1. Review of Russia

2. Peter The Great Peter the Great- modernizes Russia, begins its rise to level of world power Gets a new key seaport Focuses on culture, westernizes the country

3. Catherine The Great-1729-1762 Considered “enlightened despot” Russia becomes a world power- expands territory westward and southward absorbing various countries, Poland, Crimea… Initiated some enlightenment ideals

4. Alexander II-1855-1881 Not as successful Alexander II forced to make widespread reforms – abolish serfdom, taxation, crime and punishment…. Not enough- workers want more- radicals step in More capitalistic, industrializes

5. Nicholas II Last Tsar/Czar of Russia- Coup d’etat by Bolsheviks -overthrow him Son is a hemophiliac, daughter Anastasia Rasputin evil doer- exploits son’s sickness Withdraws from WWI Failure of Russo-Japanese war- major loss- 1 st time Asian nation beat a European one October Revolution 1917

6. Bolsheviks Led by Vladimir Lenin Overthrow the Czar- bloody revolt Reds v. white, Trotsky- reds win Communism in theory- all equal- no social classes- in practice dictatorships Based on Karl Marx’s Theory- Communist Manifesto- “Workers of the world unite” Proletariat = working class

7. Communist Russia Totalitarian/dictatorship state- secret police, violence, death- keep control Control all information to people Communism- gov’t controls means of production and distribution of resources

8. Stalin 5 year plans- quotas must be met for production- agrarian or industrial Takes over after Lenin dies Ruthless ruler- KGB secret police– “enemies of the state” Ally of the US during WWII- Big Three at Yalta conference- but we don’t trust him Kills more people than Hitler

9. Cold War Post WWII- Cold War- high tensions b/w Allies and the USSR/Soviet Union Space race- and arms race M.A.D. – mutual assured destruction- competition over nuclear weapon arsenals Khrushchev takes over after Stalin- Cuban Missile Crisis w/Cuba-1961

10. 80s- Mikhail Gorbachev- Glasnost- easing of tensions w/the west 1989 Berlin Wall comes down 1991- Communism in Russia falls apart- Perestroika- economic reforms