1. What challenges might Russia face because of its location?
Think about where its cities are located and what economic, social and political issues there may be.

2. Russian Monarchs

3. As we go through each slide today, take notes on what you think each monarch is most known for.
Also, what are their personality traits/characteristics?
Think about if they fit our list of expectations; be able to explain why or why not.
I do not want you to write down every word on the slide. You should be able to summarize the information you hear.
Ivan the Terrible
Peter the Great
Catherine the Great

4. Ivan the Terrible (1533-1584) Handed the throne at age 3
First Russian ruler to take the title Czar: “emperor”
Boyars- Russia’s landowning nobles
In competition with him for power
Ivan’s “good period”
Added lands to Russia, gave a Russian code of law, and ruled justly.

5. Ivan at the deathbed of his first wife, Anastasia Romanov
Ivan at the deathbed of his first wife, Anastasia Romanov. Ivan married 7 times, sometimes divorcing a wife a week after the marriage.

6. Ivan’s “Bad Period” Begins in 1560 after Anastasia (wife) died.
Poisoned by the Boyars?
Ivan’s response
Secret police force
Hunted down & murdered people who Ivan considered a traitor
Many Boyars, their families, and peasants who work on their land were executed
Takes the land and makes a new class of nobles who are loyal to him through fear.

7. 1581 Ivan kills his oldest son during a quarrel.
Ivan’s second son is mentally and physically incapable of ruling and dies a few years later with out an heir.
Times of Troubles begin (1613)-
- Boyars want power
- Heirs of czars mysteriously die
- Imposters try to claim the throne

8. Peter the Great Reign: 1682-1725 Last name: Romanov
10 years old when he is chosen as Czar
Peter I

9. Peter the Great ( )
Grandnephew of Anastasia was chosen by Russian leaders to be Czar.
Romanov Dynasty begins ( )
Russia isolated physically and culturally from Europe
Studied Western technology. Worked in a shipyard
Goal was to westernize Russia.

10. Peter the Great
Peter the Great was committed to a policy of westernization in Russia. However, persuading Russians to change their way of life proved difficult. To impose his will, Peter became the most autocratic of Europe’s absolute monarchs. During his reign he:
insisted that the boyars shave their beards and wear western-style clothing.
used autocratic methods to push through social and economic reforms.
brought all Russian institutions under his control.
imposed policies which caused the spread of serfdom.

11. Peter the Great Westernizes Russia
Russian Orthodox Church brought under state control
Power of boyars reduced
Recruited men from lower-ranking families and promoted them to positions of authority/gave them land
Hired European officers to train Russia soldiers
Changed the diet of the Russian people
Started Russia’s first newspaper
Raised women’s status
Advanced education

12. Peter created the largest standing army in Europe & set out to extend Russian borders to the west and south.
Peter unsuccessfully fought the Ottomans in an attempt to gain a warm-water port for Russia.
-Peter engaged in a long war with Sweden, and eventually won land along the Baltic Sea.
- Peter built a magnificent new capital city, St. Petersburg.
- Peter hired a navigator to explore what became known as the Bering Strait between Siberia & Alaska.
- Extended Russian territory – to Pacific Ocean.

14. Russia – Peter the Great
From World History: Connections to Today Prentice Hall, 2003

15. Catherine the Great A number of monarchs come and go between 1725-1761
Reign: Catherine the Great (tsarina, czarina)
Married to Peter III
She overthrows him in a coup
Coup: a sudden illegal overthrow of government
Peter III is sent to prison where he eventually dies
Initially “open” with reforms French Revolution, rebellion at home led her to become more oppressive

16. Catherine the Great
An efficient, energetic empress, who ruled in the tradition of absolute monarchs, Catherine:
reorganized the provincial government, codified laws, & began state-sponsored education for boys & girls.
embraced & encouraged Western ideas & culture.
gained a warm-water port on the Black Sea.
agreed to partition Poland & gained the eastern portion.
granted special privileges to the boyars.
allowed the boyars to increase their control of the peasants and repressed peasant rebellions.

17. Expansion of Russia