Midterm! Flashcards
Baikal
Lake Baikal. Holds 1/5 of world’s fresh water.
Borodino
- Vicious battle where over 100,000 died from both sides (50,000 from French, 58,000 from Russians). The Russians retreated, but it didn’t matter much as Alexander set fire to Moscow, leaving Napoleon without resources and without victory.
Kiev
Varangans started Kiev. Prince Vladimir in 988 AD ruled Kiev before the Mongol yoke. Was main center of Rus until early 13th century with the start of the mongol yoke. Prince Vladimir, Yaroslav the Wise were big players.
Siberia
Cold, northern part of russia and traditional/popular spot for exile. One of the main people to be exiled there was Lenin was exiled there, and it’s from there that he coined his pen name Lenin. Nicholas I also sent 121 of the decembrist revolutionaries to Siberia.
Moscow
Became the main center of Rus (and eventually Russia) starting in the Mongol Yoke. Officially became the center in 1500 under Ivan III (the Great). It became the “Third Rome” in reference to Christianity after the fall of Rome and Constantinople.
Caspian
The Caspian sea. Owned by Chechnya in during Yeltsin. Invaded in December of 1994
Novgorod
The varangans took over Novgorod in 862. Paid tribute during mongol yoke despite location (mongols couldn’t attack because it was a heavily forested area). Took it in 1480 and abolished its vyech. In 1570, Ivan the Terrible invaded and destroyed the town/boyars.
Volga
The longest river in Europe and is also known as “dear little mother”. Important river in Russia, the main river for transport. Runs from north to south.
St.Petersburg/Leningrad
Founded by Peter the Great in 1703, also known as the window on the west. The construction of the city caused a ton of serf deaths. Officially became the capital in 1712. Became Leningrad in 1924. 900 day siege during WW2
Volgagrad/Stalingrad
Battle of Stalingrad 1942-Feb 1943. Site of decisive victory over the Nazis. Prevented Nazis from getting the oil they needed.
988
Vladimir and the Baptism of Russia
1240
Tatars and the Mongol Yoke
1380
Battle of kulikovo field. First Russian victory over the mongols.
1480
Ivan decalres independence from Golden Horde
1613
Michael Romonov is chose as tsar. Beginning of Romonov dynasty
1666
Split between Orthodox and old believers. The Church lost its unity and it lost power and independence.
1703
Construction of St. Petersburg
1812
Napoleon invasion (and failure). Alexander I is tsar at this time.
1861
Alexander II and the emancipation of the serfs
1905
Bloody Sunday and the 1905 revolution and October Manifesto (formation of Duma).
1917
Bolshevik revolution and formation of the Soviet Union
1941
Hitler and the Nazi Invasion
1991
The August coup and the fall of the USSR. Yeltsin becomes President of Russia
2000
Is when Yeltsin resigns in favor of Putin.
Assassination of Alexander II
1881 in St. Petersburg. The People’s Will assassinated him by blowing him up in an attempt to overthrow the Tsar. Nicholas I came after “the Iron Tsar”
August Coup
1991 against Gorbachev (soviet leaders tried to oust him). Yeltsin the big defender/victor against the coup.
Baptism of Rus
Kievan Rus in 988 under Prince Vladimir
Bloody Sunday
January 22, 1905. Peaceful strike led by Father Gapon to the Summer Palace for better living conditions. Guards open fire on the crowd killing hundreds.
Civil War
1918-1921. Reds vs Whites.
Cuban Missile Crisis
October 1962. Reagan and Krushchev.
Decembrists Revolution
- It was a top-down revolution. They wanted to form a parliment, but they chose the wrong tsar to try it. Nicholas I.
Emancipation of the serfs
Alexander II in 1861.
Founding of St. Petersburg
1703 by Peter the Great.
Invasion of Napoleon
1812 during Alexander I. Battle of Borodino was a big thing and the setting of fire to Moscow.
Mongol Yoke
1240 by the Golden Horde.
1905 revolution
Causes: Russ-Japanese war and Bloody Sunday
Results: the Duma, civil rights, political parties (legally appear)
1917 February Revolution
8 March, 1917
Everyone went on strike and, on the 15th of March, Nicholas II abdicates.
1917 October Revolution
Bolsheviks overthrow the provisional government. All farm land goes to peasants after that.
Pugachev rebellion
1773-1774 during Catherine the Great. Pugachev leads a revolution against the gov by leading serfs. Claimed to be Peter III
Rise of Moscow
1500s under Ivan
Russo-Japanese war
1904-1905. Russia lost it’s world power status after it’s crushing defeat by Japan.
Schism of Orthodox Church
- Patriarch Nikon tries to remove deviations from byzantine greek service. Schism creates the schism between old believers and regular orthodox now.
Sputnik
- First satellite in space. Under Krushchev.
Time of Troubles
1600-1613 with Boris Gudonov. This was time of false Dmitrys.
World War I
1914-1918. Nicholas II, Alexander Kerensky, and Lenin. Russia revolts and overthrows the tsar, gets a provisional government, then gets Lenin.
World War II
1939-1945. Stalin, Hitler and the Nazi invasion. NATO and the Warsaw pact.
Alexander I
1812 and Napoleon’s invasion.
Alexander II
1861 and emancipation of the serfs
Alexander Nevsky
1240(ish). Prince of Novgorod during part of the Mongol Yoke. Paid tribute to the mongols. Good military commander.
Bogatyry
Knights of the round table Russian equivalent during Kievan Rus.
Boris and Gleb
Died around 1015. Kids of Yaroslav the Wise during Kievan Rus. Killed by Svyatapolk, their brother. First Russian saints.
Boris Gudonov
1598-1905. Close friend and advisor to Ivan IV. Ruled Russia shakily during Time of Troubles. Famine and bad PR.
Brezhnev
- Period of stagnation
Catherine II (the Great)
- Culturization of Russia. She had western thinking but didn’t really implement it in the government. Made the Hermitage. Didn’t like her son Paul but prepared Alexander I to be king.
Elizabeth
1742-1761. Heavy French influence. She wasn’t a great rule but she picked out really good advisors.
Gorbachev
- Glastnost and perestroika. Led to fall of USSR.
Ivan III (the Great)
- Main leader/grand prince of Russia. No more mongol yoke!
Ivan IV
- Crowned as first tsar. Formed the first secret police (oprichnina). Huge expansion. Was very much so against the boyars.
Kerensky
Leader of provisional gov in 1917.
Khrushchev
- “The thaw”. Started to improve relations with the West, Sputnik, and then the cuban missile crisis.
Lenin
- Leader of Bolshevik revolution and leader of Russia till Stalin in 1935.
Mikhail Lomonosov.
The Russian Ben Franklin from Germany. He wrote the first Russian history and grammar books.
Michael Romanov
- Start of the Romanov dynasty.
Nicholas I
1825-1855. The “Iron Tsar” after Alexander II is killed. Decemberists attempted to overthrow him. Policeman of the kings (kept up tsardom despite decembrists)
Nicholas II
1900s. End of the Romonov dynasty after this 1917 revolution.
Nihilists
Ideology of the 1860s. Start from a blank slate, redo everything. Too much for them. It’s easier to tear down than to build up.
Nikon
Russian patriarch in 1666 during the rift of the Orthodox Church. Lost unity and power after the rift.
Oprichnina
First ever secret police under Ivan IV. Job was to kill the boyars and other Russian aristocracy under Ivan’s orders.
Paul
Tsar after Catherine the Great. Decreed that Russia would no longer have Tsarinas.
People’s Will
Terrorist group that killed Alexander II. Wanted to provide the spark to incite revolution and government overthrow.
Peter I (the Great)
1700s. Westernization of Russia. Built St. Petersburg. you know the stuff.
Putin
Russian president/vice-president since 2000.
Rastrelli
Court Architect to Elizabeth. Developed the short but long building of pastel colors (elizabethan rocco)
Stalin
1935-55. Brutal ruler. Was originally general secretary placed by Lenin. Committed terrible things.
Streltsy
Palace guard under Ivan the Great to Peter the Great. Tried coups, more or less failed.
Yeltsin
- First Russian president. Had it pretty rough. Crucial to the August coup.
