Download Russian Imperial Expansion

Russian Imperial Expansion 1533-1894
The year is 1533 and Ivan the Terrible has just become the new czar of Russia. Mongol and Tatar power in
Russia has weakened since 1480 and you no longer pay tribute to them. The czar is ambitious, wanting to
expand Russian territory.
You are his most important advisors and he looks to you for advice. You have three choices of regions for
conquest at acquisition, identified on the map as Areas X,Y or Z. You must advise Ivan the Terrible which
regions he should try to acquire or conquer, in order of importance to Russia.
List the regions in order, with specific reasons why, on a separate sheet of paper.
Regions X
(Factors ranked in order of importance within region)
• The Ottoman Turks are seen as threats to Russian territorial expansion. Czar Ivan believes it is
important to expand south and southwest between the Black Sea an Caspian Sea, to create a protective
buffer zone between Russia and the Ottoman/Turkish Empire (including Iraq and Persia).
• Russia also wants to control the important trade routes between the Caspian and Black Sea. Taxes from
that trade could bring revenues to the Russian treasury.
• Russian settlers have moved illegally to Kazakhstan and want Russian troops to protect them and
their profitable trade routes back to Moscow and the rest of Russia.
• For centuries, Persia and the Ottomans have fought over the Caucuses region between the Black and
Caspian Seas (Azerbaijan)- for access to agricultural products and controlling trade routes.
• Georgia asked Russia for protection from Persia.
• Conquest of Kazakhstan and Turkistan would greatly worry another rival, England. The English have
indicated they may try to gain control over Indian cities and want Afghanistan as protective buffer zone,
,protecting their interests in India from Russia and the Ottoman Turks.
• Kazakhstan and Turkistan are large, but thinly populated regions. The czar believes there must be
valuable metals and other natural resources there to exploit.
• The nomadic tribes of Kazakhstan and Turkistan are few in number, not united politically and have
relatively weak militaries.
• Your military leaders encourage the czar to add as much new territory as possible for the glory and
prestige that accrues from conquest.
Region/Area Y
(Factors ranked in order of importance within region)
• Ivan IV (the Terrible) wants access to the very profitable trade routes of the Black Sea
and further south to the Mediterranean. Taxes on trade provide extensive revenues for the
treasury.
• Russia needs access to the very profitable trade routes on the Baltic Sea that would lead to
profitable
trade with western Europe.
• The Baltic states have a much more advanced economy and culture than Russia. Interaction could
lead to
the diffusion of Baltic culture and technology.
• Russia has a more powerful military than those of the Baltic states, but the czar does not want to
waste
troops and money where conquest is not Almost guaranteed.
• The winter cl mate in most of Russia in 1533 is harsh. Czar Ivan wants better arable land
to the
south, where the climate is also warmer with longer growing seasons.
• The czar needs to feed an increasing population and the soldi
ers of a large army he is
building.
• The Ukraini
ans are know as excellent. hard working farmers, and fierce warriors.
• There are valuable furs in the forests and tundra of Siberia. Taxes on the sales of these furs to
central
and western Europe (where deforestation led to loss of habitat for fur bearing animals) will
provide important government revenues.
• Russia needs a buffer zone of protective land against possible invasions by the aggressive Poles
and the
Austrian-Hungarian Empire to the west.
• As Russia expands, there will be an increasing need for land for Russian migrations.
Regions/Area Z
(Factors ranked in order of importance within region)
• The winter climate in most of Russia in 1533 is harsh. Czar Ivan wants better arable land to
the
south, where the climate is also warmer, with lLonger growing seasons.
• There are valuable furs in the forests and tundra of Siberia. Taxes on the sales of these furs
to central and western Europe (where deforestation led to loss of habitat for fur bearing
animals) will provide important government revenues.
• Ivan IV (the Terrible) wants access to the very profitable trade routes of the Black Sea and
further
sough to the Mediterranean. Taxes on trade provide extensive revenues for the treasury.

Population densities are much lower in region Z than in Region Y or X, leading to lower resistance
to Russian expansion
.J
•The czar does not want to waste troops and money where conquest is not almost n
The Ukrainians are know as excellent. hard working farmers, and fierce warriors.
• Russia needs a buffer zone of protective land against invasion by the Ottoman Turks to the
southwest.
• As Russia expands. there will be an increasing need for land for Russians to migrate to.