Reference no: EM133355831
Questions: Pick and do 3 essays, with each essay no less than four hundred words. Each essay must include a primary source or a secondary source from the list provided below.
- Essay: How has Russia's geography shaped its relationship with the world around it? Consider not only its place in Eurasia, but also factors like weather, agriculture, water, and others. Include at least four citations from the lectures and/or the readings to support your position.
- Essay: Do you consider Russia to be primarily Western, or primarily Eastern, or neither? If neither, what does that mean? How do you think this position has shaped Russia's interactions and relationships with Western and Eastern countries? Include at least four citations from the lectures and/or the readings to support your position.
- Essay: In 1917, Russia was not as industrialized as other countries, but the Revolution happened anyway. What do you think were the most important factors that led the Revolution to take hold in Russia, despite having failed elsewhere? What were some of the positive impacts of the early Bolshevik government, and what were some of the negative impacts? Include at least four citations from the lectures and/or the readings to support your positions.
- Essay: Consider what constitutes an empire, and discuss whether or not you believe that the Russian Empire, the Soviet Union, and the Russian Federation should be considered empires. Why, or why not? Include a definition for what an empire is, and provide at least four citations from the lectures and/or the readings to support your positions.
- Essay: What role does World War Two play in Russian history and Russian national identity? Why is it such an important point in Russian history? How do you think that war, and the geopolitical situation that resulted from it, have influenced Russian history and identity both in the Soviet period and in the post-Soviet period? Include at least four citations from the lectures and/or the readings to support your positions.