Russian History

History of Russia – Social Science Using Materials Adapted from Cambridge History of Russia

Part 1 – Early Rus’ to 1689

The Prologue

Questions you should be able to answer

Why did the title of Grand Prince fall out of usage?

Due to power struggles caused by ambiguous succession systems, the title of Grand Prince began to fall out of usage. Tsar took the place of Grand Prince, meaning Khan or Emperor.

What are the three major cities of the Early Rus’?

The three major cities of Early Rus' included Keiv, Novogord, and Moscow.

Describe the economy of the early Rus’.

With a large peasant population, early Rus' relied on an agrarian based economy. As the Rus' economy thrived, they participated in the trade routes of the Baltic, Black, and Caspain Sea and the Silk Route along with strong trading centers, with Novogord being the most important.

Who were the major rivals to the early Rus’ and their relative geographical location?

During the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, the western enemies of the Rus' included the Livonian Knights, Poland-Lithuania, and Sweden; their southern enemies included the Crimean Tartas and the Ottoman Turks. Their relative geographical location of the early Rus' is near their enemies; it sat on a Eurasian landmass that housed a diverse population, including Slavic and no Slav nomads, Siberians, and other non-Russians.

Name the most important sea trade route for the early Rus’.

The White Sea Trade Route was the most important sea trade.

Name the trade route made possible by the Mongol Invasion.

The opening of the Great Silk Route was made possible by the Mongol Invasion.

Name some modern states that claim the early Rus’ heritage and ethnic identity.

Modern Ukraine, Belarus, and the Russian Federation are some of the modern states that claim the early Rus' heritage and ethnic identity.

What is the major religion of the Rus’?

The major religion of the Rus' was their belief in the Orthodox Church.

Why was it important for leaders to endorse or appease the officials of this religion?

While this religion unified early Rus' by serving as a national identity symbol, it also helped leaders establish their legitimacy as leaders as in the Divine Right to Rule/ Divine Anointment.

What is autocracy?

A legal system where there is no limitations on the power of the leader.

Questions you should consider as you read further ahead (Think of these as essay questions with no real answer but could argue either for) -- to be update as studying progresses (:

Russian identity could be argued to have been formed by military, religious and political institutions.  Which do you think played the most important role to its development and why?

Consider why Post-Soviet states would feel eager to lay claim to early Rus’ identity.  Which modern state do you feel has the strongest claim?

Why would the Rus’, following Peter the Great’s reign be divided into the Western and Slavophile camps?  What are the aspects that could favor or disfavor one side?

What are the possible advantages and disadvantages of colonization from above versus colonization from below?  For the colonization from below, what would cause this phenomenon?