Rise of Russia 1450-1750

1. Do Now:
If Tsar Peter the Great is cutting off the beards of nobles to make
them look like Western Europeans, what other kinds of changes do
you think he will bring to Russia?
Tsar Peter the Great with a pair of
shears, about to remove the beard
of a conservative subject.

2. Aim: How did Peter the Great try to change the
Russian Empire in the time period 1450-1750?
Easter in Moscow in the 1600s. The Churches reflect Russian
architectural traditions, but the wall design was created by Italian
and English architects.

3. What is “Westernization”?
•An attempt to incorporate
the culture, attributes and
especially the technology
of the Western world
(Western Europe).
Consider: What do you
think might keep Peter’s
dream of a westernized
Russia from happening?

4. RISE OF RUSSIA
HOW DID WESTERNIZATION IMPACT RUSSIA?
POLITICAL
WESTERNIZED METHODSOLD RUSSIAN METHODS
Centralized Feudal gov’t – Prince ruled
with help of the Noble landlords
(Boyars.) Major decisions were made by
the prince and confirmed by the Boyar
Duma. A bureaucracy (prikazy)
developed – conducted everyday rule.
Secret police used for control. Military
expansion used to gain loyalty, church-
state unity
Centralized gov’t – led by Czar as
aristocratic power declined, Enlightenment
ideals adopted (Enlightened Despots)
Developed schools, literacy, science
Censored some western literature, upgraded
military

5. HOW DID WESTERNIZATION IMPACT RUSSIA?
SOCIAL
Orthodox Religion dominated, Heroic
epics, music, festivals, onion shaped domes
religious art icon painting, written history,
strong family ties, many relatives women
seen as inferior, strict role
Italian architects design buildings and palaces
Royal Court spoke French, perform ballet
Advanced schools for elite, culture gap
develops between elite and commoners

6. HOW DID WESTERNIZATION IMPACT RUSSIA?
ECONOMIC
Agricultural - primitive methods, local
consumption small merchant class, small
cities, no major technological changes
Based on serfdom (Coercive labor)
enforced feudal system
Developed trade network - manufactured
goods, furs, timber, wheat, begin to use
natural resources Government regulations,
created Port city of St. Petersburg
(Window to the West)

7. Building A Glorious Empire in Russia
Louis XIV’s Versailles Palace
Peter The Great’s Winter Palace
What was Peter trying to tell the world by building a palace like this one?
Answer as if you are Peter.

8. Peter the Great’s Westernization Reforms
•Traveled secretly in Western
Europe to learn the new __________
and __________ techniques.
•Brought western European
artisans and technicians back to
Russia.
•Built a modern Western European
style __________________.
•Imitated Western European artistic
and _______________ styles
•Imported Western European –
especially ________ - manners to
the royal court.
•Made the nobles dress in Western
European clothes and learn
French and English.
science
military
army and navy
architectural
French

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One of Peter's main goals was to regain access to the Baltic Sea and Baltic trade. In 1700
he started the Northern War with Sweden, which lasted for 21 years, and resulted in a
victorious Russia taking the vast lands on the Baltic coast as its spoils of war. During the
course of the war St. Petersburg was founded (1703) on the delta of the Neva River and
the city rapidly grew to become a major seaport, as Russia gained greater and greater
access to European trade routes.

10. Video Clip!
Peter_the_Great.mov

13. A Westernized Russia?
•How much impact do you think
Peter’s Westernization program
had on their lives?
•How do you think they felt
about their local noble dressing
like a Westerner?
Though photographed in the late
19th century, these woodchoppers
look much like their ancestors
during the time of Peter the Great.

14. Based on this
graphic, what effect
do you think
Peter’s reforms
were having on the
Russian
civilization?
Predict: Do you
think Russia will be
able to compete
with Europe in spite
of the cultural and
economic split
between the nobles
and the peasants?

15. The Church of Our Savior on Spilled Blood 1905 and Today

16. Magnificent Great Palace at Petrodvorets, Peterhof (a place
outside St Petersburg), the abundance of fountains, gold and
greenery.

17. Catherine the Great
Treatment of Social Classes)
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•Freed nobles from state services and taxes
•Increased serfdom
•Made nobles status hereditary, gave them full control over their serfs – could sell them
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18. Enlightened Despot)
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•Friend of Voltaire and other philosophes
•Patronized the arts, created Hermitage Museum
•Increased education – especially for girls
•Created medical commission – took first vaccine in Russia and improved medical conditions
•Encouraged modernization of agriculture and industry
•Relaxed censorship laws
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Catherine believed that all citizens are
equal and subject to the same laws!
Did you know that Catherine is actually
a pen pal of Voltaire!

19. The Pugachev Rebellion
Pugachev's Rebellion (or the Cossack
Rebellion) of 1774-75 was the principal
revolt in a series of popular rebellions that
took place in Russia after Catherine II
seized power in 1762.
It began as an organized insurrection of
Cossacks headed by Emelyan Pugachev, a
disaffected ex-lieutenant of the Russian
Imperial army. After the initial success,
Pugachev assumed leadership of an
alternative government and claimed to be
the assassinated Tsar Peter III.
Tsar Peter III
Emelyan Pugachev
Reaction of Peasants

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Set up gov’t in Ukraine – abolished serfdom, did away with
taxes, threw compulsory military service
Catherine mobilized against him – captured him and
brought to St.Petersburg in a cage and killed.
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grant the people land, salt, and grain. He would lower taxes, stop military conscription and free the serfs.
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These villainous nobles must be
executed! Catherine cages me like she
cages all the peasants of Russia!

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Added 200,000 square miles to empire
Won Crimean Black Sea port from Ottomans
Pushed for colonization of Siberia – Claimed Alaska
Partitioned Poland with Prussia and Austria
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We have finally annexed the
Crimea and have a warm water
port into the Mediterranean!

22. Coercive Labor:
Western Europe vs. Eastern Europe
Western Europe Eastern Europe
Lack of labor
Monarchs allow peasants to
hire out their labor
Peasants leave for towns and cities
chartered by the monarch
Peasants pay taxes to monarchs;
monarchs now build standing
armies, infrastructure and navies
Allows kings to control the nobles
Limits on the nobility allows
merchant class to develop
Expansion and trade
Plantations and slavery
Lack of labor
Tsar increases peasant obligations to
the nobles
Nobles have near total control of the serfs
Tsars cannot control the nobles
Pugachev Rebellion ends with the help of
the nobles
Catherine squashes towns and cities
No merchant class develops in Russia
Serfs remain property of nobles
Nobles can sell serfs apart from the land