Lecture Notes: Peter the Great and the Transformation of Russia

Context: Russia in the Late 1600s

• Russia was a vast and remote land
• Underdeveloped compared to Western Europe
• Seaports froze in winter; limited trade
• Weak military

Peter the Great's Rise to Power

• Became Tsar of Russia
• Transformed Russia into a powerful, modern state in 40 years

Peter's Journey of Western Exploration (1697)

• Traveled from Moscow through major European cities:
  • Riga (Swedish commercial stronghold)
  • Berlin and Hanover (German towns)
  • Amsterdam (Dutch commercial center)
  • London (England)
• Studied:
  • Navigation and shipbuilding
  • Architecture
  • Military science
• Observed use of technology and trade for power and wealth

Policy of Westernization

• Aimed to make Russians adopt Western ways and ideas
• Established new academies for science and engineering
• Revised Russian alphabet for better comprehension
• Enforced Western-style clothing
• Required men to shave beards or pay a beard tax

Military Expansion and Acquisition of Warm Water Ports

• Strengthened Russian army
• Fought Sweden for land along the Baltic Sea

Founding of St. Petersburg

• Built on the swampy delta of the Neva River
• Overcame building challenges using Western techniques
• Imported materials and specialists
• Designed by Italian architects
• Became a center of Russian culture, commerce, and government

Legacy of Peter the Great

• Expanded Russia's borders
• Built a new capital city
• Enhanced Russia's contact and trade with the West
• Positioned Russia among the great powers of Europe
• St. Petersburg stands as a monument to his achievements

Timeframe

• Peter the Great ruled from 1689 to 1725
• His efforts marked significant changes in Russian society and its position in the world