S. Anderson described the fleet as 'a gigantic, complex and expensive toy built and operated for [Peter's] personal gratification'" ("A Hero of Our Time" 42). In addition, Peter's reign changed Russia from a relatively minor power to a larger, world power, but it also changed the lives of the Russian people in numerous ways. The previous Muscovite era imposed few burdens on Russians other than taxes and their inability to simply change their community or tax burdens (Raeff 22). The people acted and reacted according to custom, which was an all-encompassing part of Russian life, but Peter's rule changed all that.
Peter created what may be now called an early police state that dictated just about every aspect of people's lives, from education to industry and commerce. Peter did this to ensure the well being of his people, but many felt his edicts went against long held and treasured customs, something extremely important in Russian society, and so, the people resented Peter and his attempts at reform. His reforms were extremely invasive in many areas, which is another reason the Russians resented them. For example, he went so far as to decree how wide cloth should be when it was woven, how shoes were manufactured and what products were used in their manufacture, how hemp was processed, and on, even to what people wore and how they wore their hair (Raeff 25-28). His intentions were good, but he went about some reforms the wrong way, which did not endear him to his people. He also created so many reforms, edicts, and laws, that it was difficult to keep track of them all, and many of his reforms died when he died, not strong enough to hold up on their own.
References
Editors. "Peter the Great." Saint-Petersburg.com. 2008. 1 May 2008. http://www.saint-petersburg.com/history/peter1st.asp
Hughes, Lindsey. Peter the Great: A Biography. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2002.
Peter the Great: A Hero of Our Time?" History Review (1999): 42.
Mines, Linda Moss. "Peter the Great of Russia." Girls Preparatory School. 2008. 1 May 2008. http://staff.gps.edu/mines/Age%20of%20Abolutism%20-%20Bio%20Peter%20the%20Great.htm
Raeff, Marc, ed. Peter the Great, Reformer or Revolutionary? Boston D.C. Heath, 1963.
Pozefsky, Peter C. "Peter the Great: A Biography." The Historian 66.3 (2004): 624+.
Zernov, N. "The Establishment of the Russian Church." Peter the Great, Reformer or Revolutionary? Ed. Marc Raeff. Boston D.C. Heath, 1963. 50-56.
Western Civilization The old Persian road ran from Sardis to Susa. What was the approximate distance from Sardis to Susa? In Miles? It was approximately 1,500 miles from Sardis to Susa. In what 20th century countries did the Greeks have the most colonies? The Greeks possessed the largest number of colonies in the modern countries of Italy and Spain, with some in France and North Africa. In what 20th century countries were the following cities
Western Civilization From Prehistory to the Renaissance Early Civilizations What do historians mean by "pre-history?" What was life like for early humans during these years? There are many things that we as citizens of the modern world take for granted. First among these is probably the enormous amount of recorded information that we have at our fingertips. Everything from our purchases, to our places of employment, to the times and places of our births
This is because the ideas of self-determination would help inspire large numbers of people who shared a common identity and values. Yet, because they were being oppressed for whatever reasons these common ideas would fuel thoughts of self-determination. This is significant because this was the intention of all corresponding revolutions. However, this would morph into something more twisted. In many ways this would help fuel the rise of nationalism
Peter Singer Explication of Peter Singer's "Famine, Affluence, and Morality" Peter Singer's objective in "Famine, Affluence, and Morality" is to raise activism in the general public with regard to ending famine and conditions of abject poverty. The focus of the article concerns the public's need to take greater action. His argument stems from his view that "At the individual level, people have, with very few exceptions, not responded to the situation in
Architecture through the Ages Mesopotamia Construction in ancient times is second only to agriculture-it reaches back as far as the Stone Age and possibly further (Jackson 4). Before the existence of master builders in design and construction the Code of Hammurabi (1795-1750 B.C.) referred to design and construction as a simple process (Beard, Loulakis and Wundrum (13). Hammurabi was the ruler of Babylon, the world's first metropolis and he codified his
Behrman holds that it was weak political institutionalization rather than a weak civil society that shackled Weimar Germany. Unfortunately, many scholars of democracy theory and proponents of democratic culture have approached the Weimar Republic already holding the assumption that a democratic culture is necessary for a functioning democracy. With this assumption in place, they then debate whether Weimar Germany really possessed a "democratic culture." A democratic culture is often taken
Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.
Get Started Now