HIST 229-01, Imperial Russia, Fall 2012

Abstract

How and why did Russia become the center of the world’s largest land empire only to collapse so suddenly in 1917? Beginning the emergence of Rus and the development of the early Kievan and Muscovite states, this course delves into the Russian Imperial period, examining the growth of the Russian Empire and highlighting certain topics, including the quest for modernization; the relationship between Russia and the rest of the world (both East and West); the beliefs, traditions, religion, and way of life of the Russian people; radical movements; and the revolution that brought down the Romanov dynasty. We will focus especially on aspects of Russian culture: literature, painting, and music.