THE RUSSIAN EMPIRE RUSSIAN EXPANSION 1450 1750 Largest

THE RUSSIAN EMPIRE

RUSSIAN EXPANSION, 1450 -1750 Largest landmasses under single rule. Southward into Central Asia Eastward into Siberia Into Alaska & Northern California Westward into Europe v. Baltic region, Poland, and Ukraine

TERRITORIAL EXPANSION CHANGED RUSSIA Ø It made Russia a multinational society Ø Russians diminished as a proportion of the overall population Ø It brought valuable resources Ø It made Russia one of the great powers of Europe Ø It made Russia a highly militarized society reinforced the autocratic character of the Russian empire

UPHOLDING AUTHORITY Ø The Czar relied on the landlord class Ø Landlords were given political and economic powers to manage local affairs Ø This helped Russia establish some political stability over its vast empire Ø It tied the fortunes of the landlord to those of the state

WESTERNIZATION Ø Czar Peter the Great, 1689 to 1725 Ø Some changes were cosmetic v Trimming beards v Adopting western clothing v Importing western culture Ø Some reforms were substantial v Education v St. Petersburg – a modern capital city v Military and economic reforms

THE GOALS OF WESTERNIZATION ❶ Enhance the power of the czar and the state ❷ Enhance the power of the Russian military ❸ Improve Russia’s image abroad

PETER DID NOT WANT TOTAL WESTERNIZATION!!! Ø No constitutional monarchy Ø No parliamentary tradition Ø No division of powers Ø Peter the Great believed in absolutism Ø No help for ordinary Russians Ø No commercial economy in Russia Ø He did not want a western society Ø He wanted to westernize the upper classes

“The British had an empire, Russia was an empire. ”

BETWEEN 1450 AND 1750 RUSSIA BUILT AN EMPIRE Ø Just like the western European powers Ø It conquered, settled, and explored Ø It imposed it’s institutions Ø But Russia colonized its neighbors Ø Russia built its empire while it was building a modern Russian state