HIS 250: HISTORY OF RUSSIA, 860-1991
Lectures: 11-12 MW, SS 2118

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course surveys the broad span of Russian history, from the formation of the first “Russian” state to the resurrection of Russia as the Soviet Union fell apart. The first term moves from the earliest Kievan state, through the rise of Moscow first locally, then on the world stage, and culminates with the Russian victory over Napoleon. The second term traces the difficulties facing autocratic Imperial Russia in the changing world of the nineteenth century, moves on to the Revolution that brought that state to an end, and finally focuses on the history of the Soviet Union.

MARKING:
two 5-6 page essay papers (20% each) (one each term)
one first term exam (15%)
one final exam (25%)
tutorial participation (20 %)

Tutorial participation is an integral part of this course. It means coming to tutorials ready to talk about lectures and assigned readings. To help ensure that students have completed assigned readings, reading quizzes may be given at any time, without warning, and will factor into the tutorial participation grade.

Unexcused late papers or missed exams are also not acceptable. If you anticipate a conflict, discuss the matter with me ahead of time. Do not simply miss an exam or fail to turn in a paper and assume I’ll accept something late. Penalties for tardiness are—at a minimum—three percentage points per day late.

PLAGIARISM AND ACADEMIC INTEGRITY:
Plagiarism is a serious offense. Read the university’s policies on academic dishonesty, located at http://www.governingcouncil.utoronto.ca/policies/behaveac.htm. Plagiarism can lead to failure, not on a single paper, but for the class as a whole.

Furthermore, students agree that by taking this course all required papers may be subject to submission for textual similarity review to Turnitin.com for the detection of plagiarism. All submitted papers will be included as source documents in the Turnitin.com reference database solely for the purpose of detecting plagiarism of such papers. The terms that apply to the University’s use of the Turnitin.com service are described on the Turnitin.com website.

ACCESSIBILITY:
The University of Toronto is committed to accessibility. If you require accommodations for a disability, or have any accessibility concerns about the course, the classroom or course materials, please contact Accessibility Services as soon as possible: http://www.accessibility.utoronto.ca/

REQUIRED TEXTS:
Textbook: N. V. Riasanovsky and Mark Steinberg, A History of Russia (available at University Bookstore)
Tutorial Readings: Course reader (available at Canadian Scholars’ Press, 180 Bloor St. West)
On-line readings (available through blackboard)

SCHEDULE OF ASSIGNMENTS/TOPICS (FIRST TERM):
Weeks 1-2: Introduction and Kievan Rus
September 13: Introduction
September 15: Power
Textbook: Chapters 1-3

September 20: Religion
September 22: War
Textbook: Chapters 4-6

Weeks 3-5: The Mongols and Muscovy (and tutorials begin)
September 27: The Coming of the Mongols
September 29: Appanage Russia
Textbook: Chapters 7-8, 12-3
Tutorial Readings: “The Tale of the Destruction of Riazan” and “Zadonshchina” (course reader)

October 4: The Rise of Moscow
October 6: Ivan the Terrible
Textbook: Chapters 9-11, 15
Tutorial Readings: Epiphanius the Wise: “The Life, Acts, and Miracles of Our Blessed Father Sergei of Radonezh” (course reader)

October 13: The Time of Troubles
Textbook: Chapters 16-17
Tutorial Readings: Prince Andrew Kurbsky, “First Epistle Written to the Tsar and Grand Prince of Moscow” and Ivan IV, “Epistle of the Tsar and Sovereign to All His Russian Tsardom” (course reader)

Week 6: The Seventeenth Century
October 18: Muscovite Society
October 20: The Schism
Textbook: Chapters 18-19
Tutorial Readings: “The Life of Archpriest Avvakum by Himself”

Weeks 7-10: The Eighteenth Century
October 25: Russia and the World AND first paper due
October 27: Peter the Great, War, and Law
Textbook: Chapter 20
Tutorial Readings: “Reorganization of Russia” and “Pososhkov on Poverty and Wealth” (course reader)

November 1: Empresses
November 3: The Era of Palace Revolts
Textbook: Chapter 21
Tutorial Readings: Catherine II, Memoirs, excerpts (course reader)

November 10: Catherine the Great
Textbook: Chapter 22
Tutorial Readings: Catherine II, “Prince Khlor,” and G. I. Derzhavin, “Felitsa” (NOTE: this reading available on blackboard)

November 15: Eighteenth Century Society
November 17: Eighteenth Century Culture
Textbook: Chapters 23-4
Tutorial Readings: Pushkin, “The Captain’s Daughter” (NOTE: this reading available online at http://home.freeuk.net/russica2/books/pushk/cap/doch.html)

Weeks 11-12: Alexander I and Napoleon
November 22: Paul and Alexander
November 24: The Napoleonic Wars
Textbook: Chapters 25
Tutorial Readings: Denis Davidov, In the Service of the Tsar against Napoleon, excerpt “The Year 1812” (course reader)

November 29: Russia Triumphant
December 1: First term exam (in class)

WINTER BREAK

SECOND TERM TOPICS

Weeks 1-3: Nicholas I and Alexander II
January 10: The Decembrist Revolt and Nicholas I
January 12: The Rise of the Intelligentsia

(Week 2: Tutorials begin again)
January 17: Crimea
January 19: Alexander II and the Great Reforms

January 24: Emancipation
January 26: The Radical Intelligentsia

Weeks 4-6: The end of the old regime
January 31: Alexander III and Reaction
February 2: Industrialization and Social Change

February 7: Revolutionaries
February 9: Nicholas II

February 14: War
February 16: Revolution

Reading Week

Weeks 7-9: Creating Soviet State and Society
February 28: the Civil War
March 2: NEP

March 7: The Rise of Stalin
March 9: The 30s

March 14: Repression
March 16: Foreign Policy

Weeks 10-11: The War and Beyond
March 21: The War
March 23: Post-War Stalinism

March 28: Khrushchev and the Thaw
March 30: Brezhnev and Stagnation

Week 12: Gorbachev and the end of the Soviet Union
April 4: Gorbachev and Perestroika
April 6: Yeltsin and Russia

FINAL EXAM DURING EXAM PERIOD
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