Slavic People

1
Slavic People

• Russias roots go back to 600AD with the
  settlement of the slavs.
• Overtime the slavs separated into cultural
  groups.
• West Slavs Poles,Czechs, Slovaks
• South Slavs Croats, Serbs, Slovens, Bulgarians
• East Slavs Russians, Ukrainians, Belarussians

2
Kievan Russia

• Scandinavian warriors settled with Slavs and
  adopted language customs
• Established city-states called Kievan Rus
• Ruled by princes
• Kiev is most powerful city-state
• Fighting among city-states weakened Russia
• Mongols conquer in early 1200s but allow Slavs
  self-rule
• These early Russians were the first to become
  Eastern Orthodox Christians

3
Rise of Russia

• After Kiev was taken over by Mongols, many Slavs
  fled to Moscow (Muscovy major trade good
  land)
• Late 1400s, Mongols driven out
• Ivan the Great brought Slav territories under his
  control and expanded Russian territory
• Built Kremlin in Moscow (huge fortress filled
  with churches and palaces)
• Ivan the Terrible because
• Russias 1st crowned Czar
• Called terrible because he killed all opponents

4
Serfs

• After Ivan the Terrible the country faced
  economic social problems, foreign invasion
• Romanov dynasty comes into power in 1613
• Government tightens control of people
• By 1650 many peasants became serfs
• Like slaves they could not leave their masters
  land

5
Romanov Czars

• Peter the Great (Late 1600s)
• Modernized Russia to catch up with Europe
• Increased trade with Europe, built strong
  military, increased territory
• Catherine the Great (late 1700s)
• Expanded Russias empire
• Cultural gap between nobility and peasants
• Russian nobility adopted western European customs
  and languages
• Serfs followed traditional Russian ways
• Poverty and heavy work became worse

6
Russian Revolution

• 1880s filled with government repression and
  educated people wanted to make Russia more open
  society
• Czar Alexander II freed serfs in 1861 but they
  had no education and few ways to earn living
• Non-Russian people faced prejudice
• Russification everyone must speak Russian and
  follow Eastern Orthodox Christianity
• Harsh treatment for anyone who did not follow

7
Pogroms

• Czars encouraged poor Russians to attack Jews
• Blamed for Russias problems
• Thousands died, lost their property or fled Russia

8
Marxist Socialism

• Many frustrated Russian thinkers workers liked
  socialism
• Socialism belief that calls for greater economic
  equality in society
• Karl Marx
• Supported public to own all land and equal
  sharing of wealth
• encouraged workers to overthrow their bosses to
  end power of the wealthy
• Idea of economic equality appealed to poor
  Russians

9
End of Czars

• By 1917 WWI hardships prompted many workers to
  demonstrate
• Czar Nicholas II was overthrown
• He and his entire family were killed
• 300 years of czarist Romanov rule ended

10
Bolsheviks

• Lenins Marxist Bolshevik party take control,
  give out food, shorten the work day, and withdraw
  from WWI
• Civil war soon divides Russia when White Army
  fight Bolsheviks
• Red Army wins!!!

11
Stalin

• Named himself Stalin because it means man of
  steel
• Brutal dictator who purged millions
• 20 million died from starvation, horrible
  conditions in labor camps, or were murdered
• Led Russia during WWII
• 27 million Russian soldiers and civilians died as
  result of the war

12
The Cold War

• When WWII ends in 1945, the Soviet Union controls
  much of Eastern Europe
• These countries become satellites (Hungary,
  Poland, Czechoslovakia, East Germany) and
  strengthen the country
• Communism vs. capitalism
• USA and USSR compete to influence other nations
• Vietnam and Korean Wars are related
• Threat of nuclear destruction prevents a real
  full scale war

13
Soviet Breakup

• During cold war the Soviet economy was a mess and
  it was clear communism was failing
• Gorbachev takes power in 1985 and wants to make
  changes
• Perestroika policy of economic reform
• Glasnost policy of political openness
• His policies fail to save Soviet Union
• Attempt to overthrow him and fail
• Eastern European countries overthrow communist
  rulers in 1989
• Berlin Wall comes down
• Baltics 1st to declare independence from Soviet
  Union
• Soviet Union ceased to exist when Gorbachevs
  presidency ended in 1991

14
Boris Yeltsin

• First elected president of Russia
• Russia is a disaster (1992)
• Ethnic conflicts
• Tartarstan, Dagestan, Chechnya all want to break
  from Russia
• Economic problems
• 1500 inflation rate
• High unemployment
• Leads Russia towards capitalism and democracy
• By 2000 the economy begins to improve

15
Chechnya Tragedy

• People there have different history, language,
  and religion than rest of Russia, want
  independence in 1991
• Russia fears breakup, troops sent in, reclaim
  Chechnya
• Chechen militants killed 186 Russian school
  children in a terrorist attack in 2004

16
Vladimir Putin

• Elected in 2000 he led Russia towards more
  stability and a healthy economy
• Critics think he is acting like a dictator,
  others admire his strength