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    Baltimore County Public Schools

    RussianHeritage Resource Packet

    Developed and Distribu ted byOffice of Equi ty and Assurance

    2008-2009

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    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Novoierusalimsky_monastyr_1.jpg
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    Russian History and Culture

    Resource packet

    Acknowledgments

    The materials included in this document are distributed in recognition of Russian history andculture and are intended for use by schools and teachers. The learning activities addresselementary through high school grades.

    The Baltimore County Public Schools Office of Equity and Assurance gratefully acknowledgesthe cooperation and contributions of several Websites referenced throughout this document inthe production of this publication. The activities herein are either reproduced with permissionor in the public domain.

    Packet prepared by:

    Shirley PageConsultant

    Office of Equity and Assurance

    Kim Sappe

    Student Intern

    Crystal JohnsonStudent Intern

    Mrs. Carol MorganAdministrative Assistant

    Dr. Barbara DezmonAssistant to the Superintendent

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    ussian history and culture resource packet

    Table of Contents

    Acknowledgments 2

    Table of Contents 3

    Introduction 4

    History and Cultural Information 5

    Elementary Activities and Lessons 24

    Middle School Activities and Lessons 69

    High School Activities and Lessons 101

    Websites Used 126

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    Introduction

    The materials included in this document are distributed in recognition of Russianhistory and culture and are intended for use by schools and teachers. Russian culture isone of the many cultures that make up todays society. The learning activities addresselementary, middle, and high school grades.

    Celebrating this culture and making all students familiar and aware is essentialbecause it enables our society to become sensitive to and to have respect for what Russiahas accomplished and contributed in the United States. Also, we hope that this will instillin the present generation of Russian students a renewed confidence in their heritage.

    The Office of Equity and Assurance has prepared this packet to assist the facultiesthroughout the school system. The publication consists of four sections. The first sectioncontains the history and cultural information. The second section contains activities andlessons for elementary students. The third section includes information related to middleschools. The fourth section contains activities and lessons for high schools. The suggestedactivities and lesson plans within the packet may be adapted or modified to meet theneeds of students.

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    Russian History and Culture

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    Russia

    Russian Federation is a transcontinental country extending over much of northern Eurasia . Itis a semi-presidential republic comprising 83 federal subjects . Russia shares land borders withthe following countries (counterclockwise from northwest to southeast): Norway , Finland ,

    Estonia , Latvia , Lithuania (via Kaliningrad Oblast ), Poland (via Kaliningrad Oblast ), Belarus ,Ukraine , Georgia , Abkhazia , South Ossetia , Azerbaijan , Kazakhstan , China , Mongolia and

    North Korea . It also borders the Arctic Ocean , the Pacific Ocean , the Caspian Sea , the BalticSea , and the Black Sea . Russia is close to the United States (Alaska ) and Japan .

    At 17,075,400 square kilometers (6,592,800 sq mi), Russia is the largest country in the world ,covering more than a n e ighth of the Earths land area; with 142 million people, it is the ninthlargest by population. [2] It extends across the whole of northern Asia and 40% of Europe,spanning 11 time zones and incorporating a great range of enviro nments and landforms. Russiahas the world's greatest reserves of mineral and energy resources, [10] and is considered anenergy superpower . It has the world's largest forest reserves and its lakes contain

    approximately one-quarter of the world's unfrozen fresh water.

    The nation's history began with that of the East Slavs . The Slavs emerged as a recognizablegroup in Europe between the 3rd and 8th centuries AD. Founded and ruled by a noble Viking warrior class and their descendants, the first East Slavic state, Kievan Rus' , arose in the 9thcentury and adopted Christianity from the Byzantine Empire in 988, [13] beginning the synthesisof Byzantine and Slavic cultures that defined Russian culture for the next millennium. KievanRus' ultimately disintegrated and the lands were divided into many small feudal states. Themost powerful successor state to Kievan Rus' was Moscow , which served as the main force inthe Russian reunification process and independence struggle against the Golden Horde .Moscow gradually reunified the surrounding Russian principalities and came to dominate the

    cultural and political legacy of Kievan Rus'. By the 18th century, the nation had greatlyexpanded through conquest, annexation and exploration to become the Russian Empire , whichwas the third largest empire in history , stretching from Poland eastward to the Pacific Ocean and Alaska .

    Russia established worldwide power and influence from the times of the Russian Empire to being the largest and leading constituent of the Soviet Union , the world's first and largestconstitutionally socialist state and a recognized superpower . The nation can boast a longtradition of excellence in every aspect of the arts and sciences. The Russian Federation wasfounded following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, but is recognized as thecontinuing legal personality of the Soviet Union . It has one of the world's fastest growing

    major economies and has the world's eleventh largest GDP by nominal GDP or seventh largest by purchasing power parity with the eighth largest military budget. Russia is a permanentmember of the United Nations Security Council , a member of the G8, APEC and the SCO , andis a leading member of the Commonwealth of Independent States . It is one of the fiverecognized nuclear weapons states and possesses the world's largest stockpile of weapons ofmass destruction .

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    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_spanning_more_than_one_continenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Countryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurasiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semi-presidential_systemhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_subjects_of_Russiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borders_of_Russiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norwayhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finlandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estoniahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latviahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithuaniahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaliningrad_Oblasthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaliningrad_Oblasthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belarushttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ukrainehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgia_(country)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abkhaziahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Ossetiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azerbaijanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kazakhstanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mongoliahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Koreahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arctic_Oceanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Oceanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caspian_Seahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baltic_Seahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baltic_Seahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Seahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Stateshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaskahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_and_outlying_territories_by_total_areahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russia#cite_note-gen-1#cite_note-gen-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_populationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_populationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russia#cite_note-gen-1#cite_note-gen-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russia#cite_note-9#cite_note-9http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russia#cite_note-9#cite_note-9http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_superpowerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Slavshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vikinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kievan_Rus%27http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byzantine_Empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russia#cite_note-Curtis-12#cite_note-Curtis-12http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slavic_peopleshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Duchy_of_Moscowhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Hordehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_largest_empireshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congress_Polandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Oceanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Alaskahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_Unionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitution_of_the_Soviet_Unionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socialist_statehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superpowerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Soviet_Union_(1985%E2%80%931991)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_Unionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(nominal)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nominal_GDPhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(PPP)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purchasing_power_parityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_military_expenditurehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Security_Councilhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G8http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/APEChttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shanghai_Cooperation_Organisationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth_of_Independent_Stateshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_states_with_nuclear_weaponshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russia_and_weapons_of_mass_destructionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russia_and_weapons_of_mass_destructionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russia_and_weapons_of_mass_destructionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russia_and_weapons_of_mass_destructionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_states_with_nuclear_weaponshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth_of_Independent_Stateshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shanghai_Cooperation_Organisationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/APEChttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G8http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Security_Councilhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_military_expenditurehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purchasing_power_parityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(PPP)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nominal_GDPhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(nominal)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_Unionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Soviet_Union_(1985%E2%80%931991)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superpowerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socialist_statehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitution_of_the_Soviet_Unionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_Unionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Alaskahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Oceanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congress_Polandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_largest_empireshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Hordehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Duchy_of_Moscowhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slavic_peopleshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russia#cite_note-Curtis-12#cite_note-Curtis-12http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byzantine_Empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kievan_Rus%27http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vikinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Slavshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_superpowerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russia#cite_note-9#cite_note-9http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russia#cite_note-gen-1#cite_note-gen-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_populationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_populationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_and_outlying_territories_by_total_areahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaskahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Stateshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Seahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baltic_Seahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baltic_Seahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caspian_Seahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Oceanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arctic_Oceanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Koreahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mongoliahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kazakhstanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azerbaijanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Ossetiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abkhaziahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgia_(country)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ukrainehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belarushttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaliningrad_Oblasthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaliningrad_Oblasthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithuaniahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latviahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estoniahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finlandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norwayhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borders_of_Russiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_subjects_of_Russiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semi-presidential_systemhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurasiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Countryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_spanning_more_than_one_continent
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    GeographyGeography of Russia

    The Russian Federation stretches across a large extent of the north of the super-continent ofEurasia . Because of its size, Russia displays both monotony and diversity. As with itstopography, its climates, vegetation, and soils span vast distances. [16] From north to south theEast European Plain is clad sequentially in tundra , coniferous forest ( taiga ), mixed and broad-leaf forests, grassland ( steppe ), and semi-desert (fringing the Caspian Sea ) as the changes invegetation reflect the changes in climate. Siberia supports a similar sequence but is taiga. Thecountry contains 23 World Heritage Sites [17] and 40 UNESCO Biosphere reserves .[18]

    Topography

    The two widest separated points in Russia are about 8,000 km (5,000 mi) apart along ageodesic line. These points are: the boundary with Poland on a 60 km long (40-mi long) spit ofland separating the Gulf of Gda sk from the Vistula Lagoon ; and the farthest southeast of theKuril Islands , a few miles off Hokkaid Island , Japan. The points which are furthest separatedin longitude are 6,600 km (4,100 mi) apart along a geodesic. These points are: in the West, thesame spit; in the East, the Big Diomede Island (Ostrov Ratmanova). The Russian Federationspans 11 time zones .

    Central Russian Upland , Zaraysk

    Sochi , Krasnodar Krai

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    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_Russiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_Russiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurasiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russia#cite_note-climate-15#cite_note-climate-15http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_European_Plainhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tundrahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taigahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steppehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caspian_Seahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siberiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Heritage_Sitehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russia#cite_note-16#cite_note-16http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biosphere_reservehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russia#cite_note-17#cite_note-17http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russia#cite_note-17#cite_note-17http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geodesichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vistula_Spithttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vistula_Spithttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gda%C5%84sk_Bayhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gda%C5%84sk_Bayhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gda%C5%84sk_Bayhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vistula_Lagoonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuril_Islandshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hokkaid%C5%8Dhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hokkaid%C5%8Dhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hokkaid%C5%8Dhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diomede_Islandshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_zonehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Russian_Uplandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:View_on_Sotsji_from_black_sea.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zarayskhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sochihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Vasyugan.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krasnodar_Kraihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krasnodar_Kraihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sochihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zarayskhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Russian_Uplandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_zonehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diomede_Islandshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hokkaid%C5%8Dhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuril_Islandshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vistula_Lagoonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gda%C5%84sk_Bayhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vistula_Spithttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vistula_Spithttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geodesichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russia#cite_note-17#cite_note-17http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russia#cite_note-17#cite_note-17http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biosphere_reservehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russia#cite_note-16#cite_note-16http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Heritage_Sitehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siberiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caspian_Seahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steppehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taigahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tundrahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_European_Plainhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russia#cite_note-climate-15#cite_note-climate-15http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurasiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_Russiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Vasyugan.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:View_on_Sotsji_from_black_sea.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:View_on_Sotsji_from_black_sea.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Central_highlands.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Central_highlands.jpg
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    The plains of Western Siberia , Vasyugan River , Tomsk Oblast

    Russia has the world's largest forest reserves and is known as "the lungs of Europe", secondonly to the Amazon Rainforest in the amount of carbon dioxide it absorbs. It provides a huge

    amount of oxygen for not just Europe, but the world. With access to three of the world's oceans the Atlantic, Arctic and Pacific Russian fishing fleets are a major contributor to theworld's fish supply. The Caspian is the source of what is considered the finest caviar in theworld.

    Saranpaul, Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug

    Most of Russia consists of vast stretches of plains that are predominantly steppe to the southand heavily forested to the north, with tundra along the northern coast. Mountain ranges arefound along the southern borders, such as the Caucasus (containing Mount Elbrus , Russia's andEurope's highest point at 5,642 m / 18,511 ft) and the Altai , and in the eastern parts, such as theVerkhoyansk Range or the volcanoes on Kamchatka . The Ural Mountains form a north-southrange that divides Europe and Asia, rich in mineral resources. Russia possesses 10% of theworld's arable land .

    Russia has an extensive coastline of over 37,000 kilometers (23,000 mi) along the Arctic andPacific Oceans , as well as the Baltic Sea , Sea of Azov , Black and Caspian seas. The BarentsSea , White Sea , Kara Sea , Laptev Sea , East Siberian Sea , Chukchi Sea , Bering Sea , Sea ofOkhotsk and the Sea of Japan are linked to Russia. Major islands and archipelagos include

    Novaya Zemlya , the Franz Josef Land , the Severnaya Zemlya , the New Siberian Islands ,Wrangel Island , the Kuril Islands and Sakhalin . The Diomede Islands (one controlled byRussia, the other by the United States) are just three kilometers (1.9 mi) apart, and KunashirIsland is about twenty kilometers (12 mi) from Hokkaid .

    Russia has thousands of rivers and inland bodies of water, providing it with one of the world'slargest surface water resources. The largest and most prominent of Russia's bodies of freshwater is Lake Baikal , the world's deepest, purest, most ancient and most capacious freshwaterlake. Lake Baikal alone contains over one fifth of the world's fresh surface water. Other majorlakes include Lake Ladoga and Lake Onega , two largest lakes in Europe. Of Russia's 100,000rivers, The Volga is the most famousnot only because it is the longest river in Europe butalso because of its major role in Russian history. Russia has a wide natural resource baseunmatched by any other country, including major deposits of petroleum, natural gas, coal,timber and mineral resources.

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    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siberiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasyugan_Riverhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomsk_Oblasthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazon_Rainforesthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caviarhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khanty-Mansi_Autonomous_Okrughttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steppehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tundrahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caucasushttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Elbrushttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altai_Mountainshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verkhoyansk_Rangehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamchatka_Peninsulahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ural_Mountainshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arable_landhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arctic_Oceanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Oceanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baltic_Seahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_of_Azovhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Seahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barents_Seahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barents_Seahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Seahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kara_Seahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laptev_Seahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Siberian_Seahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chukchi_Seahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bering_Seahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_of_Okhotskhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_of_Okhotskhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_of_Japanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Novaya_Zemlyahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franz_Josef_Landhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Severnaya_Zemlyahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Siberian_Islandshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wrangel_Islandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuril_Islandshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sakhalinhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diomede_Islandshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kunashir_Islandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kunashir_Islandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hokkaid%C5%8Dhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hokkaid%C5%8Dhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Baikalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Ladogahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Onegahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volga_Riverhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volga_Riverhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Onegahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Ladogahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Baikalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hokkaid%C5%8Dhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kunashir_Islandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kunashir_Islandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diomede_Islandshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sakhalinhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuril_Islandshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wrangel_Islandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Siberian_Islandshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Severnaya_Zemlyahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franz_Josef_Landhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Novaya_Zemlyahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_of_Japanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_of_Okhotskhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_of_Okhotskhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bering_Seahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chukchi_Seahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Siberian_Seahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laptev_Seahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kara_Seahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Seahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barents_Seahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barents_Seahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Seahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_of_Azovhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baltic_Seahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Oceanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arctic_Oceanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arable_landhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ural_Mountainshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamchatka_Peninsulahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verkhoyansk_Rangehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altai_Mountainshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Elbrushttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caucasushttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tundrahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steppehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khanty-Mansi_Autonomous_Okrughttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caviarhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazon_Rainforesthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomsk_Oblasthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasyugan_Riverhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siberiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:River_near_Saranpaul.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:River_near_Saranpaul.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Vasyugan.jpg
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    ClimateClimate of Russia

    The climate of the Russian Federation formed under the influence of several determiningfactors. The enormous size of the country and the remoteness of many areas from the sea result

    in the dominance of the continental climate , which is prevalent in European and Asian Russiaexcept for the tundra and the extreme southeast. Mountains in the south obstructing the flow ofwarm air masses from the Indian Ocean and the plain of the west and north makes the countryopen to Arctic and Atlantic influences.

    Throughout much of the territory there are only two distinct seasons winter and summer;spring and autumn are usually brief periods of change between extremely low temperatures andextremely high. The coldest month is January (on the shores of the seaFebruary), thewarmest usually is July. Great ranges of temperature are typical. In winter, temperatures getcolder both from south to north and from west to east. Summers can be quite hot and humid,even in Siberia. A small part of Black Sea coast around Sochi has a subtropical climate . The

    continental interiors are the driest areas.

    History

    Early Periods Further information: Eurasian nomads , Scythia , Bosporan Kingdom , and Khazaria

    Kurgan hypothesis : South Ru ssia as the urheimat of Indo-European peoples

    In prehistoric times, the vast steppes of Southern Russia were home to disunited tribes ofnomadic pastoralists . In class ical antiquity, the Pontic Steppe was known as Scythia . Remnantsof these steppe civilizations were discovered in the course of the 20th century in such places asIpatovo , Sintashta , Arkaim , and Pazyryk . In the latter part of the eighth century BC, Greek traders brought classical civilization to the trade emporiums in Tanais and Phanagoria .Between the third and sixth centuries BC, the Bosporan Kingdom , a Hellenistic polity whichsucceeded the Greek colonies, was overwhelmed by successive waves of nomadic invasions,led by warlike tribes, such as the Huns and Turkic Avars . A Turkic people, the Khazars , ruledthe lower Volga basin steppes between the Caspian and Black Seas until the 8th century.

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    An approximate map of the cultures in European Russia at the arrival of the Varangians

    The ancestors of modern Russians are the Slavic tribes , whose original home is thought bysome scholars to have been the wooded areas of the Pinsk Marshes . Moving into the landsvacated by the migrating Germanic tribes , the Early East Slavs gradually settled Western

    Russia in two waves: one moving from Kiev toward present-day Suzdal and Murom andanother from Polotsk toward Novgorod and Rostov . From the 7th century onwards, the EastSlavs constituted the bulk of the population in Western Russia and slowly but peacefullyassimilated the native Finno-Ugric tribes, including the Merya , the Muromians , and theMeshchera .

    Kievan Rus'

    Kievan Rus' in the 11th century

    The 9th century saw the establishment of Kievan Rus', a predecessor state to Russia, Ukraine and Belarus . Scandinavian Norsemen, called " Vikings " in Western Europe and " Varangians " inthe East, combined piracy and trade in their roamings over much of Northern Europe. In themid-9th century, they ventured along the waterways extending from the eastern Baltic to theBlack and Caspian Seas. According to the earliest Russian chronicle , a Varangian named Rurik was elected ruler ( konung or knyaz ) of Novgorod around the year 860; his successors movedsouth and extended their authority to Kiev, which had been previously dominated by theKhazars.

    In the 10th to 11th centuries this state of Kievan Rus' became the largest and most prosperousin Europe. The reigns of Vladimir the Great (980-1015) and his son Yaroslav I the Wise (1019-

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    1054) constitute the Golden Age of Kiev , which saw the acceptance of Orthodox Christianity and the creation of the first East Slavic written legal code , the Russkaya Pravda .

    In the 11th and 12th centuries, constant incursions by nomadic Turkic tribes, such as theKipchaks and the Pechenegs , caused a massive migration of Slavic populations to the safer,

    heavily forested regions of the north, particularly to the area known as Zalesye . Like manyother parts of Eurasia , these territories were overrun by the Mongols . The invaders, laterknown as Tatars , formed the state of the Golden Horde , which pillaged the Russian

    principalities and ruled the southern and central expanses of Russia for over three centuries.Mongol rule retarded the country's economic and social development. However, the NovgorodRepublic together with Pskov retained some degree of autonomy during the time of theMongol yoke and was largely spared the atrocities that affected the rest of the country. Led byAlexander Nevsky , Novgorodians repelled the Germanic crusaders who attempted to colonizethe region. Kievan Rus' ultimately disintegrated as a state because of in-fighting betweenmembers of the princely family that ruled it collectively. Kiev's dominance waned, to the

    benefit of Vladimir-Suzdal in the north-east, Novgorod in the north-west and Galicia-Volhynia

    in the south-west. Conquest by the Golden Horde in the 13th century was the final blow andresulted in the destruction of Kiev in 1240. Galicia-Volhynia was eventually absorbed into thePolish-Lithuanian Commonwealth , while the Mongol-dominated Vladimir-Suzdal and theindependent Novgorod Republic , two regions on the periphery of Kiev, established the basisfor the modern Russian nation.

    Grand Duchy of Moscow and Tsardom of Grand Duchy of Moscow and Tsardom of Russia

    The growth of Russia, 1300 1796

    A scene from medieval Russian history

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    The most powerful successor state to Kievan Rus' was Grand Duchy of Moscow . It wouldannex rivals such as Tver and Novgorod , and eventually become the basis of the modernRussian state. After the fall of Constantinople in 1453, Moscow claimed succession to thelegacy of the Eastern Roman Empire . While still under the domain of the Mongol-Tatars andwith their connivance, the Duchy of Moscow (or "Muscovy") began to assert its influence in

    Western Russia in the early 14th century. Assisted by the Russian Orthodox Church and SaintSergius of Radonezh 's spiritual revival, Russia inflicted a defeat on the Mongol-Tatars in theBattle of Kulikovo (1380). Ivan III ( Ivan the Great ) eventually threw off the control of theTatar invaders , consolidated surrounding areas under Moscow's dominion and was the first totake the title "grand duke of all the Russias".

    In 1547, Ivan IV ( Ivan the Terrible ) was officially crowned the first Tsar of Russia. During hislong reign, Ivan IV annexed the Tatar khanates (Kazan , Astrakhan ) along the Volga River andtransformed Russia into a multiethnic and multiconfessional state. Ivan IV promulgated a newcode of laws ( Sudebnik of 1550 ), established the first Russian feudal representative body(Zemsky Sobor ) and introduced local self-management into the rural regions. But Ivan IV's

    rule was also marked by the long and unsuccessful Livonian War against the coalition ofPoland, Lithuania, and Sweden for access to the Baltic coast and sea trade. The military losses,epidemics and poor harvests weakened the state, and the Crimean Tatars were able to burndown Moscow . The death of Ivan's sons, combined with the famine of 1601-1603 , led to thecivil war and foreign intervention of the Time of Troubles in the early 1600s. By the mid-17thcentury there were Russian settlements in Eastern Siberia , on the Chukchi Peninsula , along theAmur River , and on the Pacific coast. The Bering Strait between North America and Asia wasfirst sighted by a Russian explorer in 1648.

    Imperial Russia Russian Empire

    Peter the Great officially proclaimed the existence of the Russian Empire in 1721

    Under the Romanov dynasty and Peter I ( Peter the Great ), the Russian Empire became a world power. Ruling from 1682 to 1725, Peter defeated Sweden in the Great Northern War , forcing itto cede West Karelia and Ingria (two regions lost by Russia in the Time of Troubles ), Estland ,and Livland , securing Russia's access to the sea and sea trade. It was in Ingria that Peterfounded a new capital, Saint Petersburg . Peter's reforms brought considerable WesternEuropean cultural influences to Russia. Catherine II (Catherine the Great ), who ruled from

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    1762 to 1796, continued the efforts to establish Russia as one of the Great Powers of Europe.In alliance with Prussia and Austria , Russia stood against Napoleon 's France and eliminated itsrival Poland-Lithuania in a series of partitions , gaining large areas of territory in the west. As aresult of its victories in the Russo-Turkish War , by the early 19th century Russia had madesignificant territorial gains in Transcaucasia . Napoleon 's invasion of Russia at the height of his

    power failed miserably as obstinate Russian resistance combined with the bitterly cold Russianwinter dealt him a disastrous defeat, in which more than 95% of his invading force perished.The officers in the Napoleonic Wars brought ideas of liberalism back to Russia with them andeven attempted to curtail the tsar's powers during the abortive Decembrist revolt of 1825,which was followed by several decades of political repression.

    Napoleon's retreat from Mos cow

    The Russian Empire in 1866 and its spheres of influence

    The prevalence of serfdom and the conservative policies of Nicolas I impeded the developmentof Russia in the mid-nineteenth century. Nicholas's successor Alexander II (18551881)enacted significant reforms, including the abolition of serfdom in 1861; these "Great Reforms"spurred industrialization . However, many socio-economic conflicts were aggravated duringAlexander III s reign and under his son, Nicholas II . Harsh conditions in factories created masssupport for the revolutionary socialist movement. In January 1905, striking workers peaceablydemonstrated for reforms in Saint Petersburg but were fired upon by troops, killing andwounding hundreds. The abject failure of the Tsar's military forces in the initially-popularRusso-Japanese War , and the event known as " Bloody Sunday ", ignited the RussianRevolution of 1905 . Although the uprising was swiftly put down by the army and although

    Nicholas II retained much of his power, he was forced to concede major reforms, including

    granting the freedoms of speech and assembly, the legalization of political parties and thecreation of an elected legislative assembly, the Duma ; however, the hopes for basicimprovements in the lives of industrial workers were unfulfilled.

    Russia entered World War I in aid of its ally Serbia and fought a war across three fronts whileisolated from its allies. Russia did not want war but felt that the only alternative was Germandomination of Europe. Although the army was far from defeated in 1916, the already-existing

    public distrust of the regime was deepened by the rising costs of war, casualties (Russia

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    suffered the highest number of both military and civilian deaths of the Entente Powers ), andtales of corruption and even treason in high places, leading to the outbreak of the RussianRevolution of 1917 . A series of uprisings were organized by workers and peasants throughoutthe country, as well as by soldiers in the Russian army, who were mainly of peasant origin.Many of the uprisings were organized and led by democratically-elected councils called

    Soviets. The February Revolution overthrew the Russian monarchy, which was replaced by ashaky coalition of political parties that declared itself the Provisional Government . Theabdication marked the end of imperial rule in Russia, and Nicholas and his family wereimprisoned and later executed during the Civil War . While initially receiving the support of theSoviets, the Provisional Government proved unable to resolve many problems which had led tothe February Revolution. The second revolution, the October Revolution , led by VladimirLenin , overthrew the Provisional Government and created the worlds first Communist state.

    Soviet RussiaUnion of Soviet Socialist Republics , History of the Soviet Union , and Russian SFSR

    Vladimir Lenin

    Following the October Revolution , a civil war broke out between the new regime and theSocialist Revolutionaries , Mensheviks , and the White movement . The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk concluded hostilities with the Central Powers in World War I. Russia lost its Ukrainian , Polish and Baltic territories, and Finland by signing the treaty. The Allied powers launched a militaryintervention in support of anti-Communist forces and both the Bolsheviks and Whitemovement carried out campaigns of deportations and executions against each other, knownrespectively as the Red Terror and White Terror . By the end of the Civil War, some 20 millionhad died and the Russian economy and infrastructure were completely devastated. Followingvictory in the Civil War, the Russian SFSR together with three other Soviet republics formed the Soviet Union on 30 December 1922. The Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic dominated the Soviet Union for its entire 69-year history; the USSR was often referred to as"Russia" and its people as "Russians." The largest of the republics, Russia contributed over halfthe population of the Soviet Union. After Lenin's death in 1924, Joseph Stalin consolidated

    power and became dictator . Stalin launched a command economy , rapid industrialization of thelargely rural country and collectivization of its agriculture and the Soviet Union wastransformed from an agrarian economy to a major industrial powerhouse in a short span of time.This transformation came with a heavy price, however; millions of citizens died as aconsequence of his harsh policies.

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    Stalin grad, 1942. The vast majority of the fighting in World War II took place on the EasternFront .[61] Nazi German y suffered 80% to 93% of all casualties there .

    First human in space, Yuri Gagarin

    On 22 June 1941, Nazi Germany invaded the Soviet Union with the largest and most powerfulinvasion force in human history, opening the largest theater of the Second World War .Although the German army had considerable success early on, they suffered defeats afterreaching the outskirts of Moscow and were dealt their first major defeat at the Battle of

    Stalingrad in the winter of 19421943. Soviet forces drove through Eastern Europe in 194445and captured Berlin in May, 1945. In the conflict, Soviet military and civilian death toll were10.6 million and 15.9 million respectively, accounting for half of all World War II casualties .The Soviet economy and infrastructure suffered massive devastation but the Soviet Unionemerged as an acknowledged superpower . The Red Army occupied Eastern Europe after thewar, including the eastern half of Germany; Stalin installed communist governments in thesesatellite states . Becoming the world's second nuclear weapons power , the USSR established theWarsaw Pact alliance and entered into a struggle for global dominance with the United States,which became known as the Cold War .

    After Stalin's death, Russian leader Nikita Khrushchev denounced Stalin and eased his

    repressive policies . He began the process of eliminating the Stalinist political system known asde-Stalinization and abolished the Gulag labor camps, releasing millions of prisoners. TheSoviet Union launched the world's first artificial satellite , Sputnik 1 and the Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human being to orbit the Earth aboard the first mannedspacecraft, Vostok 1 . Tensions with the United States heightened when the two rivals clashedover the deployment of the U.S. Jupiter missiles in Turkey and Soviet missiles in Cuba .Following the ousting of Khrushchev, another period of rule by collective leadership ensueduntil Leonid Brezhnev established himself in the early 1970s as the pre-eminent figure in

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    Soviet politics. Brezhnev's rule oversaw economic stagnation and the Soviet invasion ofAfghanistan , which dragged on without success and with continuing casualties inflicted byinsurgents . Soviet citizens became increasingly discontented with the war, ultimately leading tothe withdrawal of Soviet forces by 1989. From 1985 onwards, Mikhail Gorbachev introducedthe policies of glasnost (openness) and perestroika (restructuring) in an attempt to modernize

    the country. The USSR economy was the second largest in the world prior to the Sovietcollapse. During its last years, the economy was afflicted by shortages of goods in grocerystores, huge budget deficits and explosive growth in money supply leading to inflation. InAugust 1991, an unsuccessful military coup against Gorbachev aimed at preserving the SovietUnion instead led to its collapse. In Russia, Boris Yeltsin came to power and declared the endof Communist rule. The USSR splintered into fifteen independent republics and was officiallydissolved in December 1991. Boris Yeltsin was elected the President of Russia in June 1991, inthe first direct presidential election in Russian history.

    Russian Federation History of post-Soviet Russia

    1140th Anniversary of Russian statehood (2002)

    During and after the disintegration of the USSR when-wide ranging reforms including privatization and market and trade liberalization were being undertaken, the Russian economywent through a major crisis. This period was characterized by deep contraction of output, withGDP declining by roughly 50 percent between 1990 and the end of 1995 and industrial output

    declining by over 50 percent. In October 1991, Yeltsin announced that Russia would proceedwith radical, market-oriented reform along the lines of " shock therapy ", as recommended bythe United States and International Monetary Fund . Price controls were abolished, privatization was started. Millions were plunged into poverty. According to the World Bank, whereas 1.5%of the population was living in poverty in the late Soviet era, by mid-1993 between 39% and49% of the population was living in poverty. Delays in wage payment became a chronic

    problem with millions being paid months, even years late. Russia took up the responsibility forsettling the USSR's external debts , even though its population made up just half of the

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    population of the USSR at the time of its dissolution. The privatization process largely shiftedcontrol of enterprises from state agencies to groups of individuals with inside connections inthe Government and the mafia . Violent criminal groups often took over state enterprises,clearing the way through assassinations or extortion. Corruption of government officials

    became an everyday rule of life. Many of the newly rich mobsters and businesspeople took

    billions in cash and assets outside of the country in an enormous capital flight . The long andwrenching depression was coupled with social decay. Social services collapsed and the birthrate plummeted while the death rate skyrocketed. The early and mid-1990s was marked byextreme lawlessness. Criminal gangs and organized crime flourished and murders and otherviolent crime spiraled out of control.

    Moscow- City under construction. Moscow is the world's most expensive city to live in.

    In 1993 a constitutional crisis resulted in the worst civil strife in Moscow since the OctoberRevolution. President Boris Yeltsin illegally dissolved the country's legislature which opposedhis moves to consolidate power and push forward with unpopular neo-liberal reforms; inresponse, legislators barricaded themselves inside the White House , impeached Yeltsin andelected a new President and major protests against Yeltsin's government resulted in hundreds

    killed. With military support, Yeltsin sent the army to besiege the parliament building anddisperse its defenders and used tanks and artillery to eject the legislators.

    The 1990s were plagued by armed ethnic conflicts in the North Caucasus . Such conflicts took aform of separatist Islamist insurrections against federal power, or of ethnic/clan conflicts

    between local groups. Since the Chechen separatists declared independence in the early 1990s,an intermittent guerrilla war (First Chechen War , Second Chechen War ) has been fought

    between disparate Chechen rebel groups and the Russian military. Terrorist attacks againstcivilians carried out by Chechen separatists, most notably the Moscow theater hostage crisis and Beslan school siege , caused hundreds of deaths and drew worldwide attention. High

    budget deficits and the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis caused the financial crisis of 1998 and

    resulted in further GDP decline. On 31 December 1999 Boris Yeltsin resigned from the presidency, handing the post to the recently appointed prime minister, Vladimir Putin , whothen won the 2000 election. Putin won popularity for suppressing the Chechen insurgency,although sporadic violence still occurs throughout the North Caucasus. High oil prices andinitially weak currency followed by increasing domestic demand, consumption andinvestments has helped the economy grow for nine straight years, alleviating the standard ofliving and increasing Russia's clout on the world stage. While many reforms made during thePutin administration have been generally criticized by Western nations as un-democratic,

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    Putin's leadership over the return of order, stability and progress has won him widespread popularity in Russia. On March 7, 2008, Dmitry Medvedev was elected President of Russia.

    RUSSIA - CULTURE - EDUCATIONRussian children begin school when they are 6 years old. Elementary school consists of thefirst 4 grades, middle school consists of 5 grades and high school is 2 grades. It is only requiredthat children attend the first 9 grades. After that a child can go to work or do work/study. If achild wants to go to the University, however, he or she must complete all 11 grades. There areapproximately 25-30 students in each class. All students learn at least one foreign language inschool.

    Russian education system has three levels: school (called "school's education"), college("middle education" and University ("high education"). A University education is more

    prestigious and higher than a College/middle education.

    Children either walk or take public transportation to get to school. The elementary, middle andhigh schools are located in 1 building, so all the children from the neighborhood go to the same

    place. School buses are only used by children who attend private schools. If parents want tosend their children to a specialized school, they must arrange for the child's transportation tothat school.

    All grades begin at 8:30 in the morning and children attend school Monday through Friday.There are 4 terms in a school year. Between the terms are vacations. The biggest vacation is for3 months during the summer; the smaller vacation, in the fall is for 1 week.

    During the school day, children have a hot breakfast or snacks and dinners. It is veryinexpensive to buy these things at school and children generally do not bring their own foodfrom home.

    After classes children can stay at school, much like after-school programs in the U.S. until 6 pm. During this time the children can play, do homework, or participate in other activities suchas dancing, singing, painting, or sports. These after-school programs are for free.

    Children are expected to be ready if the teacher calls them to answer homework questions or problems at the blackboard. If a student is not ready he or she will receive a bad grade. The

    grading system is: 5-excellent, 4 - very good, 3 - satisfactory, 2 - negative mark - if a student isnot prepared or if his answer was very bad. Student's grades are not treated as confidential. Allclassmates know exactly who received which grade; the reason is to encourage children tocompete for better grades. Poor grades are an embarrassment.

    If a student is graduating a school with only "5"s, and has had no lower grades in total marksfor all 11 years, he or she will receive a "Gold medal". If the student has one "4" he or she will

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    receive a "Silver medal". Earning a Gold medal is a big advantage for admission to a highereducational institution.

    There are many free (state) specialized schools in Russia. In addition to the curriculum taughtin general schools, these schools also have a concentration in math or physics or foreign

    language. There are also separate music schools but this is an extra activity that a studentwould go to after their regular school day. Admission to these specialized schools is based onan entrance exam or a special aptitude. Some of these specialized schools are boarding schools;where the children live and only go home for vacation times.

    Unlike the U.S., students remain in the same classes with their first grade classmates from 1stthrough 11th grade. The classmates therefore know each other very well because they studyand grow up together. After school classmates remain lifelong friends.

    Another very big difference between Russian and American schools is the amount of disciplineand respect between teacher and student. Russian teachers are very strict and the children

    cannot talk, misbehave or be disrespectful in the classroom; it simply is not tolerated. This istrue at the college and university level as well.

    As in the U.S., students usually perform a concert or some type of show for the holidays that is performed for the entire school.

    Russian students often go on field trips similar to the U.S.. They go to museums, theatres,exhibitions, or parks.

    In general, there are more similarities than differences between Russian and American schools.In Russia, as in the U.S., children are anxious to grow up and do adult things. Girls dream of

    having a good family; boys dream of having a good job.

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    RUSSIA - CULTURE - HOLIDAYS

    New Year Celebration

    This is the most favorite holiday in Russia. It is anticipated as much as the Christmas holiday isin the U.S.

    When the communists came into power they forbid religious holidays. But Christmas traditionwas so strong (the people continued to decorate the Christmas trees in an underhand way) andthe government allowed the people to celebrate what was the Christmas holiday now in adifferent way and at a different time: now as a New Year holiday so long as the religiousmeaning was eliminated.

    Gradually the religious meaning to the holiday has deteriorated leaving the general meaning ofthe New Year holiday as one for a hope that the new year will be more happy and that all bad

    remains behind in the old year. The Christmas tree was renamed into a New Year tree. But thenon-religious traditions of the Christmas holiday remain: Santa Claus, gifts, dancing around theChristmas tree and happy family times.

    Russian version of Santa Claus

    Old man Frost or "Ded Moroz" is the favored legend. Outwardly he resembles Santa Claus. Hewears a long coat (usually red, sometimes blue), has a long beard and felt boots and carries astick and a big sack. He comes by horses, usually 3. In the northern part of Russia he comes bydeer.

    Old man Frost comes with his granddaughter, Snegurochka, the Snow Maiden, to help deliverthe gifts. Snegurochka is made of snow; she is a beautiful young girl. Most often she is

    pictured as being around 17 to 20 years old; other times rarely, as a Preschool girl. She isalways a blonde with big blue eyes and red cheeks. She too wears either a blue or red long coat.When the people decorate their apartments and Christmas tree, they place a Santa Claus andSnegurochka either under the Christmas tree or somewhere else in the room.

    Gifts are never put in stockings. Russian Santa Claus lays the gifts down under the tree (atmidnight). If the children are too small and are sleeping on New Year's night (eve), they run tosee under the tree when they awaken. If a family is celebrating the holiday together, all thegifts are put under the tree before midnight. After midnight everyone goes to the tree and opensgifts. After that they celebrate with a large festive dinner. It is a very late night. New Year'sgifts are big and generous. Children dream about the holiday for a long time. Historically therewas no tradition of writing a letter to Santa Claus as there is in the U.S. In recent times, that haschanged and children are beginning to follow this western tradition as well.

    Russian New Year decorations are very similar to those in the U.S: garland, balloons, candles,and snowflakes. Many years ago another tradition was followed. Before New Years' familiesmade Christmas tree decorations from color paper, fancy candy's wrappings, colored thread,

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    and real candy. Russian Christmas tree's decorations are different from American andEuropean trees. Russian trees are decorated in varied bright colors (not just one color or onestyle of ornament) with many different types of decorations: figures, icicles, and candy thatkids can to finding and eating.

    Excitement and goodwill is felt long before the New Year. The streets are decorated and musicis played everywhere. Long before New Year's, people begin their shopping. The gifts are purchased for everybody around. There are big decorated Christmas trees in the streets. Thereare free holiday shows in the public parks. You can see Santa Claus walking around on thestreets. Television presents many holiday programs. And there are many New Year's parties.On New Year's Eve, people call and congratulate one another - relatives, friends, andcolleagues.

    Russia has special children's New Year Parties (called "New Year Tree"). They take place oneweek before New Year and two weeks after (winter school vacations). This is special show forchildren (preschool, elementary and part of middle school age), with St.Claus, Snegurochka,

    gifts, singing and dancing around the Christmas tree. The parents buy a ticket for the child. Theshow is much like the Radio City Music Hall show in New York City.

    Russians do not celebrate Halloween, but at Christmas time people wear different costumes at New Year's parties. In country areas, children dress in costumes and go from neighbor toneighbor and are given candy and treats, much like Halloween. The children will dance andsing when they visit the neighbors. Very often the costumes are sewn by the parents.

    There are many popular children's Christmas songs (like American "Jingle Bells"). Eventuallyyou will find a link here so you can hear some of the songs.

    Another very popular New Year tradition is for parents to hire people dressed as Santa Clausand Snegurochka to come to house parties. They come knocking at the door much to thedelight of the children. They talk with the kids, and sing and dance and present gifts to thechildren (which the parents have either purchased themselves or have told the "actors" whatthey want them to bring). Most often the actors are college students trying to earn money.

    New Year's Eve (called New Year's Night in Russia) is a big celebration. There are many people in the streets celebrating. Families with young children celebrate at home just with theirown family. Young single people like to go out from home. In the big cities there are manychoices: many clubs and restaurants have special programs. The theatres and ballet are also

    popular on December 31 and January 1. Nobody wants to be alone on this night.

    Russia has one more special detail: they have two New Years. The tradition of greeting the New Year twice comes from the beginning of the twenty century. Before the communists,Russia had its own calendar. It was exactly the same as the western calendar, just delayed bytwo weeks. The new government adopted the western calendar but the Church continued usingthe old Russian calendar.

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    Gradually, everyone has forgotten about the old calendar or have stopped celebrating religiousholidays. Today, people celebrate New Year's even on December 31 and then some celebrate,or at least remember Orthodox Christmas and then New Year's on January 12 and 13. It iscalled Old New Year. Old New Year is not celebrated with quite as much "celebration" but TVstations repeat all New Year's programs. Young people, of course, have a New Year party

    again! Then, after January 13 everybody removes the decorations and Christmas trees. Theholiday has come to an end.

    Russian Orthodox Easter

    Pascha is the highest celebration of the Orthodox Church. Russian Orthodox churches herald inthe glorious event with a service, beginning at midnight on Pascha Sunday. After the service,

    proclaiming Christ's Resurrection, Easter baskets are blessed and shared. This signifies the endof the Great Lent, a forty day period of fasting.

    May Day - May 1-2

    Originally the "Day of International Solidarity of Workers", it became just a holiday of springand labor, though communists make their traditional demonstrations on that day. (Also called"International labor Day.)"

    Victory Day - May 9th

    On this holiday, the President of Russia sends congratulatory letters to all the veterans. Thereare parades, feasts, presents and flowers to give thanks to the people who fought for thedefense of Russia. In all the cities there are meetings in which a leader or the mayor of the citygives speeches about the achievement of people in the war and veterans tell about their

    adventures in the war.

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    Elementary Activities and lessons

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    THE RUSSIAN FLAG

    WHAT ARE THE COLORS ON THE RUSSIAN FLAG?

    1._____2._____3._____

    Why did you choose these colors?

    ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________

    What do you believe these colors represent?

    ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________

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    ANSWER PAGE

    History on the Russian Flag:Russia's flag (sometimes called the "Imperial flag") was adopted on August21, 1991. It consists of three equal horizontal bands of white (on the top),blue and red (on the bottom). The height is two-thirds the width.

    The design of the flag is over 300 years old and was first used by Peterthe Great (it was adapted from the flag of the Netherlands). It was theofficial flag of Russia from May 7, 1883, until November 1917, when thecommunist Bolshevik revolution took place. When the communist regime fell,the old tri-color flag was reinstated .

    Here are just some of the meanings of the Russian flag

    White - peace and honesty Red - hardiness, bravery, strength Blue - vigilance, truth and loyalty, perseverance & justice

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    Russia Coloring Page

    Russian girl

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