Russian History Vocabulary Quiz

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Questions and Answers

What was the primary contribution of Cyril and Methodius?

They created the Cyrillic alphabet. (correct)

They established Orthodox Christianity in Russia.

They united the Russian principalities.

They developed military tactics for the Mongols.

What role did the Duma play in Russian governance?

It was a group of boyars who advised the Tsar. (correct)

It served as a military council.

It was a legislative assembly with elected members.

It was a secret police force under Ivan IV.

Which event marked the transition of Moscow to a position of power in Russia?

The rise of Ivan IV. (correct)

The founding of St. Petersburg.

The establishment of the Duma.

The Mongol occupation.

What distinguishes the Cossacks from other groups in Russian history?

They were a militaristic group with semi-independence. (D) Signup and view all the answers

What was the oprichnina under Ivan IV characterized by?

An oppressive regime with secret police. (C) Signup and view all the answers

How did the Mongol occupation influence Moscow's rulers?

They adopted new military tactics and tax collection methods. (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is a defining characteristic of a republic?

It has a government where leaders are elected. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What caused the Great Schism among Russian Orthodox Christians?

Reforms within the Russian Orthodox Church. (B) Signup and view all the answers

What was the significant outcome of Peter I's victory at the Battle of Poltava?

It marked the decline of Swedish power in Europe. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which event occurred first in Peter I's reign based on the timeline provided?

Grand Embassy (C) Signup and view all the answers

How did Patriarch Nikon influence religious practices in Russia?

He created a significant division between new and old believers. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What architectural project was initiated during Peter I's reign?

St. Petersburg (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which ruler is associated with making Orthodox Christianity the official religion of Russia?

Yaroslav I (C) Signup and view all the answers

What was the main reason for the emancipation of the serfs?

To industrialize and have a workforce for factories (C) Signup and view all the answers

What was the major outcome of Peter I's Grand Embassy?

Reforms that modernized Russia's governance and military (B) Signup and view all the answers

What did the Table of Ranks allow individuals in Russia to achieve?

Government and military ranks through merit and virtue (B) Signup and view all the answers

How did Yaroslav I contribute to the unity of Kievan Rus?

By promoting Christianity and legal reforms (C) Signup and view all the answers

What was the main focus of Nicholas I’s Official Nationality policy?

To foster a sense of unity through one nation and one faith (C) Signup and view all the answers

Who were Boris and Gleb and why are they significant?

They were the first saints of the Orthodox Church, martyrs for their faith (D) Signup and view all the answers

What caused the failure of the zemstvos?

Corruption and inefficiency from local nobles (D) Signup and view all the answers

What role did the Okhrana play in Russian society?

It was a secret police force to eliminate opposition to the Tsar (C) Signup and view all the answers

What did the term kulaks refer to after the emancipation of the serfs?

Rich peasants who owned fertile land (D) Signup and view all the answers

What was the main reason for the Crimean War fought by Russia?

To gain control over the Ottoman Empire and access to the Black Sea (A) Signup and view all the answers

What major military strategy led to Russia's victory over Napoleon?

Implementing a scorched earth policy and retreating (A) Signup and view all the answers

Who was the first Tsar of the Russian Empire?

Ivan IV (B) Signup and view all the answers

What was the significance of the schism that occurred in the 1600s?

It caused a division between traditionalists and reformers within the Orthodox Church (C) Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Vocabulary

Cyrillic Alphabet: Created by Cyril and Methodius, used for translating religious texts into a common language.
Orthodox: Vladimir I chose Byzantine Orthodoxy, merging Russian traditions with Christianity, making it the official religion.
Federal Subject Region: A region with its own government, part of a larger country.
Kremlin: A fort in Moscow, converted to a center of power.
Duma: A group of boyars advising the Tsar, dissolved by Peter the Great.
Russky/Rossiysky: Russky refers to Russian language, people, and culture; Rossiysky relates to Russia as a country.
Republic: A country with an elected government.

General Review Questions

Varangians: Vikings who traveled to Novgorod and Kiev, known as Rus.
Cossacks: A militaristic Slavic group, semi-independent.
Mongols: Descendants of Genghis Khan, forming the Golden Horde.
Tatars: A Mongol group comprising the Golden Horde, controlling Russia.
Moscow's Rise: Princes collected taxes for the Mongols, gaining power. Moscow learned military strategies, and Ivan IV united principalities. Novgorod, with its bell and veche system, was also a capital .
St. Petersburg's Capital Status: Became capital under Tsar Peter's rule.
Nobles vs. Boyars: Boyars were a group of nobles advising the Tsar and vying for power; nobles were a broader social class.
Oprichniki/Oprichnina: Oprichniki were men who enforced Ivan the Terrible's rule by killing dissenters. Oprichnina was the period of Ivan's oppressive rule,
Cyril and Methodius: Brought Orthodox Christianity from Byzantium and created the Cyrillic alphabet.
Old Believers: Russian Orthodox Christians resisting reforms, adhering to traditional practices. This led to the Great Schism.
Slavophiles: Believed in preserving Russian traditions and opposing Westernization.
Westernizers: Favored modernization and reform, opposing autocracy, serfdom, and the Orthodox Church.
Peasants vs. Serfs: Peasants could own land; serfs were bound to land and were required to pay landowners.
Kulaks: Peasants with more fertile land after serf emancipation.
Serf Emancipation: Emancipation Manifesto, by Alexander II in mid-1800s.
Serf Emancipation Reasons: Russia lagged behind other countries during the Crimean War, needing industrialization and lessening the divide between serfs and peasants.
Vladimir I's Unification: Made Orthodox Christianity the official religion, forcing baptism in the Dnieper River.
Yaroslav I's Unification: Promoted Christianity and created Russkaya Pravda, a legal code.
Boris and Gleb: Yaroslav I's brothers, first saints of the Orthodox Church, martyrs.
Alexander Nevsky: Military hero for defeating Swedes.
False Dmitry I: Polish pretender, impersonated Dmitry I, supported by nobles opposing Tsar Boris Gudanov.
First Tsar: Ivan IV.
Time of Troubles: A period of instability with no designated heir, boyar struggles for power, Tatar attacks, and Polish threats, ending with the ascension of the Romanov Dynasty.
Ivan IV's Son's Fate: Ivan IV killed his son during an argument.
First Romanov Tsar: Mikhail I.
First Romanov Tsar's Father: Fyodor Romanov, Patriarch Filaret.
Peter's European Trip: Grand Embassy.
Peter's Reforms: Created a new calendar, built a navy, and established the Table of Ranks.
Boyar Duma: Group of nobles advising the Tsar, abolished by Peter I.
Zemstvo: Local governments created after serf emancipation, managing taxes and aiding peasants.
Gubernii/Governorates: Russia's administrative subdivisions, created by Peter I.
Schism: Two schisms. First was the Great Schism between Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches. Second separated New and Old Believers in mid 1600s
Table of Ranks: Established by Peter I, ranks in military and government, achieving higher ranks based on merit not birthright.
Nakaz: Legal code of suggestions from Catherine II facilitating reforms.
Peter and Catherine's Government Changes: Consolidated power, centralized bureaucracy—details omitted.
Alexander I's Brothers: Constantine and Nicholas I, Constantine renounced the throne.
Defeating Napoleon: Russia used scorched earth tactics, weather, and the burning of Moscow.
Official Nationality Policy: One Tsar, one Faith, one Nation—Nicholas I's policy.
Tsar Following Official Nationality Program: Alexander III.
Crimean War Cause: Russia sought Ottoman lands and Black Sea access.
Crimean War Losses: Inferior technology, internal revolts, losses to opposing forces.
Crimean War Consequences: Russia lost influence in Balkans, Black Sea fleet restriction.
Okhrana: Alexander III's secret police force, suppressing opposition following Alexander II's assassination.
Major Military Victories (Peter I, Catherine II, Alexander I): Information omitted.
Narodnaya Volya: Revolutionary group that assassinated Alexander II.
Nevsky Prospekt Location: St. Petersburg.
Polish Partitions: Poland divided between Russia, Prussia, and Austria.
Pugachev's Claim: Pugachev claimed to be Peter III, leading a rebellion, but was suppressed by Catherine II.
Zemstvos' Failures: Corruption by the nobility and lack of understanding by peasants.
Streltsy: Elite army members who initially supported then opposed Peter I, leading to their extermination.
Russia's Geography: Rivers, cold climate, vast size, limited Black Sea access.
Accursed Questions: Information omitted.
Battle of Poltava Result: Peter I's victory over Charles XII of Sweden established Russia as a European power.
Event Order: Information omitted.
Religion's Changes (Ivan IV, Patriarch Nikon, Peter I, Nicholas I, Yaroslav I): Details omitted.

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Description

Test your knowledge of essential vocabulary related to Russian history and culture. This quiz covers terms from the Cyrillic alphabet to significant political structures in Russia. Understand how these concepts shaped the Russian identity over time.