Mr. Boothby KEY
World Geography
Lecture Notes CH 28
Read pages 324-333 in your textbook before you begin to answer these questions. Remember to always answer by using complete
sentences. Keep this sheet in your notebook. Remember these must be in order by chapter to receive full credit on your NB Check!
Introducing Russia and Northern Eurasia:
1. For most of the twentieth century, much of the vast region of northern Eurasia was dominated
by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) commonly known as the Soviet Union.
2. In what year did the Soviet Union begin? What happened?
USSR formed in 1917 during the bulshavic revolution and overthrow of the monocratic government in place at the time/ Anastasia/
The Romonov family executions of 1917…
3. What were the beginning goals of the Soviet Union? What are some of the pros and cons of this type of
governmental system?
Financial equality for all/ The doctors are paid the same as janitors/ Only the elite military leader and famous elite receive somewhat
more!
4. What happened to the Soviet Union in 1991? What happened to all the Soviet countries?
It collapsed due to the “Cold War” and financial troubles!/ All the countries (15) became independent= FREEDOM
5. Why did the early Russian Empire spread across the steppe? How does this compare to the “manifest
destiny” the US went through during the period of 1804-1898?
Herding and farming / They moved to avoid the drought and make $$$/ US population ofprimarily farmers moved the opposite
direction for $$$
6. Who was “Batu” and why were his grandfathers people so feared?
Grandson of the famous Mongolian “Genghis Khan”. Horseback warriors that won many victories and…tortured vicims sometimes
eating them and using their body-parts in strange rituals.
7. Who was Ivan the IV and why was he so “terrible”? Where does the term “Czar” come from?
He was a ruler of Russia during the 1500’s/ He crowned himself “Czar” from Caesar or “emperor”/ He stretched the Russian empire
out North of Kiev to the Arctic and East to the Ural mts killing thousands or men, women, and children. They finally reached the
Russian Pacific Ocean.
8. How did Russia sell Alaska to the US? What was “Sewards Folly” (Not in the text)?
After Ivan the terrible expansion kept going as far as Alaska, Canada, and California. The Russians kept Alaska until Seward worked
out a deal for the US to purcase the frozen “wasteland” in the mid 1800’s they (The US people felt Seward was a fool to buy the
frozen wasteland). The joke is on Sewards enemies as Alaska was found to be rich in oil reserves!
9. Why did Russia become weak and finally fail as a monarcy?
The country was full of poor farmers making little $$$/ Drought made things worse and then in 1914 WW1 wiped out the countries
money and society. Most in Russia were tired of the monarchy and wanted a new way of life so…a temporary repulic was formed in
1917 that was destroyed and overthrown by the Commies or “Bulshavic Revolution”.
10. Who was Lenin and Marx and why did their government work so well in the beginnings?
Lenin was the first communist leader and made the government into many republics (like the evil lord darth sidious on Star Wars)
The republics had virtually no power! Stalin took over after Lenin’s death in 1924 and he rivaled even Adolph Hitler!!!/
Marx was a German Philosopher who felt Capitalism was bad in that only the business owners made the ‘real money”. He wanted an
all “middle class” system where there were no poor people and the middle class was a bit richer, with no wealthy people!!!
11. What was life really like in the Soviet Union? What did the Soviets do that the “Czars” could not? Life
sucked compared to US standards, hours in line for groceries/ multi-families sharing houses (Usually two-bedroom apartments)/This
was still better than what the Soviets had experienced in the past! Literacy under Czar=25% under Soviets 90%
12. With the dropout rate the way it is today what would happen in the USA if we became a Soviet
Socialist Republic? You suckers would be in school like in NY City= No cell phones in school, If you dropout not work permits
or drivers licenses until you are 18!
13. What was the “Cold War” and who was the official winner?
14. What were “glasnost” and “perestroika” and how may they have lead to the collapse of the Soviet
Union? Who was the first Democratic Russian President (CIS)?
Glasnost=Openness Perestroika= Restructuring Government / More power to the people let them think and loose fear!/ In 1991 the
Soviet Union broke apart and Boris Yeltsin became the first democratically elected president in 1991!