Test 1 Flashcards
Peter the Great
1682-1725 - Ruled the Tsardom of Russia and later the Russian Empire until his death, jointly ruling before 1696 with his half-brother. Through a number of successful wars he expanded the Tsardom into a much larger empire that became a major European power. He led a cultural revolution that replaced some of the traditionalist and medieval social and political systems with ones that were modern, scientific, westernized, and based on The Enlightenment.
Catherine the Great
1762-1796 - Was the most renowned and the longest-ruling female leader of Russia, reigning from 1762 until her death in 1796 at the age of 67. Came to power following a coup d’état when her husband, Peter III, was assassinated. Russia was revitalized under her reign, growing larger and stronger than ever and becoming recognized as one of the great powers of Europe.
Westernization
becoming more like the West (France).
Begins under Peter and progresses under Catherine.
Language, arts, literature, education, clothing.
Enlightenment
Secularization, constitutional monarchy, working in connection with advisers, administrators. Take away power and authority from the church.
Social Makeup of Russia
Nobles - 1% Clergy > Local Administrators > Professors - 1% Townspeople - 3% Peasants - 95% Serfs - 55% State Peasants - 40% (After 1649)
Paul
Was the Emperor of Russia between 1796 and 1801. Officially, he was the only son of Peter III and Catherine the Great, though Catherine is said to have later stated that he was fathered by her lover Sergei Saltykov.
He remained overshadowed by his mother for much of his life. Paul’s reign lasted for only five years, ending with his assassination by conspirators. His most important achievement was the adoption of the laws of succession to the Russian throne that lasted until the end of the Romanov dynasty and the Russian Empire.
Serfdom
Serfdom became the dominant form of relation between peasants and nobility in the 17th century. Serfdom only existed in central and southern areas of the Russian Empire. It was never established in the North, in the Urals, and in Siberia. Tsar Alexander I of Russia wanted to reform the system but was stymied. New laws allowed all classes (except the serfs) to own land, the privilege that was previously confined to the nobility. Finally, serfdom was abolished by a decree issued by Tsar Alexander II in 1861.
First Liberal Reform
Under Alexander I 1801-1805 - brought in foreign professors for education, restricts censorship, increases publishing houses throughout Russia.
Second Liberal Reform
1807 - 1812 - Put Michael Speransky in charge of writing a constitution in 1809. It does not get adopted. Establishes DUMA, a national representative assembly. Most reforms that happened during these 2 periods were unsuccessful.
Constitution of 1809
Written by Michael Sperasnky in 1809 but is not adopted.
Napoleon’s Invasion of Russia
1812 - 1815 - Napoleon invades Russia in June 1812. Russians occupy Paris in 1814 and Napoleon goes into exile for a year. Then is defeated at Waterloo.
Battle of Borodino
General Kutuzov
Congress of Vienna
1814-1815 - Attempt to restore and redistribute European landholdings. Creation of the congress system.
Autocracy
In it, all power and wealth is controlled (and distributed) by the tsar. They had more power than constitutional monarchs, who are usually rested by law and counterbalanced by a legislative authority; they even had more authority on religious issues compared to Western monarchs. In Russia, it originated during the time of Ivan III (1440−1505), and was abolished after the Russian Revolution of 1917. Some historians see the traditions of tsarist autocracy as loosely influencing totalitarianism in the Soviet Union.
Unofficial Committee
During Alexander I - During the first, from 1801 to 1803, the tsar took counsel with four intimate friends, who formed his so-called Unofficial Committee, with the intention of drafting ambitious reforms. In the period from 1807 to 1812, he had as his chief adviser the liberal Mikhail Speransky.
