History 365: An Orientation in Russian History to 1917

May Minisession 2002

Instructor: Nicholas Pappas

Hours: MWF 1l:00 am-12:00 pm

Office: Estill 326

Office phone: 294-3617

Office hours: MWF 9-10, 2-3, TTh 8-11

E-Mail address: his_ncp@shsu.edu

URL: http://www.shsu.edu/~his_ncp/

COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course will acquaint students with the political, social, economic and cultural history of Russia and the Soviet Union from earliest times to 1917. The first part of the course will look into origins of the Eastern Slavic states up until the Mongol Invasion of the 13th century. The second part will investigate the impact of Mongol and Tatar rule and the rise of Moscow as a Eurasian empire. The Thrid part of the course will look at the impact of Russia's interaction with Europe from Peter the Great to Nicholas II. The fourth part of the course will investigate the domestic and foreign crises of the Russian Empire which led to World War, revolution and the foundation of the Soviet Union. Among the subjects and themes to be covered in the course will be: the origins of the Kievan Rus', Kievan Rus' Society and Culture, Mongol and Tatar Rule, the gathering of the Russias under Muscovy, Ivan the Terrible, the Time of Troubles, the Rise of the Romanovs, Muscovite Society and Culture, westernization under Peter I and his successors; Russia as the first developing country; Russia and European affairs, internal and external problems of Tsarism, Reaction Under Nicholas I; Reform under Alexander II, the revolutionary movement in Russia; the industrial revolution and agrarian crisis of pre-revolutionary Russia; political reaction under Alexander III and Nicholas II; Russian foreign policy in the age of imperialism; the 1905 Revolution; the Dumas between autocracy and constitutional monarchy; and Russia in the First World War.

PURPOSES AND OBJECTIVES OF THE COURSE:

1) To acquaint students with the political, social, economic and cultural development of the Russia and its empire from earliest times to 1917.

2) To sharpen the students' skills in historical interpretation, research and writing.

CLASS SCHEDULE AND PROCEDURE:

1) The class schedule will consist of three 30 minute sessions each class meeting. Each session is allotted to lectures by the instructor, while the last portion will be devoted to questions, discussion, or film clips.

2) Lectures both supplement and complement reading assignments, as well as introduce problems to be brought up in the discussion periods. Discussion periods investigate problems and look into interpretations of subjects in the readings and/or lectures.

3) Brief outlines of section lectures, maps and other supplementary readings will be distributed to students on the web.

STUDENT REQUIREMENTS AND EVALUATION OF STUDENT PERFORMANCE:

1) Attendance: Students are expected to regularly attend lectures and participate actively in classroom discussions. Attendance will be taken regularly. Fifty points will be assessed for attendance and participation.

2) Reading assignments: Readings from the text and supplementary sources are given on a daily basis. Two- to three-page reaction papers will be assigned from the readings four times during the semester.

3) Essays: Three one-to-two-page essays will be assigned during the minisession. These essays will be based upon questions given on selected readings. Students are expected to express their reaction and answer each question in a one-to-two-page, typed,and double spaced essay. Each essay will be worth 50 points for a total of 150 points toward the course grade. Each reaction paper will be due by E-MAIL to his_ncp@shsu.edu by 12:00 PM on the day stated in the syllabus.

5) Examinations: Exams will be presented on the seventh and fourteenth class meeting. Each examination will consist of one essay section. Each examination will count 50 points toward the course grade. In total the two examinations will count 100 points toward the course grade.

6) Geography Quizes: Twelve brief geography quizes will be presented and are scheduled in the course outline. The two lowest of twelve geography quiz scores will be dropped. Each quiz will count for 10 points for a total of 100 points toward the course grade. Since the two lowest of twelve geography quiz scores will be dropped there will be no make ups for geography quizes.

6) Makeups: Makeup examinations will be given on one afternoon near the end of the session. Makeup examinations will be given only to students who have legitimate excuses (e.g. medical emergency, court appearance, etc.) and can produce a written explanation from an authoritative third party (doctor, court clerk, etc.). No makeups for geography quizes. No exceptions will be made. Do not ask.

7) Evaluation of student performance will be made upon: a) attendance and participation [13%]; the geography quizes [25%]; b) the two examinations [25%]; and c) the reaction papers [37%].

8) Grade scale: 360-400=A; 320-359=B; 280-319=C; 240-279=D; 0-219=F.

REQUIRED READINGS:

John Channon and Robert Hudson. The Penguin Historical Atlas of Russia. New York: Penguin Books, 1995. This is a guide and an aid to help you prepare for exams and quizzes.

Ronald Hingley, . Russia: A Concise History. Thames & Hudson, 1995. (Hingley). This is the course's basic text.

Web readings in Russian History on Pappas' Home Page. Aside from the above texts, public domain secondary sources in Russian History are included in the Web Readings Page. with links from this Syllabus Page, the Exam Study Sheet Page, the Reaction Paper Page, and the Lecture Outline Page. These secondary web readings included excerpts from U. S. Government country studies and from works published many years ago. While some of these older sources' information, interpretations, and language may be considered antiquated, obsolete and "politically incorrect" by some, they nonetheless constitute valauable milestones to see how far and in what direction historiography has gone in the last seventy years.

Also included are primary sources on the web. The four reaction papers will be based upon questions given on selected primary and secondary source readings on the web. The complete list of web readings for this course is found at Web Readings in Russian History found on the Pappas Web Page---URL: http://www.shsu.edu/~his_ncp/

COURSE OUTLINE:

Class Meeting 1: INTRODUCTION. (8/25-8/27)

Class Meeting 2: THE ORIGINS OF THE KIEVAN RUS'. (8/30-9/3)

Class Meeting 3: THE KIEVAN RUS' PRINCIPALITIES I. (9/6-9/10)

Class Meeting 4: THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PRINCIPALITIES UNDER MONGOL RULE. (9/13-9/17)

Class Meeting 5: THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PRINCIPALITIES UNDER MONGOL RULE. (9/20-9/24)

Class Meeting 6: RELIGION AND CULTURE UNDER TATAR RULE. (9/27-10/1)

Class Meeting 7: THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE MUSCOVITE EMPIRE TO 1650, I. (10/4-10/8)

Class Meeting 8: THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE MUSCOVITE EMPIRE TO 1650, II. (10/11-10/15).

Class Meeting 9: PETER THE GREAT AND HIS SUCCESSORS IN THE 18TH CENTURY. (10/18-10/22)

Class Meeting 10: RUSSIA AND EUROPE IN THE EARLY 19TH CENTURY. (10/25-10/29)

Class Meeting 11: RUSSIAN Reaction AND REFORM IN THE MID 19TH CENTURY. (11/1-11/5)

Class Meeting 12: REVOLUTION AND REPRESSION IN THE LATE 19TH CENTURY RUSSIA. (11/8-11/12)

Class Meeting 13: INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL DEVELOPMENTS IN THE LATE 19TH CENTURY RUSSIA. (11/15-11/19)

Class Meeting 14: RUSSIAN OPPOSITION, REVOLUTION, AND PARLIAMENTARISM, 1905-1914. (11/22)