World History 8
Chapter 11 Section 2 “The Russian Empire”
Russia’s Birth
1. Who were the Slavs? (Use the glossary.)
People from the forests north of the Black Sea, ancestors of many peoples in Eastern Europe
2. What group invaded in the 800s and settled among the Slavs in Russia?
Vikings (Rus)
3. What was Kiev and why was it important to the Vikings?
City on the Dnieper River that allowed Vikings to sail to Constantinople to trade
4. Who was Vladimir and what role did he play in Kiev becoming Eastern Orthodox?
Prince of Kiev (980) who converted to Byzantine Christianity after his advisors observed all the major religions of the times (including Islam, Judaism, and Western Christianity); Made all his subjects convert
Kiev’s Power and Decline
5. Who was Yaroslav the Wise and what did he do for Kiev?
· Came to throne in 1019 and brought Kiev to higher glory
o Married his daughters and sisters to kings and princes of western Europe (trading alliances)
o Created a legal code to protect commercial interests
o Built first library
o Christianity prospered
6. What were two causes for the decline of Kiev?
· Yaroslav had divided his realm among his sons who then fought each other for the best parts – continued with their sons – tore the state apart
· Crusades disrupted trade which had made Kiev prosperous
The Mongol Invasion
7. Who were the Mongols and when did they arrive in Russia?
· Ferocious group of horsemen from central Asia
· Middle 1200s
8. How did the Mongols gain control of Kiev, how for how long did they rule southern Russia?
· Attacked and demolished Kiev, slaughtered inhabitants
· 200 years
9. What did the Mongols rename their empire in Russia?
Khanate of the Golden Horde (Khanate = kingdom, horde = camp)
10. How did the Mongols rule Russia? What two things did they demand from Russians?
· Russians could follow any customs as long as they didn’t rebel
· Tolerated all religions
· Demanded
o Absolute obedience
o Massive amounts of tribute
Russia Breaks Free
11. Why was the location of Moscow strategically important?
Located near three major rivers; with control of the rivers, they could control nearly all of European Russia
12. How did the princes of Moscow make it the most powerful city in Russia?
· Helped Mongols crush a revolt
· Mongols made Prince Ivan I tax collector of all Slavic lands – made him wealthiest and most powerful of Russian princes
· Patriarch of Church moved from Kiev to Moscow
· Enlarged their territory through land purchase, wars, trickery, etc.
13. Who was Ivan III? What name did he take and what does it mean?
· Prince of Moscow who reigned for 42 years and challenged Mongol rule
· Took name czar (Russian for Caesar)
· Wanted to make Russia the “Third Rome”
14. How did Russia become independent of Mongol rule?
1480 – Ivan refuses to pay further tribute to Mongols. Armies face each other and with no fighting, the Mongols decided to leave.