-
Period: 1500 to
Russia
-
1534
Ivan IV the Terrible (1533 - 1584)
During his rule, he expanded Russia's borders when he beat back the Mongols at Kazan. Ivan built a legacy in land and architecture. Got his name after he killed his son and therefore ended his line of royalty. -
Peter the Great (1682 - 1725)
Peter was a part of the Romanov family.
Brought back stability to Russia and tried to make it more western. -
Construction on St. Petersburg is Completed
The city was designed by Peter and he had peasants build the city from scratch. They had to scoop up the mud in the marshland by hand and the construction killed 25,000 people. -
Catherine the Great (1762 - 1796)
She was a German princess married to Peter III (married into the family). Overthrew her husband and ordered the Olaf brothers to assassinate him. -
Capturing of the Crimean Peninsula
The Crimean Penisula belonged to the Turks before Russia, under her control Russia was able to take over the land. -
Russo-Japanese War (1904 - 1905)
Under the rule of Nicholas II, this was a loss that Russia wasn't used to at this point in history. They are trying to uphold their role as a superpower while Japan used this as a step to become a superpower. -
Russian Revolution 1917
During this Revolution, the Bolsheviks overthrow the government and take complete control. They built up a Socialist state (ended private property ownership, distributed land amongst peasants, and gave workers control of factories). They wanted to spread Communism around the world. Communists would later have a big victory in 1921 in the Russian Civil War overthrowing their enemies. -
Czar Nicholas II Steps Down
The March Revolution (1917) caused ongoing protests that led the Czar to step down ending the 300-year Romanov dynasty in Russia. A new government would replace the monarchy. This new government is the Bolsheviks (Communists, led by Vladimir Lenin). -
Stalin Takes Control
After the creation of the USSR and the death of Lenin, Stalin outmaneuvered Trotsky and became the dictator of the USSR. He ruled from 1929 - 1953. -
Ukraine Genocide (1932-1933)
From 1932 - 1933 Stalin spread communist control to the Baltic States including Ukraine. He then committed genocide there killing 10 million people through famine. -
WWII (1939-1945)
Russia joined WWII in 1941 and they lost 20 million people which was 1/3 of all WWII casualties. After the war, Stalin extended Communism into Eastern Europe and the eastern part of Germany. These countries included Ukraine. -
Cold War (1945-1991)
The next 5 decades were an arms race between the USA and the USSR. Russia wanted to spread communism and the US wanted to contain it. Small proxy wars such as Korea, Vietnam, and Afghanistan were fought and influenced by both sides. In 1991 under the control of Gorbachev, the USSR fell and a new type of Russia was formed. The countries of the Eastern Block were freed from communism and declared independence, including Ukraine. -
Rise of Putin
Vladimir Putin began as a member of the KGB and worked his way up through the ranks (Mayor - Prime Minister - President - Prime Minister - President). He is still the current leader of Russia and wishes to take back what was a part of the Russian Empire. This is why he wants to take back Ukraine. -
Invasion of Georgia (2008)
Putin uses the example that Ukraine and other countries were a part of the Russian Empire and the USSR. In 2008 he invaded Georgia and took 2 providences. Nobody did anything except for saying it was not right which worked out for Putin. -
Maidan Revolution (2014)
Ukraine had been in talks to join NATO from 2008-2009. In 2013 they were closing in on a deal to become closer with the EU, but their leader sided with Russia instead which led to a 93-day violent period where protestors were killed. In the end, the Ukrainians got what they wanted, but it was nit the world's main concern, and Putin will use this as an opportunity a few years later. -
Crimea is Taken Back by Russia (2014)
In March of 2014, Putin took back Crimea and his access to the Black Sea. -
Ukraine Invasion (2022)
In February of 2022, Putin ordered his forces to invade Eastern Ukraine. His plan was to take over the country within a few weeks, but the war has gone on still to the present day all because Putin wants to restore Russia to how it was over 100 years ago. Many have died and suffered since the beginning of the war and all who were against each other at Maidan are now fighting together.