East Slavs

the slavic languages stem from this language family

indo-iranian

Three groups of Slavs

South Slavs, West Slavs, East Slavs

the east slavs break into branches in the 12-13th centuries

Russians, Belarusians, Ukranians

Fate of a border country

militarization

geographic determinism

the theory that the size of the country determines its political system

Russia is made up of

plains

fates of a flat country

focus on agriculture, easy to invade, easier for Russia to advance

All states appear on

rivers

this river flows through Kievan Rus

the Dnieper River

varangians to the greeks

trade route connecting Nordic countries to the Byzantine empire from the Baltic to the Black sea

12 tribes existed along the river from the 6th century to the 12th, with a primitive

democracy

at this point, there were no established

classes

veche

a meeting of elders deciding on questions and electing the kniaz

kniaz

the prince

the prince is the head of this, the military, rather than a ruler

druzhina

the tribes want to do this, hence why they begin unifying

control the river

in this year, Rurik is said to have come to rule Novgorod

862

in this year, Oleg went to Kiev, killed 2 rulers, and united the centers

882

The Normanist Theory

the legendary idea that Prince Oleg and the Varangians led to the creation of Kievan Rus

who were the first princes of Kievan Rus?

Ruric, Oleg, Igor

In this year, Novgorod and Kiev were united under the rule of Oleg

882