Ch32 – Section 2 – <span>“Incorrect”</span> Russian history w/ flaws of the text book
-Knjaz Vladimir – accepts Christianity from the Byzantine Empire – 1,000 years ago
- Kievan Rus (not Kievan Russia, but that’s what the book said)  800 AD to late 800’s
-850 AD Cyril and Methodius – spread Christianity to the almighty Slavs – formed Cyrillic alphabet
 - 988 AD – “the full acception” of Byzantine culture to an extent and Christianity, despite the fact it was already accepted by now
- 1054 AD – split of Eastern and Roman Catholic churches
- 1240 – oh god tatars in Russia
 - 1300 – Moscow gaining importance (when wasn’t it important?)
- 1480 – Tatars kicked out of Russia (by the Cossacks, but the book obviously doesn’t deem these awesome men in loin cloths and riding horses with fur hats on worthy of beating Asians)
- Ivan Veliki – Ivan III – strong unified Russia (that was Ivan Grozny sorry) 1462 – 1505
-  1472 – Ivan III -  first tsar (also Ivan Grozny, sorry again)  - married Sophia of Byzantine Empire (he married Maria first but she gets no credit either)
 - Ivan Grozny – czar 1500’s – expanded Russia
 - 1600’s – Peter the Great – Window to the west
<span>Generalzations </span>Truth – Russia is strong and mighty as always.
<span>My Opinions/conclusions</span> –
1) Russian Expansion was Ivan Grozny’s way to make Russia a strong, unified nation
2) Year round warm water ports – Kavkaz area => Year round trade!
3) Only during peasant times did Russians face repression (and Stalinist era…but…)
4) Lenin was sick of the tsarist Russia and wanted fairness!
5) Tsars only cared for the rich class, like Republicans do here.




Irony in the Gorbachev – Pizza Hut Commercial
There is only one ironic thing in the commercial and this is the fact they hail Gorbachev. If the commercial was made in the times of his ruling, then they would not be hailing him.  If this was made when Yeltsin was in Rule, then he was hailed for sure. Especially near the end and post-Yeltsin Russia.  The only other ironic thing in this commercial is an old lady in a capitalist western restaurant chain in Russia. In general, old Russian women are traditional. Not “GORBACHEV TAKES US TO THE VERY EDGE OF OUR PIZZA.” Also, if this was really made in his rule, I don’t think свобода would be truly mentioned, especially in the context of Gorbachev. The context of the word freedom свобода used in the commercial generally also refers to freedom from slavery like the peasants were in.  Also, it’s ironic for a true Soviet to ever say that he gives freedom, when Lenin himself said  - « Пока́ есть госуда́рство, нет свобо́ды. Когда́ бу́дет свобо́да, не бу́дет госуда́рства. » For those who aren’t blessed with the beautiful ability to speak Russian, that says – While a state exists, there can be no freedom. Then there is freedom there will be no state. Lenin was a true red communist (note I didn’t say true blue).  Also it’s kind of funny that it shows the cathedrals of the Kremlin in the commercial, perhaps this too is ironic. The Kremlin is the place of Government in Moscow, the capital, a socialist state. It is not ironic that Pizza Hut is a western restaurant in Russia. At the time, they were just starting to pop up.  Ну, приве́тствуй Горбачёву!







Social Studies Version of Russian History
Сейчас с малым политическим сарказмом!
<span>Changes in Tsarist Russia that were imminent</span>
	Mass political reform is imminent
	Exiling of people needs to stop
	Anti-Semitism
	Industry
	Nationalism needs boost
	Higher education standards needed
	New government, but not Westernized government. Serfs were barely aware of the Western governments; they just didn’t want to be treated like garbage. As you can see, the Western government in majority didn’t happen, but a Leninist reform of your least favorite kind of political idealism, Communism, did go into place Mr. Calder.
1) Quality of life was hampered at expense of Russian expansion in the book with the quote of <span>“The peasants ….bread</span>.” and <span>the quote on p719</span>. I however, don’t think life was hampered by Russian expansion. Peasant life was always like this, there was no major change. The only “negative” changes of expansion by the book’s claims is that the <span>expansion made “non-ethnic Russians” into Russia</span>, which I personally disagree with. Modern Day Russia, they are all ethnic Russians, as with all Slavic people. It goes vice versa for me, all Ukrainians are Russians, and all Russians are Ukrainians, all Poles are Russians, and all Russians are Poles. They have some different contrasting aspects of culture and life, but the Slavs are one of the same. And Mr. Calder, I know you don’t care what I think, but I felt like putting out my point anyway. I used evidence from the book to prove the point I am personally against.
2) Warm water ports imply year round trade. According to the textbook and the lecture, Russia is entirely a cold place, but this is only true for the very Northern areas of Russia. So of course taking over other land is a motivational factor for the aristocrats, as year round trade implies more money.
3) The repression was mainly prominent in the tsarist Russia. The book said the rich class used their power to prevent any form of revolution.
4) The slow pace of reform led to the October Revolution. The Duma didn’t get anything done and was a horrible solution.
5) Tsars only cared for the rich class, so the October Revolution was imminent. The “discontent” grew more with “repression” and the Empire fell.