Catherine the Great
What position did she have in the Russian Empire?
Czarina, Empress, Ruler of Russia
What is a serf?
A peasant farmer who is tied to the land
What movement's ideas did Catherine try to implement in her empire during her early rule?
Enlightenment ideas
What is a Czar or Czarina?
The ruler of Russia
What are the two descriptions people debate over to describe Catherine's rule over Russia?
Enlightened Despot and Tyrannical Ruler
What is a philosopher?
A person who studies, teaches, or writes about the nature of knowledge, reality, existence, and ethics
What did she do to the man who wrote about freeing the serfs?
She executed him
What is a Tyrannical Ruler?
A ruler who has absolute power and uses that power to help themselves at the expense of the people
If Catherine ruled with an iron fist in the second half of her reign, why is she called Catherine the Great?
The Russian Empire won wars and expanded during her rule
What is an Enlightened Despot?
A ruler with absolute power that uses that power to implement Enlightenment ideas to help the people