Life in Russia

1
Life in Russia

• Reasons for the Revolution

2
Instructions
Click the green box on the right to open up the
answer sheet. Then read through the slides and
fill in the answers as you figure them out. At
the end click submit form to complete the
activity.
Click here to open up the form at My Teacher
Pages to submit your answers.
3
Jobs
Select a job from the list below. If you are
unsure of what any of these people does, click on
the link for more information. Once youve
selected fill in the occupation and slay on your
handout.
The salary is in Rubles and Kopeks. In Russia
the dollar is called the Ruble and Kopeks are
cents.
Occupation Salary (r/k) Carpenter 1.80 Mason
2.10 Weaver 2.00 Blacksmith 2.00 Grinder 1.75
Locksmith 1.10 Factory Hand 1.25
After youve made your selection
4
Carpenter
Carpenters are people who work with wood. They
frame houses and build wooden furniture and toys.
In Russia carpenters were needed for all sorts
of construction and building projects
5
Mason
Masons are people who build using bricks. Masons
are sometimes also referred to a Bricklayers.
In Russias cities the majority of the new
buildings were being built with bricks.
6
Weaver
Weavers were required for the production of
clothing and textiles. As employees for large
textile mills Russian weavers like other
industrial workers would work long and difficult
hours.
7
Blacksmith
Blacksmiths are people who work with metal. The
Blacksmiths of Russia wouldve been busy making
and fixing tools. Blacksmiths would have their
own shops but they like other Russian workers
would work long and difficult hours.
8
Grinder
Grinders are industrial workers who work with
machines. Like other industrial workers grinders
work long hours under difficult conditions.
9
Locksmith
Locksmiths build, and repair locks. As you can
see based upon their salary, there is little
demand for locksmiths in 1914 Russia.
10
Factory Hand
A factory worker hand was an unskilled factory
worker. The hours were long and difficult and
the work did not require much skill but it was
hard and at times dangerous.
11
What will you eat?
Use your daily salary and figure out how much
youll need to spend on food for the day.
Remember youll need to save half of your daily
salary for rent and other expenses. (In other
words only spend HALF!)
Black Bread .02 (per slice) White Bread
.05(per slice) Beef .22 (per serving) Veal
.26 (per serving) Pork .23 (per
serving) Herring .06 (per serving) Cheese
.10 (per serving) Butter .48 (per
pound) Eggs .30 (per ½ dozen) Milk .07 (per
cup) Tea 4.50 (per pound) Caramel .30 (per
pound)
12
Black Bread
Also called peasant bread because it is so cheap
to produce. Black Bread was the staple of the
Russian diet. It tends to be tough and a bit
tart. If youve ever had a pumpernickel bagel,
theyre very similar.
13
White Bread
Sweeter and tastier than black bread, White bread
was eaten by the rich in Russia or as a special
treat for the working class.
14
Beef
A rare delicacy for the Russian worker, beef was
available on special occasions.
15
Veal
Considered a delicacy Veal was eaten only by the
most wealthy of Russian citizens
16
Pork
The other White meat like all the other meats
was considered a delicacy because of its high
price.
17
Herring
The abundance of this fish in the icy rivers of
Russia made it the staple of every Russians diet.

18
Cheese
Relatively inexpensive compared to meat, Cheese
became a staple source of protein for most
Russians.
19
Butter
Butter provided an important an inexpensive
source of calcium and flavor for the Russian
worker. Butter was also melted and used as a
cooking oil.
20
Eggs
Eggs provided the Russian worker with the
greatest and cheapest source of protein for his
or her daily diet.
21
Milk
A great, but relatively expensive source of
calcium Russians with young children had no
choice but to spend a little extra for milk.
22
Tea
Tea was an important part of the Russian culture,
both as a warm drink in the cold winter and as a
part of Russian society.
23
Caramel
A delicious treat for young and old.
24
Other Things You May Need to Buy
These are not items youll need each day, but
take a look and see how much money you can put
aside so that you can purchase them in the
future. Remember you still need half of your
daily salary for rent.
Cotton Cloth (Yard) .11 Mens Shoes
(Pair) 12.00 Galoshes (Pair) 2.50 Mens Clothing
(suit) 40.00 Shoe Leather 20.00 Matches
(carton) .10 Soap (bar) 4.50 Gasoline
(liter) 1.70 Candles (dozen) 8.50 Firewood
(Bunch) 10.00
25
Cotton Cloth
It seems like everyone in Russia either sews or
knows someone who sews. Its a good thing to
with the price of clothes. Its much cheaper to
buy your own fabric and make your own clothes or
to repair torn garments.
26
Shoes
Made from leather shoes in 1914 Russia were a
prized possession to be protected at all costs
(which was not a n easy feat considering the
harsh Russian winters and muddy springs)
27
Galoshes
Today worn mainly by children, in 1914 no
responsible workman would leave home without his
galoshes. These rubber coverings would slip on
over the shoe and protect it from snow, ice, mud
and rain.
28
Men's Suit
A new suit was indeed a treat in the year 1914.
A new set of clothes was a sign of wealth and
prosperity.
29
Shoe Leather
No matter how careful and conscientious a working
man might be, holes would inevitably open up in
every pair of shoes. Rather than simply replace
a worn pair with new shoes, the industrious
workman would buy shoe leather and repair the
worn set of shoes.
30
Matches
Just like today, matches are used to light fires.
However unlike today matches were a necessity to
heat a home or to light a stove.
31
Soap
I truly hope that no explanation is necessary
here.
32
Gasoline
The wealthiest of Russians had access to motor
vehicles requiring gasoline.
33
Candles
The most common form of lighting in the cities
and countryside of 1914 Russia. Electric
lighting existed but it was mainly for the
wealthy.
34
Firewood
In a country like Russia with harsh winters where
temperatures fall well below 0, firewood in a
necessity for heat as well as cooking.
35
How did you do?
Look at your work sheet. How did you do? Did
you have enough money to survive? Were you able
to live well on your income?
Click here if you need to see the price lists
again.
Click here once youre ready to move on.
36
Price lists
Other Goods Cotton Cloth (Yard) .11 Mens Shoes
(Pair) 12.00 Galoshes (Pair) 2.50 Mens Clothing
(suit) 40.00 Shoe Leather 20.00 Matches
(carton) .10 Soap (bar) 4.50 Gasoline
(liter) 1.70 Candles (dozen) 8.50 Firewood
(Bunch) 10.00
FOOD Black Bread .02 (per
slice) White Bread .05(per slice) Beef .22
(per serving) Veal .26 (per serving) Pork .23
(per serving) Herring .06 (per serving) Cheese
.10 (per serving) Butter .48 (per pound) Eggs
.30 (per ½ dozen) Milk .07 (per
cup) Tea 4.50 (per pound) Caramel .30 (per
pound)