Timeline of Russian History
The Eastern Slavs, traveling up into Eastern Europe from around the Black Sea area. These nomads began wandering the steppes and forests of modern day Russia and Ukraine starting around 1700 BCE. The areas near Dniester, Dnieper, and Volga rivers were heavily forested and the Eastern Slavs hunted and gathered resources in the forest in addition to performing slash and burn style agriculture. While this area was perfect for fishing, trapping, hunting, and husbandry; agriculture was nearly impossible. The forest in these areas was so aggressive, and the soil so poor that slash and burn agriculture was the only form of crop farming available. Once the soil became exhausted, the early settlers were forced to either move, or clear out more forest. Essentially, each bit of land could only support so many people, which led to the rapid expansion of many small Eastern Slavic settlements throughout the region. Not much else is known about their culture from this period until around 800 CE.
In the late 700s CE, explorers from other civilizations began incursions into the area these Eastern Slavs called their territory, now known as the Rus. The Rus was abundant with amber, honey, wax, fur, wood, and slaves and they found themselves being approached by the Germanic people from the north and east, and trade organizations from Iran and Northern Africa to the south and east. The Rus was a direct intersection between northern and southern Europe, with major north-south running rivers right through it. The Rus began unifying and by 830 CE, texts start mentioning an official ruling body of the Rus. They wanted to develop a trade route through their territory from the Baltic Sea, to the Black Sea and Constantinople. At the same time, Vikings were looking to expand their domain as well. The Vikings were looking to establish trade with the far south. They established a foothold by settling Novgorod in the northern part of the Rus, alongside the Dvina, Dnieper, and Volga rivers. These three rivers flow to the Baltic Sea, the Black Sea, and the Caspian Sea (respectively), making this a major hub for trade in the region. The Rus and the Scandinavian Vikings started raiding and taking control of more area down the Dnieper River towards Kiev and the Black Sea. Eventually, the Rus and the Vikings had complete control of Kiev and the entire trade route from the Baltic to the Black Sea and Constantinople. There, they founded the capital of the Rus in Kiev.
In 1223, the Golden Horde under Genghis Khan made its way into the Rus, fragmenting the country into small principalities. The Mongols set up shop in the smaller principalities in the Rus, allowing personally appointed princes from among the populace to act as puppet governors, as long as the tributes were sent in a timely manner. Grand Prince Alexander, seeking to secretly gain power and unify Russia against the Mongolians, moves his palace and the Russian Orthodox Church to Moscow in 1299, farther away from Mongolian controlled Kiev. Alexander keeps close ties with the Mongol Khan, visiting often and bringing extra tribute and, as a result, is given near free reign over his domain. Alexander’s descendant Ivan III, also known as Ivan the Great, had consolidated enough power in Moscow to strike back at the Mongolians. He first invades and captures Novgorod in 1470 then, over the next ten years, launches successful military campaigns against rival Russian principalities and eventually, in 1480, removes the Mongolians from power.
Over the next four centuries, Russia is ruled by a ruling elite (czars) and, after much political and economic instability, was eventually overthrown during the Russian Revolution of 1917. This paved the way for the rise of the Communist Party and the Soviet Union. This union lasted until 1991, when after years of stagnation and floundering economy, the Soviet Union dissolved and made way for the Russian Federation.
Resources:
Gascoigne, B. (2001). History of Russia. Retrieved from: http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?historyid=ac14
Ioffe, G., Nefedova, T., & Zaslavsky, I., (2006) The End of Peasantry: The Disintegration of Rural Russia. Pittsburgh, PA: University of Pittsburgh Press.
Russia. (2016). In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved from http://www.britannica.com/place/Russia/History
In the late 700s CE, explorers from other civilizations began incursions into the area these Eastern Slavs called their territory, now known as the Rus. The Rus was abundant with amber, honey, wax, fur, wood, and slaves and they found themselves being approached by the Germanic people from the north and east, and trade organizations from Iran and Northern Africa to the south and east. The Rus was a direct intersection between northern and southern Europe, with major north-south running rivers right through it. The Rus began unifying and by 830 CE, texts start mentioning an official ruling body of the Rus. They wanted to develop a trade route through their territory from the Baltic Sea, to the Black Sea and Constantinople. At the same time, Vikings were looking to expand their domain as well. The Vikings were looking to establish trade with the far south. They established a foothold by settling Novgorod in the northern part of the Rus, alongside the Dvina, Dnieper, and Volga rivers. These three rivers flow to the Baltic Sea, the Black Sea, and the Caspian Sea (respectively), making this a major hub for trade in the region. The Rus and the Scandinavian Vikings started raiding and taking control of more area down the Dnieper River towards Kiev and the Black Sea. Eventually, the Rus and the Vikings had complete control of Kiev and the entire trade route from the Baltic to the Black Sea and Constantinople. There, they founded the capital of the Rus in Kiev.
In 1223, the Golden Horde under Genghis Khan made its way into the Rus, fragmenting the country into small principalities. The Mongols set up shop in the smaller principalities in the Rus, allowing personally appointed princes from among the populace to act as puppet governors, as long as the tributes were sent in a timely manner. Grand Prince Alexander, seeking to secretly gain power and unify Russia against the Mongolians, moves his palace and the Russian Orthodox Church to Moscow in 1299, farther away from Mongolian controlled Kiev. Alexander keeps close ties with the Mongol Khan, visiting often and bringing extra tribute and, as a result, is given near free reign over his domain. Alexander’s descendant Ivan III, also known as Ivan the Great, had consolidated enough power in Moscow to strike back at the Mongolians. He first invades and captures Novgorod in 1470 then, over the next ten years, launches successful military campaigns against rival Russian principalities and eventually, in 1480, removes the Mongolians from power.
Over the next four centuries, Russia is ruled by a ruling elite (czars) and, after much political and economic instability, was eventually overthrown during the Russian Revolution of 1917. This paved the way for the rise of the Communist Party and the Soviet Union. This union lasted until 1991, when after years of stagnation and floundering economy, the Soviet Union dissolved and made way for the Russian Federation.
Resources:
Gascoigne, B. (2001). History of Russia. Retrieved from: http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?historyid=ac14
Ioffe, G., Nefedova, T., & Zaslavsky, I., (2006) The End of Peasantry: The Disintegration of Rural Russia. Pittsburgh, PA: University of Pittsburgh Press.
Russia. (2016). In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved from http://www.britannica.com/place/Russia/History