Russian History

Rurik the Rus

Legendary Scandinavian, regarded as founder of the first kingdom of Russia based in Kiev in 855 C.E.

Oleg

Viking leader from Novgorod who moved to Kiev due to better location. Created a trading network. Attacked Constantinoplecirca 907.

Vladimir the Great

Consolidated Kievan Rus and forced the population to convert to Orthodox Christianity.

Yaroslav the Wise

Russian leader who organized Russian law into the Pravda Russkaia. Also built the first library in Kiev.

Steppe

extensive plain without trees (associated with eastern Russia and Siberia)

Rasputitsa

A season of mud in Russia usually in the fall when the rains begin and in the spring when the snow melts. It severely limits transportation.

Ivan the Great

The Slavic Grand Duke of Moscow, he ended nearly 200 years of Mongol domination of his dukedom. From then on he worked at extending his territories, subduing the nobles, and attaining absolute power (1462-1505)

Kremlin

A great complex of Russia's official buildings, including palaces, state offices, and churches in Moscow. Built by Ivan the Great.

Ivan the Terrible

Leader whose actions were puzzling and cruel but who did lay the foundations for a new Russian state that included old Kievan Russia and stretched from Siberia to the Caspian Sea.

Catherine the Great

An Enlightened despot who ruled Russia from 1762 to 1796, added new lands(Poland) to Russia, encouraged science, art, literature, Russia became one of Europe's most powerful nations.

Peter the Great

The Romanov czar who initiated the westernization of Russian society by traveling to the West and incorporating techniques of manufacturing as well as manners and dress(1682-1725)

Mikhail Romanov

First Romanov czar, ends the "Time of Troubles" in which there is chaos over who should rule Russia.

Napoleon's invasion of Russia

Known in Russia as the Patriotic War of 1812,began on 24 June 1812 when the Grande Army crossed the Neiman River in an attempt to engage and defeat the Russian army.

Decembrists

The 1825 plot by liberals (upper-class intelligentsia) to set up a constitutional monarchy or a republic. The plot failed, but the ideals remained

Emancipation of 1861

Tsar Alexander II ended rigorous serfdom in Russia. Serfs obtained no political rights; they were required to stay in villages until they could repay aristocracy for land. Unlike slavery, the serfs received a bit of land. It preserved the essential aristocratic power, as they were the Tsars most reliable allies/source of bureaucrats. \___ created a large urban labor force and early industrialization of the nation

Russo Japanese War

Conflict which catapulted Japan onto the world stage as a top level power because Japan wanted Manchuria as a foothold into Asia. This showed Russia's relative weakness.

V. I. Lenin

Bolshevik leader who orchestrated the soviet takeover of the provisional govnerment

Leon Trotsky

Russian revolutionary and Communist theorist who helped Lenin and built up the army

Joseph Stalin

After Lenin died in 1924, he siezed power in the U.S.S.R. He created consecutive five year plans to expand heavy industry. He tried to crush all opposition and ruled as the absolute dictator of the U.S.S.R. until his death.

Czar Nicholas II

Russian Czar during WWI; unpopular with Russian people; overthrown in March 1917; executed by Bolsheviks after November Revolution (1917)

Mikhail Gorbachev

Head of the Soviet Union from 1985 to 1991. His liberalization effort improved relations with the West, but he lost power after his reforms led to the collapse of Communist governments in eastern Europe.

Perestroika

A policy that involved restructuring of the social and economic status quo in communist Russia towards a market based economy and society.

Glasnost

Policy of openness initiated in the 1980s that provided increased opportunities for freedom of speech, association and the press in the Soviet Union.

Iron Curtain

A political barrier that isolated the peoples of Eastern Europe after WWII, restricting their ability to travel outside the region

Warsaw Pact

A military alliance, formed in 1955, of the Soviet Union and its Eastern European satellite nations. This was formed to counteract NATO

SALT

negotiations between the United States and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics opened in 1969 in Helsinki designed to limit both countries' stock of nuclear weapons

Cold War

A conflict that was between the US and the Soviet Union. The nations never directly confronted each other on the battlefield but deadly threats went on for years.

Nonalignment

The policy of some developing nations to refrain from aligning with either the United States or the Soviet Union during the Cold War.

Cuban Missile Crisis

A confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union in 1962 over the presence of missile sites in Cuba; one of the "hottest" periods of the cold war.

Invasion of Afghanistan

The Soviets attack this country to protect its allied government, prompted the US to send military supplies; Soviet defeat led to a demoralized army. The US didn't take part in the 1980 Olympics because of the invasion

Crimean War

(1853-1856) Russian war against Ottomans for control of the Black Sea; intervention by Britain and France cause Russia to lose; Russians realize they need to industrialize.

October Revolution

Bolsheviks led by Leon Trotsky and Lenin claimed power in name of the soviets and proclaimed a full-scale revolution with support of workers and troops

February Revolution

Mass protest occurs and turns violent, the army pledges allegiance to the Duma and ends with Nicholas II abdication

Duma

The elected parliament. Though through establishing this is seemed like the Czar was giving his people power, in reality he could easily get rid of this if they made any laws or such that he didn't like.

War Communism

in World War I Russia, government control of banks and most industries, the seizing of grain from peasants, and the centralization of state administration under Communist control

New Economic Policy

Lenin's economy reform that re-established economic freedom in an attempt to build agriculture and industry

Five Year Plan

Stalin's economic policy to rebuild the Soviet economy after WWI. tried to improve heavy industry and improve farm output, but resulted in famine

Collectivization

Creation of large, state-run farms rather than individual holdings; allowed more efficient control over peasants; part of Stalin's economic and political planning; often adopted in other Communist regimes.

The Purge

Widespread arrests and executions of over a million people by Stalin between 1936 and 1938, attempting to eliminate all opposition to his rule of the Soviet Union

Moscow Show Trials

Trials that followed accusations against groups that were supposedly against the 5 Year Plans. Were publicized, although they sent a majority of Soviet heroes to prison.

Berlin Wall

Concrete barrier constructed by the Soviets in August 1961 between West Berlin and East Berlin to prevent East Germans from fleeing to the West.

Alexander Nevsky

Russian who defeated a German invading army and was rewarded by Mongols by becoming grand-prince

Bolshevik

A party of revolutionary Marxists, led by Vladimir Lenin, who seized power in Russia in 1917. They believed that the proletariat should overthrow the czar and the rich (bourgeoisie).

Berlin Blockade

Stalin shuts off trains, planes, roads into East Berlin - attempt to cut off western influence - Berlin Airlift foils plans

Eastern Bloc

Soviet allies in eastern Europe, including Bulgaria, Poland, East Germany, Czechoslovakia, Romania, and Hungary.

Communist Manifesto

Pamphlet written by Marx and Engels, Marx predicted a struggle between social classes that would lead to a classless society where the community would own all means of production

Russification

the process of forcing Russian culture on all ethnic groups in the Russian empire

Witte Industrialization Program

The Russian finance minister pushed for greater exports, ambitious industrialization, and large foreign loans. He hoped to modernize Russia and make it competitive with other great powers

Moscow

The second capitol of the Russian state. Rose to prominence after the Mongols destroyed the first capitol.

Kiev

First capitol of the Russian state. Became the capitol when the Vikings conquered it and it became their capitol.

St Petersburg

A new city built on the Baltic Sea to symbolize policy of westernization, also known as the window to the west