1 / 18

Russia: A Brief History

Russia: A Brief History. CGI – Turmoil in Russia. History of Russia: 5 th – 20 th centuries. 5 th century – ethnic Slavs migrated from the west 9 th century – Scandinavians founded the state of Rus by the Volga River (today Moscow)

roddy
Download Presentation

Russia: A Brief History

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Russia: A Brief History CGI – Turmoil in Russia

  2. History of Russia: 5th– 20th centuries • 5th century – ethnic Slavs migrated from the west • 9th century – Scandinavians founded the state of Rus by the Volga River (today Moscow) • 988 – Kievan prince Vladimir baptized in the Byzantine church (Russian Orthodox Christianity)

  3. History of Russia: 1242-1584 • 1242 – Mongol leaders Genghis & Kublai Khan control vast territory (Hungary to Korea, Siberia to Tibet • 14th century ethnic Slavs throw off Mongol rule – Muscovy (Moscow) becomes new center of dynastic rule • Russian lords rule Muscovy • Tsar Ivan the Terrible (1533-1584) – broaden Russia’s territory toward the Crimea • Moscow Holy See of Eastern Orthodox Church

  4. History of Russia: Rise of the Romanovs • 1598-1613 – Time of Troubles • 1613 Michael Romanov elected – Romanovs will rule until 1916 • Peter I, the Great, 1689-1725 – westernizes Russia, incorporated the Caucasus into Russian Empire • Catherine II, the Great, 1762-1796 – extends Russian territory to include Crimea, Polish territories, and Ukraine

  5. History of Russia: The Romanovs • Alexander I, 1801-1825 – defeats Napoleon in 1812 • 19th century Tsars become increasingly reactionary, nationalistic, authoritarian • 1861 – serfdom in Russia is abolished; industry and capitalism begin to grow BUT most heavy industry is state run and situation of the newly freed Russia peasants is very dire

  6. History of Russia: Fall of the Romanovs • 1905 Russo-Japanese War – Russia is the first European country to loose a war to a non-European power. • 1905Workers strike causing relatively unsuccessful revolution • 1914-1917 Russia joins Allies against the Axis powers in World War I • 1917 – Romanovs overthrown by Provisional Government; Vladimir Lenin and Bolsheviks seize power from Provisional Government, execute Romanovs

  7. History of Russia: Creation of Soviet Union • 1917-1922 Russian Civil War – Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) declared • Communist party = authoritarian one-party government in which the state owns heavy industry, transportation and banking; economic growth is dictated by the state; agriculture is collectivized • 1934 Joseph Stalin comes to power • Approx. 20 Million Soviet citizens lose their lives • 1941 USSR joins Allies and help to defeat Hitler

  8. History of Russia: USSR • Cold War Years • Nikita Khrushchev & Leonid Brezhnev maintain USSR’s superpower status • Russia is a nuclear power • Has a strong space program • Spends majority of its budget on military • Mikhail Gorbachev, 1985-1991 • Perestroika (restructuring of political system) • Glasnost (opening – lifting of repression)

  9. History of Russia: Collapse of USSR • June, 1989 • Rise of Solidarity Movement in Poland; concerted efforts of Pope John Paul • Hungary opens border with Austria • November, 1989 • Berlin Wall falls • Peaceful revolutions in Czechoslovakia & Bulgaria • Violent overthrow of communism in Romania • By 1991 USSR = Commonwealth of Independent States created (15 republics) • Minsk Agreement, 1991 (ABC-CLIO)

  10. History of Russia: Russian Federation • Boris Yelstin, 1991-1999 • Pro-democracy, pro-free market • Class of oligarchs emerges • Social safety net dissolves; unemployment rises • War with Chechnya begins • Vladimir Putin, 2000-2008 • First democratically elected president?!?! (pg. 202) • Tightens freedom press, restricts human rights • Strained relationship with US over anti-missile system • Standard of living begins to improve • Dmitri Medvedev, 2008-2012 • Appoints Putin Prime Minister • Vladimir Putin, 2012 - ?

  11. Russian Federation - Government • Federation of 21 constituent republics, 41 oblasts (provinces), 7 krais (territories), 7 autonomous okrugs (districts), the , federal cities of Moscow and St. Petersburg • Republics = ind. constitution, president, and legislature • Other enjoy varying degrees of autonomy

  12. Russian Federation - Government • 1993 Constitution • President; bicameral legislature; guarantees citizens’ civil rights • Citizens 18 years and older eligible to vote • Three Branches of Government • Executive = popularly elected president to serve max. of two consecutive six-year terms; assisted by Council of Ministers and Prime Minister (both appointed); head of state and commander in chief of military • Legislature = 172-member Federation Council (2 per admin. region) & 450-member State Duma • Judiciary = Constitutional Court & Supreme Court whose member’s are appointed by the legislature • 2001 = trials by jury, increased independence of judges

  13. Russian Federation - Politics • United Russia Party (founded 2001) – chaired by Vladimir Putin • Communist Party of the Russian Federation (founded 1993) – led by Gennady Zyuganov • Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (founded 1990) – led by Vladimir Zhirinovsky (“Russian Mussolini”) • Ultranationalist group interested in creating a Greater Russia (conquest of parts of Central Europe, the Middle East, and Asia) • Yavlinsky-Boldyrev-Lukin Bloc (Yabloko) (founded 1993) • Economic reformers who oppose Chechen was • Agrarian Party of Russia (founded 1993) • Advocate of collective state farm managers opposed to land privatization

  14. Russian Federation - Economy • Per capita income $17,000 • 2011 Unemployment Rate 6.6% • Unemployment higher among women and young people Between 1990-2005, 25,000+ members of Russia’s scientific community left the country

  15. Russian Federation - Economy

  16. General Information on Russia • Fact & Figures on Russia (ABC-CLIO) • US Department of State – US Relations with Russia • Official Website of the Russian Government • Embassy of the Russian Federation in Washington, D.C.

More Related