Dylan Grant

Ms. Tavani
World Cultures
March 23, 2015
1. While reading, list in chronological order the rulers of Russia.
First was Ivan IV, Michael Romanov then Peter the Great.
2. Identify the following terms: boyer, czar, westernization
Boyar: Russias landowning nobles. They would fight to control young
Ivan.
Czar: The emperor of Russia
Westernization: A way of changing traditions and techniques in your
own country. You adjust to a new way of running a country.
3. How did Ivan the Terrible deal with his enemies during his "bad
period"?
Ivan turned against the boyars because he thought they poisoned
his wife. He organized his own police force and made them hunt
down and kill the ones who he thought were traitors. He ended up
killing a whole ton of boyars, their families and the peasants who
worked on their lands. He also, by accident, killed his own son.
4. Why did Peter the Great believe that Russia's future depended
on having a warm-water port?
5. What were some of the ways Peter attempted to westernize
Russia?
He brought the Russian Orthodox Church under state control. He
reduced the power of great landowners. He recruited men from
lower ranking families then promoted them to positions of authority
and gave them grants of land to reward them. Created a
modernized army who became strong soldiers. By the time he died,
Russia had an army of about 200,000 men. Peter brought in

potatoes. He started the first newspaper. Womens status was a lot

higher during westernizing Russia. Peter ordered the nobles to give
up their traditional clothing to change into Western wear. Schools
became more advanced, opening a school of navigation and
introduced schools for the arts and sciences.
6. Who do you believe was more of an absolute monarch: Ivan IV or
Peter the Great? Explain with evidence to support your answer. [2
pts.]
I think Peter the Great was more of an absolute monarch because
he changed the entire country for the better. Peter the Great
ruled Russia with great power and did things to the community to
westernize the country as a whole.
7. Which class of Russian society probably did not benefit from
Peter's reforms? Why?
The upper class probably did not benefit from Peter the Greats
choice to westernize the country because he helped the lower
classes with land and money so they can survive well.
8. How might Peter's attempts at westernization have affected his
people's opinion of Christians in Europe? [2 pts.]
His attempts at westernization really changed the views of people in
Russia. It was almost like they all changed for him. The nation
almost had to because if they didnt change their religion they would
be taxed.
9. Which event in your reading do you believe had the most impact
on modern Russia? Why? [2 pts.]
I think the biggest impact on modern Russia was the change of the
lower class getting more of an opportunity and the upper
class/boyars had to change their whole lifestyle.