Chapter 17: Absolutism in Eastern Europe to 1740

Question 1

Absolutism in Prussia
(4)
pg. 573-576 (orange)

Answer 1

1. Early 16th century - Late 18th century, Prussia (modern day east Germany)
2. Absolutism: the principal or exercise of complete and unrestricted authority in government
   i. e. Cultural, Economic, Political, and Social aspects of life.
3. Fredrick William - the Great Elector (late 17th century)
   i. Introduced government controlled taxation - led to Fredrick’s financial independence
   ii. Implemented a permanent standing army
   iii. Formed a centralized government bureaucracy
4. Fredrick William I - the Soldier King (early 18th century)
   i. Continued and further centralized the government bureaucracy and rid the government of parliamentary estates.
   ii. Formed a large disciplined standing army.
   iii. Integrated militaristic discipline into civil society
   i. e. Prussia became known as “Sparta of the North”
5. CR, KD, CH, NB

Question 2

Ivan III of Russia
(5)
pg. 578-579 (green)

Answer 2

1. Mid 15th century - Early 16th century, Russia
2. Self-proclaimed autocrat or tsar: a ruler who has absolute power.
   i. viewed themselves as the heirs of the caesars and Orthodox Christianity.
3. Ivan III stopped acknowledging the Mongol Khan as his supreme ruler
   i. Ivan and his successors declared themselves autocrats to break ties with the khans
4. Ruled with the permission of the boyars (Russian nobles)
   i. relied on the cooperation of local elites
   ii. The boyars only allowed Ivan III to rule with an extremely limited government.
5. KD, CR, CH, NB

Question 3

Ivan IV (the Terrible)

4
pg. 574-575 (green)

Answer 3

1. Mid 16th century - Late 16th century, Russia
2. Adopted the title as tsar (Slavic word for caesar) for the absolute ruler of Russia.
3. Ended boyar influence on the government by force
   i. jailed and executed those who was suspected of opposing him.
   ii. broke up the boyar estates and distributed the land to the tsar’s domain and the lower service nobility (those who were given a noble title through military service to Ivan the IV–the terrible)
4. Bound artisans and urban traders to their towns in order to tax excessively
   i. property could be seized by the tsar at any time
   ii. brought about repression of the middle and lower classes.
5. NB, CH, KD, CR

Question 4

Time of Troubles

3

Answer 4

1. Late 16th century - Early 17th century, Russia
2. Following the death of Ivan IV, chaos erupted over the throne between Ivan’s relatives.
   i. through political uncertainty, the Cossacks (free groups and outlaw armies that fled during Ivan IV’s reign) and peasants banned together and rebelled.
   ii. social rebellion brought together the nobles and the revolt was crushed by the nobility
3. Michael Romanov was elected to the throne as the byproduct of the revolt.
4. CR, NB, CH, KD

Question 5

Michael Romanov

4
pg. 581 (orange)

Answer 5

1. Early 17th century - Mid 17th century, Russia
2. New hereditary tsar (Romanov’s relatives would start a new line of succession)
3. Reconsolidated central authority by allowing the government positions to be held by dyaks (professional clerks) rather than the boyars (nobility)
4. Russian industry entered era of prosperity
   i. all-Russian market
   ii. improved trade relations with other countries
   iii. improved standard of living for the common people and transformed Moscow.
5. CR,NB,KD,CH

Question 6

Baroque Architecture

2
pg. 585-589

Answer 6

1. Late 16th century - Early 17th century, Russia and Prussia
2. Baroque Architecture symbolized the authority of the king and centralization of government by displays of grandeur and extravagance within capital cities.
   i. St. Petersburg became a “modern” capital city under Peter the Great through enforcing detailed architectural regulations on buildings, canals, parks, roads, bridges, street lighting, etc.
3. CH,NB,KD,CR

Question 7

Peter the Great
(4)
pg. 581-585 (orange)

Answer 7

1. Late 17th century - Early 18th century, Russia.
2. Absolutist king: retained complete authority in government and all aspects of life
   i. e. cultural, economic, political, and social aspects of life.
3. Centered interests on military authority by continuing the tsarist tradition of territorial expansion.
   i. allied Russia with Denmark and the elector of Saxony to wage war on Sweden.
4. Increased state authority by
   i. required every nobleman to serve in the army or the civil administration for life.
   ii. created universities to produce skilled technicians and experts
   iii. created an interlocking military-civilian bureaucracy
   iv. increased the service requirements of commoners.
5. KD,CR,NB,CH

Question 8

Reformation of the Russian Orthodox Church

3
pg. 581 (orange)

Answer 8

1. Mid 17th century, Russia
2. Russian Orthodox Church:
3. Schism between tsar Alexis and patriarch Nikon which led to the reformation of the Russian Orthodox Church.
   i. Russian population resented Nikon and remained loyal to tsar Alexis.
   ii. led to the formation of communities of “Old Believers” that remained true to the pre-reformed Russian Orthodox Church.
4. KD, NB, CH,CR

Question 9

Cossack Revolt

3
pr. 580-583 (orange)

Answer 9

1. Late 16th century - Early 17th century, Russia.
2. Cossack: free groups/outlaw armies of serfs that fled repression and lived on the steppes bordering Russia.
   i. Fled during the reign of Ivan the Terrible.
3. Stenka Razin (Late 17th century)
   i. leader of the Cossacks
   ii. led campaigns against Russian nobility and the bureaucracy of the tsar

Question 10

Catherine the Great

6
pg. 589 (orange)

Answer 10

1. Mid 18th century - Late 18th century, Russia
2. Absolute monarch:
3. Empress of Russia following Peter III’s death
   i. lead a palace revolution that resulted in Peter III’s death
   ii. brought western culture to Russia by importing western architects, sculptors, musicians, and intellectuals.
   iii. active in the Enlightenment by corresponding with philosophers including Voltaire and Diiderot that set the tone for the Russian nobility.
4. Created a new law code for domestic reform
   i. restricted the practice of torture
   ii. allowed limited religious toleration
   iii. improved education
   iv. restored local government
5. Late 18th century, Pugachev revolt
   i. Cossack uprising; Pugachev claimed to be the rightful tsar of Russia
   ii. Catherine the Great crushed the revolt and executed Pugachev
   iii. led Catherine the Great to end reforms and give nobles complete control over their serfs and also freed nobles of taxes and state service.
6. Expanded Russian Empire to Poland
   i. Prussia, Austria, and Russia partitioned Poland in three phases in the late 18th century
7. CR,KD, CH,NB