Vocabulary and Key Ideas
A monarch who ruled the Russian empire.
What is a tsar?
He adopted western ideas, technology, and culture to help Russia compete with European powers.
Who was Peter the Great?
Based on central planning, people had to work under the government's control; Wants strong government control.
What was Stalin's approach to the economy?
The capital of Russia.
What is Moscow?
Tsars had complete power over their people, making them the leaders.
What is an example of authoritarian government?
More people settle in areas that have a climate good for farming. Fewer people settle in areas with permafrost because it is difficult to farm or build houses and roads in areas where the subsurface layer of the ground is frozen throughout the year.
Allows markets to operate in some parts of the economy; Wants string government control.
What was Putin's approach to the economy?
Russia seized this region from Ukraine in 2014, an action opposed by the United States.
What is Crimea?
Who were the Bolsheviks?
Soviet leaders paid little attention to the environment in their drive to industrialize, and their decisions have had long lasting effects on the environment in Russia and Central Asia.
What is pollution?
A group of families with a common ancestor.
What is a clan?
It has shrunk dramatically and experienced serious pollution because of Soviet agricultural policies.
What is the Aral Sea?
A way of organizing a society in which there is no private property and an authoritarian government owns the things that are used to make and move products.
What is communism?
Invasion and settlement by many different peoples led to diverse ethnicities, languages, religions, and other cultural features.
What is the early history of Northern Eurasia?
Who were Serfs?
Some very powerful people gained control of what had been state-owned businesses and used their economic power to gain more wealth and power.
What is an economic oligarchy forming?
To adopt western ideas, technology, and culture.
What does it mean to Westernize?
This period of hostility between, on one side, the Soviet Union and its allies and, on the other side, the United States and its allies.
What is the Cold War?
Who was Michael Romanov?
Strengths: abundant oil and gas reserves; a skilled workforce.
Weaknesses: lack of capital investment; few entrepreneurship opportunities; a heavy government role in the economy.
What are the strengths and weaknesses of Russia's economy?