalin became the new leader of the Soviet Union

• Stalin forced a collectivization of agriculture that led to a famine (lack of food) that killed millions

• Stalin's goal was to make The Soviet Union a world power and spread Communism throughout the world

Multiple Choice

What was the name for the people who worked the land?

• peasants

• slaves

• serfs

Multiple Choice

How many people died on Bloody Sunday?

• 100

• 1,000

• 1 million

Multiple Choice

After the Russian Revolution, what did Russia become?

• The Soviet Union

• Muscovy

• The United States

• The Russian Empire

WW II - Cold War

• Stalin wanted the Soviet Union to be an industrial giant. He increased the manufacturing of heavy machinery, causing workers to work long hours

• After WWII, the United States and Soviet Union were both SuperPowers

• The rivalry between the two countries for weapons and technology is known as the Cold War

Multiple Choice

What is the rivalry between the Soviet Union and the United States known as?

• World War I

• World War II

• The Civil War

• The Cold War