Royal Absolutism in Russia: Tsar Peter the Great
Global History and Geography I
Name: _______________________
E. Napp
Date: ________________________
Tsar Peter I of Russia is known as 'Peter the Great'. As a young man, he traveled
to Europe in 1697-1698 to study new developments in technology, especially
shipbuilding. Although officially meant to be traveling incognito (with his identity
hidden), most people seemed to know Peter's identity. At a height of six feet seven, it
would have been hard for him to blend into a crowd!
Question:
1- Why did Peter travel to Western Europe?
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2- Why was he unable to hide his identity?
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Born on May 30, 1672, Peter was named Peter Alexowitz, meaning 'Peter the son
of Alexis'. His father, Tsar Alexis, had married twice, and Peter was the first child
of his second marriage. There were already six daughters and two rather unhealthy
sons, named Feodor and Ivan, from the first marriage. When Alexis died very
suddenly in 1676, Feodor ruled until his own death in 1682, when the ten year old
Peter became tsar jointly with his half-brother Ivan. It was not until 1696 that Peter
began to rule alone.
3- Why did Peter not immediately become Tsar when his father died?
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Russia was a huge landlocked country, much less developed than other countries
in Europe. At war with either Turkey or Sweden for warm-water ports (ports that
allow ships to travel because they do not freeze in winter), Peter took a particular
interest in ships and arms. He wanted Russia to be able to compete with European
countries in war and technology. During his trip to Western Europe, he looked for
ideas from countries like Holland and England, which already had strong navies.
4- What two problems affected Russia?
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5- What were Peter’s goals for Russia?
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Peter hoped to investigate and learn about all types of technology and science,
especially the latest techniques of shipbuilding and seamanship, particularly
navigation. He also wanted to study the way navies were organized, and recruit
specialists to travel home with him. If they advised and trained others, Russia too
could have a strong navy.
6- What did Peter learn during his travels to Western Europe?
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The king of England welcomed the opportunity to increase trade with Russia, so he
gave Peter all the help he could. The King of England wanted to sell tobacco, grown
in the British colony of Virginia, to Russia. During Peter's stay in England, a group
of London merchants and financiers gave him thousands of pounds for the right to
import tobacco into Russia.
7- Why did the king of England help Peter?
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Peter also passed through the German states before visiting Holland, where in 1697
he worked for a time as a carpenter. In 1698, he traveled to England and stayed at a
house in Deptford belonging to the writer and diarist, John Evelyn. The house
suited Peter well because it removed him from crowded London. Large and
beautifully furnished, it was close to the dockyards, where Peter could easily visit
ships being built. He was especially keen to study the drawing of ship plans.
7- Why did Peter like the house of the writer and diarist, John Evelyn?
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During their stay they caused a great deal of damage, and Evelyn was extremely
unhappy. A report stated that Peter's party, which was full of 'right nasty' people,
had wrecked the house and garden. Carpets were left filthy with grease and ink, and
many paintings looked as if they had been used for shooting targets. Locks and
windows were broken, and every one of the fifty chairs in the house had vanished,
probably burned on fires!
8- How would you describe Peter as a house guest?
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Technology from Western Europe proved very important in the development of an
efficient Russian navy. When Peter returned to Russia, a large shipbuilding
industry was established. By the end of Peter's reign, 28,000 men were serving in the
Russian navy on 49 ships and 800 smaller vessels. In the early years, many Britons
built, maintained, and served on these Russian ships. About sixty specialists from
England had agreed to travel back with the Tsar after his Great Embassy'. These
included master shipbuilders.
Over the next hundred years, Britain continued to provide many high-ranking
officers for the Russian navy. Sailors from Russia also trained on British ships.
Peter's innovations paved the way for further developments during the reign of
Catherine the Great, his grandson's wife. Before Peter became Tsar, Russia had no
navy at all. After his reign, Russian industry and armed forces were completely
reorganized, and the country became a successful naval power.
9- Was Peter’s visit to Western Europe a success? Explain your answer.
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In November 1724, Peter leapt into freezing water and worked throughout the
night to assist in the rescue of twenty sailors whose ship had been grounded. The
resulting fever helped lead to his death early in 1725.
Peter ordered his noblemen to wear fashionable Western clothes instead of their
old-fashioned long costumes. To add insult to injury, Peter personally cut off the
beards of his noblemen. All men except the peasants and priests had to pay Peter's
yearly beard tax and wear a medal proclaiming, "Beards are a ridiculous
ornament."
Why did Peter personally cut off the beards of his noblemen?
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Here is an interesting excerpt from a Time Magazine article dated February 1986:
In 1697, Peter the Great of Russia set out on one of history's most momentous
vacations. The towering (6 ft. 7 in.), charismatic monarch became the first Tsar ever
to venture peacefully outside his country, traveling for 18 months to the major
capitals of Western Europe. He absorbed Western ideas and technological knowhow and returned to guide Russia into the modern world.
That is the most familiar story about Peter the Great. The best one, however,
begins nearly three centuries later. An American TV crew embarks on another
momentous trip: to the Soviet Union to film a mini-series based on Peter's life. But
the production is in turmoil from the start, and the movie's creator is fired before
the crew sets foot on Russian soil. The Soviet bureaucracy and brutal cold cause
countless hardships and delays. Then the star falls ill and has to quit before filming
is complete. His role is taken over by an unknown look-alike.
Any lessons for the Regents? ______________________________________________
Multiple-Choice Questions:
1. Peter the Great and Catherine the Great changed Russia by
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2.
3.
4.
abolishing all social class distinctions
becoming constitutional monarchs
preventing wars with neighboring nations
introducing western ideas and customs
2. Westernization in Russia came about largely through the
1.
2.
3.
4.
efforts of Peter the Great and his successors
invasion of Russia by Sweden
desire of the United States to seek new markets
acceptance of the policies of the Eastern Orthodox Church
3. “God hath power to create or destroy, make or unmake, at his pleasure; to give
life or send death; to judge…and to be judged (by) none…And the like power have
kings;…”
Which idea is described by this passage?
1.
2.
3.
4.
theory of divine right
enlightened despotism
Social Darwinism
constitutional monarchy
Explain the Quote:
“I have conquered an empire but I have not been able to conquer myself.”
~ Peter the Great
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Interesting Facts about Peter the Great:
Modern Russia started with the rule of Peter the Great. Peter realized that Russia
must be westernized to preserve its independence. Already fascinating by
mechanical inventions, he studied government and business models of the West.
But Peter also believed in starting from the bottom and working his way up. He
learned ship building from the Europeans he invited to Russia, and built a ship
himself, which he captained as Peter Alekseevich. In 1697, he accompanied an
embassy to European courts as a carpenter named Peter Mikhailov. He also served
as seaman, soldier, barber and, to the discomfort of his courtiers, as dentist.
Peter sent Russians to be educated in the West and imported skilled labor from
abroad. He encouraged smoking, but taxed tobacco. Because European men usually
were clean shaven, he taxed Russians wearing beards. He modernized the calendar,
simplified numerals, and encouraged private industry and mining. Remarkably,
Peter managed to modernize Russia without borrowing money for his state. Instead,
he taxed his citizens heavily.
To ensure contact with the West, Peter captured the eastern shores of the Baltic
Sea from the Swedes and built a new capital, St. Petersburg, on its shores.
Peter was a big strong man, 6' 8'' inches tall, and unlike previous monarchs, not
afraid of physical labor. In November 1724, he dived into the cold northern ocean to
assist in a ship rescue. It led to his illness and death.
Peter the Great (1672 - 1725) was proclaimed Tsar at age 10, but due to a power
struggle had to rule under the patronage of his sister Sofia. He seized control from
her when he was just 17. His real name was Peter Romanov.
In 1715, at the funeral of a favorite court dwarf, officials were followed by 24 pairs
of male and female dwarves arranged by height, followed by Peter and his
ministers.
List Ten Facts about Peter the Great:
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Essay: Peter the Great was an absolute monarch in Russia. Discuss the beliefs and
describe the actions of this Russian monarch.
Introduction:
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Body Paragraph #1:
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Body Paragraph #2:
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Conclusion:
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