USSR AND RUSSIA (copy)

What are the European plains characterized by?

Densely populated, flat land from Germany to Russia with a mild to cold climate.

What is the Ural Mountains' significance?

They divide the European continent from Asia and separate western Russia from eastern Russia.

What is Siberia known for?

Diverse, massive area with harsh conditions and untapped natural resources.

What is the Taiga?

The largest coniferous forest in the world.

What is permafrost?

Soil that remains frozen underground, with a top layer that thaws to become slushy and moist.

What major rivers empty into the Black Sea?

The Dnieper River.

Which river is the longest river in Europe?

The Volga River.

What percentage of Russia's population is ethnic Russians?

Over 80%.

What significant event occurred in the 800s regarding Kiev?

The rise of Kiev as a powerful city-state.

Who was St. Vladimir I?

The first Christian leader of Kievan Rus.

What was the Time of Troubles?

A period of chaos in Russia from 1584 to 1613 after the death of Ivan IV's heir.

What did Peter the Great want to achieve during his reign?

European expansion and enlightenment in Russia.

What was significant about the Romanov Dynasty?

It ruled Russia from 1613 until 1917.

What happened during the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917?

The Bolsheviks took government control by force.

What was the result of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact?

Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia agreed not to invade each other.

What were Gorbachev's two major policies?

Perestroika (restructuring) and Glasnost (openness).

What triggered the fall of the Soviet Union?

Gorbachev's reforms and public discontent.

What is the significance of the Chernobyl disaster?

It highlighted the state of anarchy in the Soviet Union and was the worst nuclear disaster in history.

What was the result of the 1993 Russian Constitution?

It finalized the transition to a democratic structure in Russia.

Who were the military police forces under Stalin?

NKVD and KGB.

What was the Cold War?

A non-violent 'war' centered around ideological and political competition between the US and USSR.

What was the 'Iron Curtain'?

A division between Eastern and Western Europe during the Cold War.

What did the Nuclear Arms Race involve?

A competitive build-up of nuclear weapons between the US and the USSR.

Who was the first human to orbit Earth?

Yuri Gagarin.

What sparked the Space Race?

The Soviet launch of Sputnik in 1957.

What type of government did Vladimir Lenin promote?

A communist state where all power is held by the Soviets.

What was the key result of Stalin's policies?

Forced collectivization and rapid industrialization of the Soviet Union.

What societal structure did communism propose according to Karl Marx?

Equality for all; the proletariat working for the bourgeoisie.

How did the climate vary across Russia?

From mild in the European plains to harsh in Siberia.

What represents the harshest parts of Russia?

Tundra, a region with no trees and extreme cold.

What role did Rasputin play in the Russian monarchy?

He had significant influence over the royal family and was despised in Russia.

Which city is known as the largest in Russia?

St. Petersburg.

What was Ivan IV's nickname?

Ivan the Terrible.

What event marked the beginning of the Russian Federation?

The exit of Gorbachev and the fall of the USSR.

What characterized the relationship between the United States and Russia post-Cold War?

Competition and mutual distrust.