Name: Date: Global History 10 Period:

Russia Before World War I Do Now: As the world's largest country, Russian has a very diverse (variety/different) geography. Northern Russian extends into the Arctic Circle. This area is primarily tundra and forests, with thousands of lakes. Russia has many mountain areas. The Ural mountains cover 2,500 miles of eastern Russia. The Caucasus mountains cross the southern part of Russia, from the Black Sea to the Caspian Sea. From the western boarder to the Ural mountains is the North European Plain. This is a large rolling plain with rich soil.

Russia's large geographical territory gives it a very diverse climate (weather). Its northern coastline borders on the Arctic Ocean, which gives it severe winters. In the south, Russia has hot desert areas.

Russia was an overwhelmingly rural (country side) country, with agriculture as the mainstay of the economy. Agriculture had to feed Russia’s large and growing population – it grew from 56 million in 1831 to 98 million in 1881. Grain was also Russia’s most valuable export, much of it being shipped from the Black Sea port of Odessa. Although Russia had immense (great) natural resources, such as iron ore and coal, the country’s industrial development was modest (not great) and limited to towns such as St Petersburg, Moscow and parts of the Ukraine. 1. Describe the geography of Russia. Us ing the map, and pr io r know ledge , comple te the char t be low.

Russia’s geography and climate, and their impact on its development H is tor ica l Background : In 1881, Russia was one of Europe’s five Great Powers, along with Britain, France, Germany and Austria–Hungary. It dominated Eastern Europe and was a major force in European international relations. However, Russia was more than just a European state – it was vast, covering large areas of Asia as well as Europe. Russia was also Europe’s most conservative (traditional) state. But by 1924 Russia was transformed. It had become the world’s most radical state, its first communist society.

The Russian Revolution was like a firecracker with a very long fuse. The explosion came in 1917. Yet the fuse had been burning for nearly a century (100 years). The cruel, oppressive rule of most 19th-century czars caused widespread social unrest for decades (10s of years). Anger over social inequalities and the ruthless (cruel) treatment of peasants grew.

2. Why is Russia significant in the history of Communism? 3. How would you describe the conditions in Russia during the beginning of the 1900s? Why?

Document #1 Russ ia ’s D i f fe rences f rom Europe

When Peter I came to power in 1682, Russia was still a land of nobles and serfs. Nobles were wealthy landowners and serfs were poor peasants who were attached to the nobles’ land and required to work on that land. Ser fdom began to end in Western Europe by the 1500’s; however, it would not end in Russia until the 1800’s.

Most nobles in Russia knew little of Western Europe. During the Middle Ages (900’s-1200’s), Russia had been influenced by the Byzantine Empire, which was the EASTERN half of the Roman Empire. In the 1200’s, the Mongol Empire conquered Russia. While Western Europe began to grow and advance

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Geography ’s impact on Russ ia

during the Renaissance and the Age of Exploration, the Mongols further isolated Russia from Western Europe. Geographic barriers also isolated Russia from Western Europe. Its only seaports in the north would freeze much of the year and limit trade or contact with Western Europe.

Religious differences also widened the gap between Western Europe and Russia. The Russians had adopted the Eastern Or thodox branch of Christianity which they had learned from the Byzantine Empire. Western Europeans were mostly Catholics or Protestants. The Russians viewed Catholics and Protestants as heretics and avoided them.

4. Explain three ways Russia was different from Western Europe by the late 1600’s. 1 – 2 – 3 – Document #2

In 1696, Peter the Great became Russia’s abso lu te ru ler . He wanted Russia to compete with Western Europe on both military and commercial terms. Peter’s goal of western iza t ion , of using Western Europe as a model for change, was a way to make Russia stronger. Although Peter believed Russia needed to change, he knew that many of his people disagreed. To force change upon his state, Peter increased his power over the nobles and forced them to westernize.

Ca ther ine the Great ruled Russia from 1762 to 1796. As an en l ightened despot , she ruled with absolute authority, but was also open to some Enlightenment reforms such as education for everyone (except serfs). She also took steps to modernize Russia. Catherine eventually put in place limited reforms, but did little to improve the lives of serfs. She even crushed a serf revolt in the 1770’s.

Like Peter, Catherine believed that Russia needed a warm-water por t to compete with Western Europe. After two wars, her armies finally won land on the Black Sea. But in 1853, the Ottoman Empire, with help from the British and French, defeated Russia in the Cr imean War once again limiting Russia’s warm-water access.

It was no until 1861, under Czar Alexander II, that serfs were freed from service. Despite their freedom from serfdom, serfs still had to pay heavy taxes. This, combined with food shortages, was a source of deep hatred for serfs. In 1881, Alexander II was assassinated. 5. Using information from the reading and the graph of the 1897 Census, identify two or more similarities between Russia’s government and society and France’s society before the French Revolution.

6. Evaluate (judge) whether Catherine the Great was more of an absolute monarch or an Enlightened Despot, using evidence from the text to support your answer. Document #3

In 1881, Alexander III took the throne after his father was assassinated and stopped all reforms. He was an autocra t ic ruler, which meant he had total power. Anyone who questioned his absolute authority, worshiped outside the Russian Orthodox Church, or spoke a language other than Russian was considered dangerous. He imposed strict censorship codes on published materials and written documents, including private letters. To establish a uniform Russian culture, Alexander oppressed other national groups within Russia. He adopted a policy of Russ i f i ca t ion – insisting on the use of the Russian language for the whole empire and forbidding the use of minority languages, such as Polish. Alexander also made Jews the target of persecution. A wave of pogroms—organized violence against Jews—broke out in many parts of Russia. Alexander III died in 1894 and his son Nicholas II became czar. 7. How many ethnic groups made up the Russian population? 8.. According to the chart, what were the two largest ethnic groups in 1897?

Russification

What Is I t? What was the goa l? Good or Bad Idea? Why?

9. Predict (guess) what may happen in Russia as a result of the policy of Russification and pogroms. Be sure to explain/support your prediction. Document #4

At the beginning of Nicholas II’s reign, Russia lagged behind the industrial powers of Western Europe. Between 1863 and 1900, Russia’s factories more than doubled. By 1900, Russia had become the world’s 4th ranking producer of steel. The growth of factories brought new problems including poor working conditions, low wages, and child labor. Trade unions were outlawed. Workers were unhappy with their low standard of living and lack of political power.

In the late 1800s, Russia became an imperialist power. It competed with Japan for Korea and Manchuria. The two nations signed a series of agreements over the territories, but Russia broke them. In retaliation, Japan attacked the Russians in February 1904. The Japanese defeated them in the Russo-Japanese War . News of Russian losses sparked unrest at home. The war showed the czar’s weakness and paved the way for revolution/change. 10. How did rapid industrialization affect the working class in Russia? 11. Why do you think Russia and Japan competed for control of Korea and Manchuria in the early 1900s? 12. According to the cartoon on the left, how did the world’s view of Japan and Russia change after the Russo-Japanese War? (Look how each

nation is shown in 1904 and 1905.) 13. What impact did the Russo-Japanese War have on Czar Nicholas II’s power at home?      Exit Slip – To be Collected Directions: Compose a summary that includes three reasons why the Russian people were unhappy and wanted changes to the government by 1905. Remember…5 ingredients! Move on to the back if you need more room.

“In the World’s Eyes”