Unit 5 – Chapter 15

The Cultural Geography of Russia

I. Section I

Population Patterns

A. Russia’s Ethnic Diversity Over a 100 different ethnic groups! Ethnic Regions

Over the centuries, Russia took over much of the land in Asia and Europe and took over many different ethnic groups

Ethnic Groups (con’t) The Slavs

Largest ethnic group Ethnic Russians are part

of this group This group also includes:

Poles, Serbs, Ukrainians, etc.

Slavs have dominated Russia’s culture

Russian is the country’s official language

Ethnic Groups (con’t) Turkish Peoples

2nd largest group Mainly Muslims

Ethnic Groups (con’t)

Caucasian Peoples

Live in Caucasus region of SE Russia

B. Population Density & Distribution Population &

Environment Average Population

Density is 22 people per sq. mile

(U.S. is 78 per sq. mi.) Most people actually live in the

area between the Belarus and Ukraine borders and the Ural Mtns.

120 people per sq. mi. here Major industrial city is Moscow

Population Trends Population crisis

Poor healthcare movement out of Russia

II. Section IIHistory & Government

A. Early People and States Roots go back to A.D.

600s – Slavs Kievan Rus

City-States In the early 1200s, the

Mongol invaders conquered this region & then held control for more than 200 years

Early People and States (con’t)

The Rise of Russia By the late 1400s, the Slavs

drove out the Mongols Prince Ivan III – Ivan the

Great In 1533, Ivan the Great’s

grandson was crowned the 1st czar – supreme ruler

He was called Ivan the Terrible

By 1650 many peasants had become serfs or slaves Ivan the Great

Ivan the Terrible

B. Romanov Czars While Russia struggled with their harsh

rule, W. Europe left them behind (especially in areas of science & technology)

In the late 1600s, Czar Peter I (Peter the Great) – was determined to modernize Russia

A new capital – St. Petersburg was formed

Palace Square—St. Petersburg

C. The Russian Revolution Russification

Required everyone to speak Russian & follow Eastern Orthodox Christianity

Socialism Many Russians were

frustrated and attracted to this kind of economy that calls for equality

Karl Marx – German philosopher who came up with socialism

More hardships continued for Russia and finally in 1917, rule of the czars had ended

Last Czar of Russia and family assassinated

D. The Soviet Era Russian Revolution (1917) established a representative government

Was too weak Bolsheviks – revolutionary group – led by Vladimir Lenin – seized

control They believed in communism – based on Karl Marx’s ideas

Bolsheviks led a civil war against their opposition

The Soviet Union In 1921, the Bolsheviks (now known as communists) won the civil war

Established the USSR – Union of Soviet Socialist Republics

After Lenin’s death in 1924, Joseph Stalin took over reign

He led with fear and killed those in opposition

Lenin’s Grave

A SuperpowerDuring WWII, more than 27 million Russians died

At the war’s end. Russia controlled most of E. Europe

E. Europe countries became satellites – countries controlled by the Soviet Union

For the next four decades, the U.S. & the Soviet Union were locked in a Cold War

COLD WAR MILITARY BUILD-UP

Hard Times in the USSR

E. The Soviet Breakup 1985 – Mikhail Gorbachev

assumes power of the Soviet Union Begins reform Perestroika & Glasnost Many soviet republics

gained independence In 1991, Gorbachev’s

presidency ended and the Soviet Union ceased to exist

Reagan & Gorbechev

F. A New Russia Boris Yeltsin (was leader of Russia during Soviet

Union) – leader of devastated Russia Economy was in bad shape Many ethnic conflicts

A Market Economy Russia began moving from a command economy to a

market economy

Separatist Movement Still lots of ethnic conflict

G. Russia Timeline - for the “History Challenged”

Slavs – original group

Kievan Rus – loose union of city states

Mongols – conquered many Slavs

Ivan the Great & Slavs overthrew Mongols

Ivan the Terrible – 1st Czar

Russian Revolution – WWI

Russians attracted to socialism – Karl Marx

G. Timeline ContinuedBolsheviks & Lenin – start communism

Bolsheviks won the civil war – formed USSR

Lenin died – Stalin in power – rules by fear

WWII – USSR takes control of E. Europe

Cold War Begins – U.S. & Russia

Mikhail Gorbachev assumes power & begins reform

Boris Yeltsin assumes leadership

Vladimir Putin – current leader

Vladimir Lenin Joseph Stalin

Gorbachev Vladimir Putin

Section III Cultures & Lifestyles

A. Religion in Russia Christianity in Russia

Eastern Orthodox Church had been central prior to communist rule During communism – religion was strongly discouraged – Why?

Promoted Atheism The Orthodox Church regained following after communism

Patriarch and icons Islam

2nd largest religion Judaism

Have long been persecuted in Russia Pogroms – organized massacres

Buddhism 2 Republics in Russia are mostly Buddhist

B. Education Soviet Rule

Free but mandatory education Focused mostly on military, science, and

engineering studies Very little language, history, and literature Intelligentsia – intellectual elite

Today Choice of type of high school Current economy hurts their school funding

Moscow University

C. Health Care Disease, lifestyle choices

(smoking, drinking, bad foods), insufficient health care all threaten the well-being of Russians

The medical facilities still owned by the government are inefficient

D. The Arts Russia’s Artistic

Golden Age Artists found

inspiration in religion Russian artists have

risked much to express themselves

Culture & the Soviets Social realism –

people had to glorify communism in their works or they were punished

Post-Soviet Arts In the mid 1980s,

activity in the arts renewed

E. Life & Leisure Daily life has always been

difficult for ordinary people in Russia Overcrowded Apartments Long lines and expensive

prices for things as simple as a loaf of bread

Holidays In 1991, Christmas

became a national holiday in Russia