The Russian The Russian EmpireEmpire

Russia Rules ItselfRussia Rules ItselfGeographically speaking, Russia is the largest Geographically speaking, Russia is the largest

country in the world. It is located in both Europe and country in the world. It is located in both Europe and Asia. Both continents have helped shaped its history. Asia. Both continents have helped shaped its history.

Questions: What geographical feature separates Europe from Asia?

Russia is the largest country, but does it have the largest population?

Warring tribes, known Warring tribes, known as Mongols, from as Mongols, from

eastern Asia eastern Asia conquered Russia conquered Russia

during the13th during the13th century and ruled it century and ruled it

for nearly 200 years. for nearly 200 years. But Russia broke free But Russia broke free

in the 1400’s and in the 1400’s and built their own capital built their own capital

city of Moscow.city of Moscow.

Mongol WarriorsYou may remember the Mongolsas the villains in the movie Mulan.The Mongols were fierce tribesmen known for

their expert horsemanship and cruelty.

The Mongol’s mostfamous leader – Genghis Khan.

Scary !

The First CzarThe First Czar

In 1545, a 16 year-old In 1545, a 16 year-old leader was crowned the leader was crowned the first czar, or emperor, of first czar, or emperor, of Russia. His name was Russia. His name was Ivan IV, but he became Ivan IV, but he became

known as Ivan the known as Ivan the Terrible. Like the Terrible. Like the

Mongols, Ivan had a Mongols, Ivan had a well deserved well deserved

reputation for cruelty. reputation for cruelty.

Ivan viewed everyone, especially the nobles, as a threat to his power. Many times Ivan the

Terrible ordered his soldiers to murder Russian nobles and even church leaders who opposed him. By the end of his reign, Ivan the

Terrible had killed thousands of his advisors and subjects. He didn’t

even spare his own family – going so far as to hit his pregnant

daughter-in-law causing her death and the death of her baby. Later,

he stabbed his own son and heir to the throne to death.

Conflicts at HomeConflicts at HomeDuring the reign of the czars, Russia had an

unlimited form of government, which meant

that Czars held nearly unlimited power. Citizens of the land had little or no

say in how the country was run. And like, Ivan the

Terrible, most czars viewed the wealthy land owning

nobles as a threat to their power and control.

The czars and The czars and nobles of Russia nobles of Russia

were wealthy beyond were wealthy beyond belief. They lived in belief. They lived in palaces filled with palaces filled with treasures of gold, treasures of gold,

jewels and furs. They jewels and furs. They were waited on hand were waited on hand and foot by hundreds and foot by hundreds of servants and lived of servants and lived a life of luxury that a life of luxury that

we can hardly we can hardly imagine.imagine.

Nicholas II, thelast czar of

Russia wearingfur trimmed

crown.

Traditionalfur & jewel

trimmedcrown.

Summer palace of Czar Peter the Great.

Yes, he’s wearing a fig leaf!

But while the czars But while the czars and nobles lived lives and nobles lived lives

of ease and luxury, of ease and luxury, the poor uneducated the poor uneducated people, or peasants, people, or peasants, lived miserable lives lived miserable lives of work and poverty. of work and poverty. Czars even passed Czars even passed

laws forbidding them laws forbidding them from leaving the from leaving the

farms where they farms where they worked thus forcing worked thus forcing

them to be serfs.them to be serfs.

A serf is someone who is forced to remain on the farm

where they live and work. They are not free to leave or choose other occupations. Like slaves, serfs have little

freedom and live at the mercy of their landowners. Unlike slaves, they were paid for their efforts, but very little

and none at all if the harvest bad. Landowners

discouragedteaching serfs from learning to read or write for fear that they would use education as

a means of uniting themselves.

A cartoon showing the serfs as the bottom rung on the social &

political ladderof Russian life and the czar as the top.

Who are some of the other groups

depicted?

The Expansion of RussiaThe Expansion of RussiaIn addition to strengthening their power over the Russian In addition to strengthening their power over the Russian

people, the czars were always on the look out for new land people, the czars were always on the look out for new land and territories to rule. Two such rulers were Catherine the and territories to rule. Two such rulers were Catherine the

Great and Peter the Great. But these two rulers had more in Great and Peter the Great. But these two rulers had more in mind than just conquering neighbors and nobles. mind than just conquering neighbors and nobles.

Peter the GreatPeter the Great

Ruled Russia from 1682 – 1725Ruled Russia from 1682 – 1725 Built a new capital city closer to the rest of Europe that Built a new capital city closer to the rest of Europe that

he named St. Petersburghe named St. Petersburg Wanted Russia to have closer ties with western Europe Wanted Russia to have closer ties with western Europe

and to become more modern like England and Franceand to become more modern like England and France Hoped to use ideas and inventions of the Scientific Hoped to use ideas and inventions of the Scientific

Revolution to modernize and strengthen Russia which Revolution to modernize and strengthen Russia which he believed was old fashioned and backwardhe believed was old fashioned and backward

Reformed the army and the governmentReformed the army and the government Built new schools and collegesBuilt new schools and colleges Ordered Russian men to shave their beards and wear Ordered Russian men to shave their beards and wear

more modern clothes like Western European men more modern clothes like Western European men Changed his title from Changed his title from czarczar to to emperoremperor because he because he

thought it sounded more Europeanthought it sounded more European

Today, there are dozens of statues and monuments in

honor of Peter the Great located throughout Russia. One

of the most famous is the Bronze Horsemen built by

Catherine the Great and located in St. Petersburg. Legend has it

that as long as the Bronze Horseman Statue stands intact,

no army will conquer St. Petersburg. During WWII, the

statue was covered with sandbags and remained

unharmed while Hitler’s army tried unsuccessfully to invade and conquer St. Petersburg.

Catherine the GreatCatherine the Great Was a German princess married to the Czar Peter, III, Was a German princess married to the Czar Peter, III,

grandnephew of Peter the Greatgrandnephew of Peter the Great Overthrew her husband and took control of RussiaOverthrew her husband and took control of Russia Ruled as empress of Russia from 1762 until 1796Ruled as empress of Russia from 1762 until 1796 Added vast new lands to the empire including the present-Added vast new lands to the empire including the present-

day countries of Ukraine and Belarusday countries of Ukraine and Belarus Like Peter, she borrowed many western European ideas Like Peter, she borrowed many western European ideas She started more schools, encouraged art, science, and She started more schools, encouraged art, science, and

literatureliterature She built new towns and expanded tradeShe built new towns and expanded trade During Catherine’s reign, Russia became one of Europe’s During Catherine’s reign, Russia became one of Europe’s

most powerful nations most powerful nations

Ten years before she began rule as empress, Catherine’s mother-in-law began building a palace which she eventually gave the young Empress, calling it Catherine Palace. Despite its grand size and countless treasures, the young empress never really cared for this home which she thought was architecturally old fashioned and too lavish. Catherine canceled her mother-in-law’s plans to have all the statues covered in gold, but did add a few new marble ones.

During WWII, during the German invasion of Russia, Nazis officers used the Catherine Palace as their barracks. Before they left, they stole many articles of gold, used objects of art as target practice and tried to set the whole palace on fire. After the war, the government completely restored the palace, but many of its treasures were lost forever. However, in 1996 the son of a German WWII officer was caught trying to sell pieces of a gold mosaic he says his father “found” in a burn pile during the war. The German government confiscated the mosaic pieces and returned them to the Russian government.

Ruined Golden Mosaic

One last look at one of the gardens.

A Divided RussiaA Divided RussiaYet for all they did to make Russia into a stronger and Yet for all they did to make Russia into a stronger and

more powerful European country, rulers such as Peter and more powerful European country, rulers such as Peter and Catherine the Great did little to improve the lives of the Catherine the Great did little to improve the lives of the largest group of Russian people – the peasants. Russia largest group of Russian people – the peasants. Russia remained a nation divided between the wealth of the few remained a nation divided between the wealth of the few

nobles and the poverty of the many peasants.nobles and the poverty of the many peasants.

By the mid-1800s, Russian By the mid-1800s, Russian serfs still had no land or serfs still had no land or

money of their own. They money of their own. They worked on farms owned by worked on farms owned by

others and did not participate others and did not participate in the government which took in the government which took very little notice of them. But very little notice of them. But attitudes were changing. New attitudes were changing. New ideas introduced by Western ideas introduced by Western

Europe began to have an Europe began to have an influence on the Russian influence on the Russian

nobles. In 1861, Czar nobles. In 1861, Czar Alexander II decided to end Alexander II decided to end

serfdom in Russia.serfdom in Russia.

For the first time, more than 23 million serfs were granted For the first time, more than 23 million serfs were granted the full rights of free citizens, thereby gaining the right to the full rights of free citizens, thereby gaining the right to marry without having to obtain consent, the right to own marry without having to obtain consent, the right to own

property and the right to start their own businesses. property and the right to start their own businesses.

Czar Alexander hoped that freeing the serfs would modernize Russia and make it more competitive with the countries of Western Europe.

But the serfs’ lives were still hard – they had to pay heavy taxes and the land sold to them was often not good for farming.

Many serfs felt they had gained very little from their emancipation.

Bloody SundayBloody SundayThe serfs weren’t the only unhappy citizens in Russia. The serfs weren’t the only unhappy citizens in Russia. College students, educators, and writers believed the College students, educators, and writers believed the government’s treatment of the serfs still wasn’t fair. In government’s treatment of the serfs still wasn’t fair. In

addition, factory workers in crowded cities began complaining addition, factory workers in crowded cities began complaining about poor working conditions and low pay. Together these about poor working conditions and low pay. Together these

dissatisfied citizens began forming protest groups.dissatisfied citizens began forming protest groups.

In 1905, a group of striking In 1905, a group of striking workers marched to the workers marched to the

Winter Palace in St. Winter Palace in St. Petersburg in hopes of giving Petersburg in hopes of giving

Czar Alexander a petition Czar Alexander a petition calling for better working calling for better working

conditions. The march was conditions. The march was led by a priest who led the led by a priest who led the

peaceful procession in peaceful procession in singing hymns and patriotic singing hymns and patriotic

songs as they marched along songs as they marched along with their families. The with their families. The

workers hoped that the czar workers hoped that the czar would read their petition and would read their petition and take measures to improve take measures to improve

their lives.their lives.

But the czar wasn’t at the palace that day and the marchers found themselves face to face with a line of mounted, armed

imperial guards with little sympathy for their cause. The guards fired warning shots into the air and then began shooting the

unarmed marchers. Panic ensued as marchers fled the scene.

No one knows for certain No one knows for certain how many citizens were how many citizens were

killed that day. The czar’s killed that day. The czar’s officers claim less than a officers claim less than a hundred, while citizens hundred, while citizens

claim at least at thousand. claim at least at thousand. Either way, news of this Either way, news of this “Bloody Sunday” event “Bloody Sunday” event quickly spread across quickly spread across Russia making people Russia making people even angrier with the even angrier with the

government. Citizens who government. Citizens who once saw the czar as a once saw the czar as a

their possible savior, now their possible savior, now viewed him as an viewed him as an

impervious tyrannical ruler impervious tyrannical ruler

Bloody Sunday set thestage for what wouldsoon become an evenbloodier revolution. . . a revolution that would

bring to an end the reignof the czars and nearlyan end to Russia itself.