Chapter 16 – Section 1Russia and the Western Republics

History• Russian settlement began between the Baltic & Black seas.

• 9th century – River trade brought Scandinavian Vikings into the area who then established a settlement near Kiev and adopted local customs.

• 13th century – Tatars invade and sacked Kiev between 1237-1240. Mongols controlled the region until the 1500s.

• Ivan the Great, Moscow prince, put an end to Mongol control.

• 17th century – Empire that extended to the Pacific Ocean; many different ethnic groups were absorbed into the empire.

• Russia’s growth has had a lasting effect on neighboring countries including the Baltic Republics: Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

Crash Course World HistoryRussia, the Kievan Rus, and the Mongols

Westernization• Science & Technology has lagged behind

• Peter the Great, a czar, tried to modernize the empire

• Industrialized in late 1800s• Harsh working conditions & low wages

• Caused people to be angry with the czar rulers

Russian Revolution• WWI 1914-1918

• 1917: Russians’ anger exploded into a revolt

• Communist Party took control of government and economy• Led by Vladimir Lenin; Ended czar rule

• USSR – 1922• Union of Soviet Socialists Republics

• Organized all of the different ethnic groups

• WWII 1939-1945• Joseph Stalin had taken control of USSR and fought against the Nazis

• After the war, he installed pro-Soviet governments in Eastern Europe

Cold War• 1940s: No open warfare between US and USSR

• Fear of communism spreading all over the world

• Major regional wars (proxy wars) in Korea, Vietnam, and Afghanistan

• Mikhail Gorbachev• Last leader of the Soviet Union

• Gave more economic/political freedom to his people

• 1991: End of Cold War

• Soviet Union collapses Russian Federation

• 15 independent republics

Crash Course World HistoryThe Cold War

Communist System/Command Economy• Karl Marx

• Communist Manifesto

• Disliked capitalism because it concentrated the wealth into the hands of a few and left others in poverty.

• Citizens would share wealth and own property together.

• Central Government makes all important economic decisions• Control: land, banks, factories, mines, transport,

farms, shop prices, etc.

Collective Farms• Farming became an industry under Stalin

• 1939: 9/10 farms were collectives

• Large teams of workers

• Forced to move and work the farms

• Millions died from starvation

• Severe Punishments for protest• 14 million killed

Ethnicity• Very ethnically diverse due to centuries of

Russian expansion.

• Russians are biggest group 80%

• 70 Other Nationalities

Religion• Orthodox Christianity

• Adopted in 10th Century

• Buddhism

• Islam

• Judaism• Many have fled from persecution

Artistic Genius• Religion & art are closely related

• Peter the Great promoted communication with Western Europe that began a golden age of artistic culture.

• The communist party outlawed all art that was not in the official style Socialist Realism• Portraying Soviet Ideals

• Composers• Peter Tchaikovsky & Igor Stravinsky

• Ballet• Kirov and Bolshi

Homes/Customs• 25% live in rural areas

• Dachas• Vacation homes in the country

• Banya• Russian Bathhouse

• Saunas & Ice Water

Chapter 16 – Section 2Transcaucasia

Cultures• Oldest human skulls found outside of Africa – 1.7 million years old

• Migration and trade through the region have created a diverse population.• 50+ different peoples live here

• Jabal Al-Alsun = Mountain of Language

Religions• Christian & Islamic are most common

• Located close to where these religions began

• Armenia & Georgia are among the oldest Christian states in the world• Armenia’s King Tiridates III converted to Christianity in 300AD; 1 year later his state was

the first in the world to adopt the religion.

• 7th Century – Muslim invaders converted many to Islam. Most Azerbaijanis are Muslim.

Czarist Rule• Region where rival empires have repeatedly fought to expand their borders.

• 18th Century – Russian expansion; 1723 Peter the Great’s generals took control of Azerbaijan; 1801 Georgia; 1828 large portion of Armenia; 1870s total control.

• 1917 – after the Russian Revolution the region enjoy a brief period of independence.

Soviet Rule• 1920s – The Red Army (Soviet Military) took control of the region.

• Same painful economic and political changes as the Soviet Union.

• Many died from famines from collective farming or were killed for their political beliefs.

• 1991 – Regained their independence after the fall of the USSR

Agriculture and Industry• Climate allows for profitable crops; teas & fruits

• Under Soviet control more industry was developed; iron, steel, oil & consumer goods

• “Land of Flames” = Azerbaijan; fires that erupted from rocks and waters from underground oil and gas deposits

Baku, Azerbaijan – Led screens mimic flames on these buildings

Dividing the Caspian Sea• 5 Countries border the Caspian and want its resources.

• Lake resource wealth must be shared equally among each of the countries.

• Sea each country has legal rights to the resources on its part of the sea bed.

Modern Life• Communist leaders helped reform education; 99% literacy rate

• Supra, dinner party (tablecloth), is a tradition is Georgia. Lots of food and drink, short speeches, and toasts; very serious and is a form of respect for tradition.

Chapter 16 – Section 3Central Asia

Silk Road• 4000 mile journey from China to the Mediterranean Sea

• 100 BC – First traders began making their way across the land trading goods and spreading ideas, technology and religion.

• 14th Century – traffic slowed due to increased sea trading

Crash Course World HistoryThe Silk Road

Great Game• 19th Century – Russia and Great Britain struggled for control of central Asia. Both

sides sent daring officers into the region to win local leaders to their side.

• Russia won control at the end of century; Soviet Union governed the region until their collapse in 1991.

Soviet Rule• Nuclear testing in Semey (Semipalatinsk), Kazakhstan until the late 1980s.

• Exploded 470 nuclear devices in the Polygon close to the citizens of Semey resulting in widespread health problems.

• Winds spread the nuclear fallout over 180,000 sq. miles exposing over 1 million people.

Petroleum• Oil fields in Kazakhstan & Turkmenistan; oil & gas reserves in the Caspian Sea.

• “A new great game” as countries worldwide compete for profits.

Forming Nations• Before Soviet control, the different ethnic groups lived unique separate lives in

different regions.

• Soviets used the differences to establish their authority. They carved the region into 5 nations based on the largest ethnic groups’ locations.

Language/Religion• Despite their ethnic differences, Islam helps unify the people.

• Many speak Russian or languages related to Turkish.

Survival of Traditions• The grasslands have long been home to Nomads: people with no permanent home

that move with the seasons with their animals in search of food, water and grazing land.

• They live in yurts: tents that are light and portable. Layers of felt are stretched around a wooden frame and covered in sheep fat for waterproofing.

Kyrgyz Sport – Wrestle the other off his horse