Name:_______________________________________ Class Period:____ Due Date:___/____/____

Guided Reading & Analysis: Ch18- Russia Unifies and Expands

Basic Directions:
1. Pre-Read: Read the prompts/questions within this guide before you read the chapter.
2. Skim: Flip through the chapter and note the titles and subtitles. Look at images and their
read captions. Get a feel for the content you are about to read.
3. Read/Analyze: Read the chapter. Remember, the goal is not to “fish” for a specific answer(s) to
reading guide questions, but to consider questions in order
to critically understand what you read!
4. Write Write your notes and analysis in the spaces provided.
Key Concepts For Period 4 1450-1750
Key Concept 4.1: Globalizing Networks of Communication and Exchange
KEY CONCEPT 4.2 New Forms of Social Organization and Modes of Production
I. Traditional peasant agriculture increased and changed, plantations expanded, and demand for labor increased. These
changes both fed and responded to growing global demand for raw materials and finished products.
KEY CONCEPT 4.3 State Consolidation and Imperial Expansion
I. Rulers used a variety of methods to legitimize and consolidate their power.
II. Imperial expansion relied on the increased use of gunpowder, cannons, and armed trade to establish large empires in both
hemispheres.
III. Competition over trade routes (such as Omani-European rivalry in the Indian Ocean and piracy in the Caribbean), state
rivalries (such as the Thirty Years War or the Ottoman-Safavid conflict), and local resistance (such as bread riots) all provided
significant challenges to state consolidation and expansion.

European Interests in
the Americas Notse page 335-338 Analysis

What is considered the dividing line between Europe and Asia? Would you consider Russia to be more tied to Europe or
Asia? Explain
Key Concept 4.1:
Globalizing
Networks of How would that connect Russia to the Byzantine
What form of Christianity was practiced in Russia? Empire/Eastern Europe?
Communication and
Exchange

What impact did Mongol rule have on Russia? How did the tribute system created by the Mongols lead
1. to Russians taking back control?

2.

What commodity did Russia mainly trade with Europe & China?

What did Russia import from England?

What did Russia export along the Silk Road? What challenges would Russia face in trying to build a
sea-based empire?

Why did Peter the Great bring in technicians from Western Europe into
Russia?

Key Figures
Ivan III
Define autocratic:
 How did Ivan III obtain power and rule Russia? How does this term show the connection between the
KEY CONCEPT 4.3 Byzantine empire and Russia? What image is Ivan III
State Consolidation trying to project by using this term?
and Imperial Where does the term tsar come from?
Expansion

II. Rulers used a

variety of methods to
legitimize and Where and how did Ivan III expand Russia?
consolidate their
power. Why did Moscow replace Kiev as the political/economic
center of Russia?
How did Ivan III use architecture to legitimize his power? Support with
examples:

Describe the social hierarchy of Russian society:

1. Boyars:

2.
How was Russian serfdom different from European
serfdom? (pg 223)
III. Imperial
expansion relied on
the increased use of 3. Serfs:
gunpowder, cannons,
and armed trade to
establish large
empires in both
hemispheres. How did Ivan keep the Boyars from securing too much power? Why is Russia sometimes referred to as a “gunpowder”
empire during this time period?
Ivan IV
What weapon did Ivan IV use to expand the Russian empire?

How did Ivan IV use architecture to legitimize his rule?

Why was control over the Volga river important to
Russia?

Who were the Cossacks? How did they help Russia expand?

How far east did Russia expand to?

Why did Russia begin trade posts in Alaska?

Why do you think local shamans and religious still

continued?
What role did missionaries play?

What impact would the missionaries have on creating a

Russian identity?
 Who were the Oprichnina? Who were they sent to oppress? Why would lower level merchants/bureaucrats join this
group?

Are there any 20th century groups you can connect this
to?
2. Times of Troubles and the Romanovs
Key Concepts &
Main Ideas Pages 338-345 Analysis
Why did it occur?
What was the “Time of Troubles” in Russian history?
KEY CONCEPT
Do you think this could have an impact on why
4.3 State Russia did not become more democratic?
Consolidation
and Imperial Who are the Romanovs? How long did they rule?
Expansion

How did Peter the Great subdue the power of the Orthodox church?(list 3 steps
taken)
1.
II.Imperial
2.
expansion relied
on the increased
3.
use of
gunpowder,
How did Peter the Great build up Russia’s military power?
cannons, and
armed trade to
establish large
empires in both What was the significance of St.Petersburg’s location? Why did he move the capital from Moscow to St.
Petersburg?
hemispheres.

How did he modernize St. Petersburg?

Why is St. Petersburg referred to as the “window on
the West”?

KEY
CONCEPT 4.3
State What reforms did Peter the Great pass for Russia? Why did he promoted shaved bears and western
Consolidation style of dress?
and Imperial
Expansion
Rulers used a
variety of Who did Peter the Great’s reform impact? Who did not benefit? Why do you think he promoted more inclusion for
methods to women in the nobility?
legitimize and
consolidate their
power.
What new industries did he promote?

Why did he begin to raise taxes? How did this impact the serfs?

What was the Table of Ranks? How would this limit the power of the Boyars?
KEY CONCEPT
4.2 New Forms How is this similar to the plans that Genghis Kahn
of Social implemented?
Organization and
What new bureaucracy did Peter the Great introduce?
Modes of
Production
I. Traditional
peasant How would you summarize Peter the Great’s impact on Russia?:
agriculture
increased and
changed,
plantations
expanded, and
Why is it surprising that she ruled Russia?
demand for labor What was Catharine the Great’s background?
increased. These
changes both fed
and responded to
growing global Why did she convert to the Orthodox church?
demand for raw
materials and
finished
products. What reforms did Catharine the Great implement? What does this reveal about her goals for Russia?

What influence did the enlightened philosophers

have on the reforms she introduced?

What compromises did she make with the Boyars? Why did YOU think she needed the support of the
Boyars more than Peter the Great did?

Who did Russia fight in the late 18th century and what territory did they gain?
Why was this territory so important to Russia?
.

What does this tell you about the strength of the

Ottoman empire in the 18th century?

Who divided up Poland and ruled it?

What predictions can you make about those

countries relationship to Poland in the future?

What was slavophilism? What was it a reaction against?

Summarize Catharine the Great’s rule over Russia:

What impact did Peter the Great and Catharine the Great have on the lives of serfs?

Why did Russian serfdom continue to expand? How do you think Russia relying primarily on
agrarianism “stunted” their growth towards
modernization?

Describe the law placed in 1674 in Russia:

 How does that law compare to the status of serfs in
Great Britain in the same century?

What tensions continued between Cossacks and Russians?

What does this tell you about diversity and identify

What was the Pugachev rebellion? What impact did it have on later peasants? under the Russian empire?

By the 19th century _____% of Russians were serfs. Despite opposition to serfdom
why did it continue? Why were the serfs not able to successfully revolt in
similar ways that occurred during the
American/French revolution?

Who fought in the Crimean War? Who won?

Why would they fear Russian expansion more than

the Ottoman empire?
Who did the British and French support?

How did the Crimean war start to benefit the serfs? What similar emancipation was taking place in
America?

What were the similarities between France & Russia in the 18th century?

What differences existed between France & Russia in the 18th century?
Why would it take until the 20th century for Russians
to overthrow their government despite similar
conditions?

Answer A,B & C A. Provide ONE piece of evidence based on the Palace of Versailles that A.
supports the argument that politicians used architecture to legitimize their
rule, and explain how this piece of evidence supports this argument

B. Provide ONE piece of evidence based on the Winter Palace that supports B.
the argument that politicians used architecture to legitimize their rule and
explain how this piece of evidence supports this argument.

C. Provide ONE comparison between the Palace of Versailles and the Winter C.
Palace that demonstrates Peter the Great’s ideas about reforms.