Chapter Introduction
Section 1: History and
Governments
Section 2: Cultures and
Lifestyles
Visual Summary
Movement Today, Russia is
the world’s largest country.
Early in its history, however, it
was a small territory on the
edge of Europe. Strong rulers
gradually expanded Russia’s
borders. While Russia’s
government has undergone a
number of changes, the
country’s culture and traditions
have remained strong. Why
do countries often wish to
expand their territory?
Section 1:
History and Governments
The characteristics and
movement of people impact
physical and human systems.
Russia grew from a small trading
center into a large empire.
Although Russia’s leaders and a
few citizens enjoyed great power,
most Russians remained poor
and had few rights. In time, these
conditions led to great changes in
Russia’s government.
Section 2:
Cultures and Lifestyles
Culture groups shape
human systems. The
Russian people have created
a rich culture that reflects
strong national feelings.
Cultural traditions have
shaped many areas of daily
life, such as housing,
recreation, and celebrations.
The characteristics and movement of
people impact physical and human
systems.
Content Vocabulary
• missionary
• Cold War
• czar
• glasnost
• serf
• perestroika
• communist
state
• coup
• collectivization
Academic Vocabulary
• convert
• release
• eliminate
A giant cat? No, it is actually a miniature city.
The highest building in this model of the city
of Königsberg stands only 3 feet
(91 cm) high. Königsberg means “King’s
Mountain” and was once a German capital.
In 1945, during the final days of World War
II, German and Soviet armies fought a
desperate four-day battle in the city. After the
war, the Soviet Union took control of the city
and renamed it Kaliningrad. Today,
Kaliningrad is part of Russia, which became
independent after the Soviet Union’s fall in
1991. Read this section to find
out more about Russia’s history.
Do you think citizens have the right to
overthrow their government if they
are unhappy with the administration’s
policies?
A. Yes
B. No
A. A
B. B
0%
B
A
0%
Among the causes of the Soviet Union’s collapse in
1991 were that the country’s many ethnic groups
wanted independence, few of the nation’s people
believed in communism, and the poor communist
economy created hardship for the citizens. Perhaps the
final, deciding causes, though, were the policies of
glasnost and perestroika—experiences of freedom the
people liked very much.
The Russian Empire
Strong leaders made Russia a
vast empire, but widespread
suffering eventually led to
revolution.
The Russian Empire (cont.)
• During the A.D. 800s, early Slavic peoples
built a civilization around the city of Kiev,
today the capital of Ukraine.
• This civilization, called Kievan Rus,
prospered from river trade between
Scandinavia and the Byzantine Empire.
• In 988, the people of Kievan Rus
converted to Eastern Orthodox Christianity.
Expansion of Russia
History at a Glance
The Russian Empire (cont.)
• Missionaries, or people who move to
another area to spread their religion, had
brought this form of Christianity as well as
a written language.
• In the 1200s, Mongol warriors from Central
Asia conquered Kievan Rus.
• Many Slavs moved northward to the
trading post of Moscow, which became the
center of a new Slavic territory called
Muscovy.
History at a Glance
The Russian Empire (cont.)
• Muscovy developed into the country
known today as Russia.
• In 1547 Ivan IV declared himself czar, or
emperor.
• Ivan and later czars, such as Peter the
Great and Catherine the Great, expanded
the Russian Empire toward the Pacific
Ocean and Central Asia.
History at a Glance
The Russian Empire (cont.)
• Through the centuries, the czars, large
landowners, and wealthy merchants
enjoyed comfortable lives, but the majority
of Russians were poor serfs, or farm
laborers who could be bought and sold
with the land.
• In 1861, Czar Alexander II freed the
country’s 40 million serfs, although
freedom did not release them from poverty.
History at a Glance
The Russian Empire (cont.)
• Alexander began to modernize the
economy, but most Russians remained
poor, and unrest spread among workers
and peasants.
• In 1914, Russia joined France and Britain to
fight Germany and Austria in World War I,
but, poorly prepared, Russia suffered huge
military defeats.
History at a Glance
The Russian Empire (cont.)
• Many Russians blamed Czar Nicholas II
for the country’s poor performance and for
food shortages.
• In 1917, the people staged a revolution
that forced the czar to step down from
the throne.
• Later that year, Vladimir Lenin led a
second revolt that overthrew the temporary
government.
History at a Glance
The Russian Empire (cont.)
• He set about establishing a communist
state in which the government controlled
the economy and society.
History at a Glance
Czars of Russia included all of the
following EXCEPT
A. Catherine the Great
B. Vladimir Lenin
C. Nicholas II
D. Ivan IV
A.
B.
C.
D.
A
B
C
D
Rise and Fall of Communism
The Communist system
controlled many aspects of
people’s lives, but democratic
ideas eventually took hold.
Rise and Fall of Communism (cont.)
• Vladimir Lenin and his followers created a
new nation called the Union of Soviet
Socialist Republics, or the Soviet Union.
• This nation included 15 republics made up
of different ethnic groups.
• Russia was the largest republic, and the
Russian ethnic group dominated the
Soviet Union’s government.
Rise and Fall of Communism (cont.)
• Lenin followed the ideals of Karl Marx, who
believed that industrialization had created
an unjust system in which factory owners
held great power while the workers
held little.
• To make everyone in Soviet society more
equal, Lenin did away with the private
ownership of businesses.
• All farms and factories came under the
control of the Soviet government.
Rise and Fall of Communism (cont.)
• Lenin’s policies were continued by Joseph
Stalin, a harsh dictator who killed or
imprisoned anyone who disagreed
with him.
• Soviet leaders set up a command
economy in which the government ran all
areas of economic life, including deciding
what crops farmers should grow and what
goods factories should produce.
Rise and Fall of Communism (cont.)
• Soviet leaders introduced collectivization—
a system in which small farms were
combined into large, factory-like farms run by
the government.
• These were inefficient and did not produce
enough food for the people.
• Industrial production was more successful.
• Huge factories produced steel, machinery,
and military equipment.
Rise and Fall of Communism (cont.)
• Under strict government control, competition
was eliminated, or done away with, allowing
only certain factories to make certain goods.
• This led to low efficiency and poor
quality goods.
• In 1941, during World War II, Germany
invaded the Soviet Union.
• By the time the war was over, 20 to 30
million Soviet soldiers and civilians
had died.
Rise and Fall of Communism (cont.)
• Stalin wanted to make sure the Soviet Union
would not be invaded again, so he kept
Soviet troops in neighboring eastern
European countries and established
Communist governments in them.
• The Soviet Union and the United States
were allies during World War II, but
became bitter rivals after it.
• They engaged in a struggle for world
influence known as the Cold War.
Rise and Fall of Communism (cont.)
• Each superpower became the center of a
group of nations that pledged to help each
other if attacked.
• The United States was the chief member
of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization,
or NATO, which included most of western
Europe’s democracies.
• The Soviet Union led the Warsaw Pact, a
group of Communist countries that
included most of Eastern Europe.
Rise and Fall of Communism (cont.)
• In 1985 Mikhail Gorbachev, the new Soviet
leader, began a number of reforms.
• Under the policy of glasnost, or
“openness,” Soviet citizens could say and
write what they thought without fear of
being punished.
• The policy of perestroika, or “rebuilding,”
aimed to boost the Soviet economy. It
gave factory managers more freedom and
called for small, privately-owned
businesses.
Rise and Fall of Communism (cont.)
• Gorbachev’s policies made the Soviet people
doubt communism, and by 1991, Russia and
other Soviet republics had declared
independence.
• As communism ended in eastern Europe,
the Soviet Union faced growing unrest
among its ethnic groups, and Gorbachev
was criticized by all sides.
• Hard-liners wanted to stop changes, while
reformers felt that Gorbachev was not
moving fast enough.
Rise and Fall of Communism (cont.)
• In August 1991, hard-line Communists
attempted a coup, an overthrow of the
government by military force.
• Boris Yeltsin, the president of Russia—the
largest of the Soviet republics—called on the
people to resist, and the hard-liners backed
down.
Rise and Fall of Communism (cont.)
• Within a few months, Russia and all of the
other Soviet republics declared
independence, and by the end of 1991, the
Soviet Union no longer existed as a nation.
Who was Russia’s harsh dictator that killed
all those who opposed him?
A. Lenin
B. Stalin
C. Yeltsin
D. Gorbachev
0%
A
A.
B.
C.
0%
D.
B
A
B
C
0%
D
C
0%
D
Culture groups shape human
systems.
Content Vocabulary
• oral tradition
• nationalism
• autonomy
Academic Vocabulary
• promote
• primary
• exploit
The model in this photograph is getting
ready for Siberian Fashion Week in
Krasnoyarsk, Russia. Once a fortress city
that protected Siberia from invaders, the
city is now home to a festival that
highlights the world of beauty.
Krasnoyarsk links the eastern and western
regions of icy Siberia. In a similar way,
Fashion Week combines the artistic
traditions of the regions with the business
of high fashion. Read Section 2 to learn
more about the rich cultures
of Russia.
Have you ever seen Swan Lake or
The Nutcracker performed either live
or on television?
A. Yes
B. No
A. A
B. B
0%
A
0%
B
Roller coasters originated in Russia in the 1700s! “Ice
slides” were huge wooden frames with steps in the
back and a steep, ice-covered slide in the front. The
cart was also made of ice and had a straw seat and a
rope handle. Customers would climb the up the back,
get in the cart, and then fly down the slope, wrecking in
a pile of sand at the bottom.
Russia’s Cultures
Russia’s many ethnic groups
and a tradition of great
achievements in the arts and
sciences contribute to the
country’s cultures.
Russia’s Cultures (cont.)
• Under communism, Russia’s people were
not allowed to practice religion, but that
has changed.
• Today, Russia is home to many Eastern
Orthodox Christians. Muslims, Roman
Catholics, Protestants, and Jews also live
in Russia.
Russia’s Cultures (cont.)
• Early Russians developed a strong oral
tradition, or passing stories by word of
mouth from generation to generation.
• Writers and musicians have drawn on these
stories or on folk music for their works.
• The Russian people’s strong sense of
nationalism, or feelings of loyalty toward
their country, is reflected in many
artistic works.
Russia’s Cultures (cont.)
• Russia has long been a center of music
and dance.
• During the Soviet era, writers did not enjoy
freedom of expression but were required to
promote government policies in their works.
• Today’s government has also placed limits on
freedom of speech.
Russia’s Cultures (cont.)
• Famous Russian musicians and writers are
Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky, Igor Stravinsky, Leo
Tolstoy, and Alexander Solzhenitsyn.
• Russia is famous for its Bolshoi Ballet, Kirov
Ballet, and Hermitage Museum.
• Because the Soviet Union emphasized
education in the sciences, Russia has many
scientists, mathematicians, and doctors.
• Russia has also long participated in the
space program.
Great Russian musicians and writers
include the following EXCEPT
A. Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky
B. Leo Tolstoy
C. Igor Stravinsky
D. Claude Debussy
0%
A
A.
B.
C.
0%
D.
B
A
B
C
0%
D
C
0%
D
Life in Russia
Russian lifestyles are
influenced by the region’s
cold climate and vast area, as
well as the country’s
changing economic system.
Life in Russia (cont.)
• Most Russians live in cities located west of
the Ural Mountains.
• City dwellers generally live in large
apartment buildings rather than in singlefamily homes.
• Wealthy Russians may own country
homes called dachas.
Life in Russia (cont.)
• Housing is scarce and often expensive.
For this reason, grandparents, parents,
and children frequently share the same
apartment or dwelling.
• Russia’s most popular sports are
associated with winter or are played
indoors.
• Russian hockey players, figure skaters,
and gymnasts are strong competitors in
international events.
Life in Russia (cont.)
• Russian holidays include the new
Independence Day on June 12, which marks
the country’s declaration of autonomy, or
independence from the Soviet Union.
• Other popular holidays are New Year’s
Eve and Maslenitsa, a week-long holiday
marking the end of winter.
Life in Russia (cont.)
• Railroads were the primary means of
transportation during the Soviet era and are
still important today.
• The famed Trans-Siberia Railroad runs
from Moscow in the west to Vladivostok in
the east and is the longest rail line in
the world.
• The railroad made it possible for Russians
to exploit Siberia’s natural resources.
Life in Russia (cont.)
• For years, telephones were less common in
Russia than in most European countries.
• Since the 1990s, new phone lines allow for
the rapid transfer of information, making it
easier to use the Internet in Russia.
What is the word for a Russian
country home?
A. Vladivostok
B. Dachas
C. Maslenitsa
D. Autonomy
0%
A
A.
B.
C.
0%
D.
B
A
B
C
0%
D
C
0%
D
The Russian Empire
• Russia had its beginnings
in small trading centers
built by Slavic peoples.
• Rulers known as czars
governed the Russian
Empire from 1547 to 1917.
• The czars expanded
Russian territory to reach
from Europe to the Pacific Ocean.
• Revolutions in 1917 overthrew
the czar and brought the
Communists to power.
The Soviet Union
• Under the Communist
Party, the government
ran all areas of
economic life.
• After World War II, the
Soviet Union and the
United States became
bitter rivals.
The Rise of Democracy
• In 1991 the Soviet
Union broke up into
Russia and other
independent republics.
• Russia has struggled
to build a democracy
and a market
economy.
People and Culture
• Russia has many different
ethnic groups.
• Russians practice a number
of different religions, but
most of the population is
Eastern Orthodox Christian.
• Russian artists, musicians,
and writers often used themes
based on Russian history.
Life in Russia
• Most Russians live in apartments in large cities
rather than in single-family homes.
• Railroads link heavily populated European Russia
with sparsely settled Siberia.
• Russia is working to improve its highway and
communications systems.
Soviets were not
allowed to practice
their religions. A
cathedral would
represent loss of
religious freedom and
possible punishment.
missionary
person who moves to another area to
spread his or her religion
czar
title given to the emperors of Russia’s
past
serf
farm laborer who could be bought
and sold along with the land
communist state
country whose government has
strong control over the economy and
society as a whole
collectivization
a system in which small farms were
combined into huge state-run
enterprises with work done by
mechanized techniques in the hopes
of making farming more efficient and
reducing the need for farm workers
Cold War
period from about 1947 until 1991
when the United States and the
Soviet Union engaged in a political
struggle for world influence but did
not fight each other
glasnost
policy of political openness in the
Soviet Union that allowed people to
speak freely about the country’s
problems
perestroika
policy of economic restructuring in the
Soviet Union that called for less
government control of the economy
coup
action in which a group of individuals
seizes control of a government
convert
change from one to another
release
to relieve pressure; to set free
eliminate
to remove or get rid of
oral tradition
folktales and other stories that are
preserved by being remembered and
spoken
nationalism
feelings of affection and loyalty
towards one’s country
autonomy
having independence from another
country
promote
to put forward
primary
main or most important
exploit
use
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