RUSSIA & EUROPE/TWO WORLD WARS

By: Kathy Hill, Becca Cashion, Ava Fowler, and Margaret Morgan

Previous Information Irvin the Terrible’s Death 30 year period of

political instability.

-Fighting for control of state 1613 instability restored with 1st Romanov tsar,

Michael

End of century Peter I the Great transformed Russia into major European power

-Only 10 years old when he became Tsar

-Fascinated with technologyo Even visited Dutch Republic to study manufactures and

different companies. Listened to lectures on anatomy. Most importantly visited shipyards to learn shipbuilding, which he enjoyed.

Applied what he had learned to the rest of his life.

-Fashion: Forbade men to grow beards in Moscow, his court was ordered to dress in western clothes

Peter I the Great

-Loved alcohol, coarse language, and practical jokes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyLJ2aiKUOw

1700, 2 decade struggle w/ Sweden for control of Baltic Sea.

Why? To link eastern and western Europe. Peter saw that it was essential to have

control in order to maintain major power. Russia won! This was a turning point in

their history.

Great Northern War

City built by Peter Thought to be reason for success in

securing the Baltic Port. Became new capital of Russia Forced skilled craftsmen to settle there

with their families.

St. Petersburg

Continued fighting w/ Sweden

-Peter introduced up-to-date western drill and weapons

-Built a Baltic Navy from scratch TAXED EVERYTHING from “beehives to

beards to baths”

He did this in order to gain more $ for the military

Importance of Military

1709- Peter destroyed the Swedish army at this battle of Poltava

-9,000 Swedes died, 16,000 surrendered

Swedes never recovered from this war. At the end of the Great Northern War

Peter was proclaimed the emperor of Russia.

Poltava

Peter continued to restructure Russian society

3 tiered hierarchy:

After the War

Serfs (1/2 of Russian population, millions of them)

• Under control of landlords• Worked without pay

• NO FREEDOM (resembled African slaves)

Landlords• Peter demanded they serve for a life in

military or civilian administration

State Services•Had to work up from the

bottom of their service branch up to the top on the basis of personal

merit.

This idea of “personal” merit was invented by Peter, called the Table of Ranks, and was even tested by himself when he rose through the ranks of the army and the navy.

Most radical reform when Peter tried of abolish this order of bishops in the Eastern Orthodox Church

Never openly attacked Orthodoxy, but he was a Lutheran that was influenced by his beliefs

Replaced it with the Holy Synod, which was a council of clergy that supported Lutheran teachings by reducing the church to a simple department of state.

Abolishing Patriarch

1725-1762: Russia was allied with Austria against France, the Poles, the Swedes, and the Turks.

This encouraged Peter’s Policy of bringing Russia directly into the European system of international politics and diplomacy

1762-landlord class was cut out of Peter’s compulsory state service obligation. As a result the landlords served voluntarily since service brought prestige,influence, and wealth

Catherine the Great & Russian Expansion: Background

1762-Peter III became emperorViolent, crude, and dimwitted Feared Russians and loved GermansLutheran and ordered all icons to be removed from

Russian Churches while demanding Orthodox clergy to dress like Lutheran pastors

Married to Sophie who plotted with courtiers to depose Peter in a palace coup d'état 6 months after Peter’s accession.

Soon murdered (by his wife) and the conspirators deemed Sophie as his successor.

Sophie ruled Russia for the next 34 years as Catherine II the Great

Peter III

1762-1796

One of Russia’s most powerful rulers Continued Peter III’s polices by

capturing all ecclesiastical lands (which continued to reduce the church’s independence from the state)

Exempting the landlord class from compulsory state service Gave large amounts of land and peasants to her “favorites”

This increased the # of serfs Expanded Russian territories of the north shore of the Black Sea, the

Crimean peninsula, the northern Caucasus, and established the modern western boundaries of Russia

By the end of her reign, only 50% people in the Russian territories were Russian. Rest were different ethnic and religious communities

Cultural diversity in the empire

Catherine II the Great

1740-1748Frederick II of Prussia vs. Maria Theresa of AustriaRulers of Bavaria and Saxony challenged Maria Theresa’s

right to rule (said there were more legitimate heirs to Charles VI)

Frederick II wanted Silesia (wealthy territory in Austria)○ Took advantage of Maria Theresa’s weakness because of the

struggle over succession○ Claimed Silesia belonged to Prussia and seized it○ Britain and France joined in

War ended in 1748= Prussia victorious kept Silesia

France

Prussia

Britain

Austria

Vs.

War of Austrian Succession

1756-1763o War broke out again between Austria and Prussia over

Silesiao In the meantime…

• France and Britain at war in North America• Continued fighting in Europe and India over colonies

o Shift in alliances

Britain France

vs.

Prussia Austria

o Diplomatic revolution= this shift in alliances between European states

Seven Years’ War

Effects on Society: Frederick II of Prussia victorious kept Silesia

○ Prussia now allied with Germany○ Strain on Prussia’s finances and military (saved by Germany)

Austria suffered a major loss after the Seven Years’ War○ Shock of losing Silesia made Maria Theresa focus on building the state○ Before the war:○ She founded a military academy, expanding the government’s ability to house

and supply its troops○ Paid for reform by overhauling the state’s tax structure made state taxation

permanent○ Founded a school to train state administrators○ After the war: her reforms failed and she was forced to make changes○ Increased revenue to pay for a better army○ Improved serfs○ Imposed new taxes on Catholic Church

Seven Years’ War Continued

Maria Theresa died in 1780 Succeeded by her son, Joseph II Wanted to strengthen Austria against Prussia Pushed domestic forms in a radical direction

Abolished serfdom Imposed state taxes on ex-serfs His reforms asserted direct state control

Landlords angered an rose up against him, peasants in support of him

Overall, the defeat resulted in increased peasant prosperity in Austria

Results of the War