How did the Asian part of Russia expand?

First, the geographical environment of Russian expansion

In order to understand the amazing expansion of Russians across the Eurasian plains, it is necessary to understand the geography of these plains. in public

The first thing that catches your eye is their amazing area. Indeed, Russia is linked to a huge infinite space.

There is an agricultural proverb that says: "Russia is not a country; This is a world. " The world includes six points on the earth's land surface.

One is bigger than the United States, Canada and Central America combined. When night falls on Leningrad on the Baltic coast,

At that time, in Vladivostok on the Pacific coast, it was dawn. The distance between the two cities is 5000 miles, while New Zealand

The distance between San Francisco and Rio is 3000 miles. When examining the expansion of Russia to the east and the United States to the west, we should remember

This contrast.

Another remarkable feature of Russia's vast land is its amazing topographic consistency. It's largely a piece.

A flat plain area. The ural mountains do cross these plains from north to south; It is generally believed that it divides Russia into

Two unique parts that are not connected with each other-Europe Russia and Asia Russia. But the fact is that the Urals are just a flat land.

Long and narrow eroded mountains with a height of only 2,000 feet meander south to 565,438+0o north latitude.

It no longer extends, leaving a wide and flat desert area that extends to the Caspian Sea as a gap. In these cases, the whole apartment

The original region must be regarded as a geographical unity-the subcontinent of Eurasia. This terrain consistency helps to explain.

Why the Russians can expand into this whole area so quickly, and why this area is still under the control of Moscow.

If you want to draw a dividing line across the Eurasian plain, then this dividing line should not run vertically from north to south along the Urals.

But to cross the east and west and turn Central Asia into a desert and semi-desert environment in the southeast and a frozen plain in the northern forest.

From Siberia.

Europe and Asia cover most of contemporary Russia, initially surrounded by natural borders extending from the Black Sea to the Pacific Ocean. this

The boundary consists of a series of continuous mountains, deserts and inland seas-it starts from the Caucasus Mountains in the west and extends eastward.

Followed by the Caspian Sea, Usqiuerte Desert, Aral Sea, Kizilkum Desert, Hindu Kush Mountain Range, Pamir Mountain Area,

Tianshan Mountain, Gobi Desert, and finally the Daxinganling Mountains in the Pacific Ocean in the east. The mountain circle around the Eurasian plain was blocked.

Wet winds from the Pacific Ocean and warm monsoons from the Indian Ocean; This can explain the desert climate in Central Asia and Siberia.

A cold and dry climate. From the Baltic Sea in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east, the whole vast Siberia is essentially the same.

Similar to continental climate: summer is short and hot, and winter is long and cold. Climate consistency, like terrain consistency, promotes

Russia's eastward expansion was prevented, because frontier developers felt equally comfortable in the whole plain area of 5,000 miles east and west. but

However, frontier developers found the desert areas in Central Asia strange and terrible. They also found that these deserts are very different.

The militarily powerful Muslim khanate, a weak tribe in Siberia, occupied it. The Russians didn't come until they arrived.

It took 250 years for the Pacific Ocean north of Dagan to control the desert in Central Asia.

Russia's expansion is not only affected by topography and climate, but also by water system. Because the terrain is flat,

Russian rivers are generally long and wide, and there is no obstacle of turbulence. Therefore, they are the link between trade, colonization and conquest.

Roads and traffic are very valuable. In addition, they are not only suitable for boating in summer, but also for sledding in winter.

All right. To the west of the Urals, the famous rivers are the Sidvina River which flows into the Baltic Sea and the German River which flows southward into the Black Sea.

The Nestor, Dnieper, Don and Volga rivers flow eastward and then flow southward into the Caspian Sea. In the ural mountains

In the east, the four rivers that irrigate the Siberian Plain are ob river in the west, Yenisei River in the middle and Lena River in the northeast.

Rivers in the southeast and amur river. As the whole of Siberia leans towards the huge Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the rivers in these rivers

The first three rivers all flow northward into the Arctic Ocean, while the fourth river flows eastward into the Pacific Ocean. Ob river, Yenisei and Lena rivers.

The fact that exports are in the Arctic Ocean largely offsets their economic utility. However, the fact remains.

Rivers and their numerous tributaries constitute the main traffic network between Zhanghe and Russia.

Once people cross the ural mountains. You can transfer from one waterway to another without much treatment. This way.

They kept zigzagging eastward, chasing animals with fur.

The last geographical factor affecting the speed and process of Russia's expansion is soil and

The combination of vegetation. There are four main soil types-a vegetation belt across Russia. In the far north, along the north

The coast of the ocean is a barren permafrost zone, which is frozen all the year round except for the growing period of 6 to 8 weeks in summer. In the growing period

On the stage, the sun never sets, giving countless wild flowers a short and vigorous life-violets, daisies, forget me,

Narcissus and blue flowers.

To the south of the permafrost zone is the Taiga forest belt, the largest forest belt It among the four vegetation areas, with a width of 600 to 1.

300 miles, 4600 miles long, accounting for one-fifth of the world's total forest area. In its northern area, the main trees are needles.

Leaves and birch; Further south, elms, poplars, poplars and maples are mixed together. In these forests, the Russians

Feeling very comfortable, they can cross the whole Eurasia without losing this familiar protective covering.

Lu. Many Russian writers described the beauty of their forests and the importance of forests to their people. The following passage is quoted from a high place.

The description in Jill's novel On Earth is very representative:

The forest came towards us like a black army. Cedar trees spread their wings like big birds and birch trees.

Little girl, the sour gas of the moor is blown from the ground. The dog stuck out its red tongue and came up to me. It stops from time to time to smell the ground.

Shake your head like a fox for no reason. Grandpa is wearing his grandmother's jacket and an old hat without eaves.

Squinting, smiling inexplicably, moving stovepipe gently, as if sneaking around. Grandma is wearing a blue shirt.

A black skirt and a white headscarf, walking like rolling on the ground, it is difficult to keep up.

The closer to the forest, the higher my grandfather's interest; He sniffed the air and coughed. At first he was off and on,

Vaguely, later, he was intoxicated and said happily and beautifully:

"The forest is God's garden. No one planted it, but God's wind and divine breath blew it up.

Yes ... I was a boatman when I was young, and I have been to Liguri ... Alas. Lexie, what I've been through, you are

I won't see you again! The great forest on the Oka River runs from kasimo to Mulom, and also from the other side of the Volga River.

Up to the size of the Urals, yes, all this is endless and magical ... "

At the southern edge of the forest belt, the forest is gradually sparse and the trees are gradually short, until they completely give way to the empty treeless.

Forest and grassland. Here, you can see the fertile black soil formed by rotten grass for thousands of years. Today, this is the face of Russia.

Bao, but in the past few centuries, has been the birthplace of suffering and disaster. The prairie in the middle of Eurasia used to be a place for riding horses.

The lair of plundered nomads. When these nomads are strong enough, they will attack along the route of least resistance—

-They often invade Central Europe in the west or China in the east. They attacked vulnerable Russians in eastern Europe more frequently.

An important theme in Russian history is the relationship between Slavic farmers in forest areas and Asian nomads on grasslands.

Conflicts continue. At first, the nomads won, and as a result, the Mongols ruled Russia for two centuries. but

Finally, the Slavic residents in the forest became strong, not only won their own independence, but also expanded to the Eurasian plain.

Somewhere outside.

The fourth area, the desert area, is the smallest, starting from China and extending westward only to the Caspian Sea. We already know,

Due to various reasons-inaccessible, harsh climate and the military talents of indigenous people, the desert area lasted until the end of 19.

Ye Cai was swallowed up by the wave of Russian expansion.

Second, the early expansion of Russia.

About 1500 years ago, Russians migrated from the upper reaches of the Dniester, Dnieper, Nieman and Devinast rivers.

The birthplace of this area is advancing eastward. They spread out in a huge arc from their birthplace, and under the call of the vast plain,

Continue to extend north to the coast of the Arctic Ocean, south to the Black Sea, east to the Urals and beyond. Migrate to

Russians in the east or northeast are still under the cover of forests. They met little resistance in the forest area-only.

There are scattered and loosely organized Finnish tribes; Either marry them or drive them away easily.

These early Russian colonists combined agriculture with forestry. The ratio of agriculture to forestry depends on geographical location.

In the northern forest region, that is, coniferous forest region, agriculture is secondary because of the cold climate, poor land and little open space. because

However, the colonists in this area spent most of their time trapping animals, fishing and collecting beeswax, honey, resin,

Potassium carbonate and other forest byproducts. Going south, in the mixed forest belt, managing agriculture is the main activity. Colonists due to

All kinds of forest resources still depend on forests to a great extent, but more time is spent on farming. rye

It is the main crop, but it also grows barley, oats, wheat, flax and hemp. The main farming methods are as follows

On the ashes of the forest or the bushes whose vegetation has been cleared by fire, or in the open space of the desolate grassland that is occasionally found, enter.

Line temporary sowing. After several years of planting, these open spaces are either abandoned or restored to wasteland, or

As a rough pasture, it was kept until its productivity was restored. This practice is reminiscent of remote areas in the United States.

It is primitive and wasteful, but it doesn't matter much, because the forest is endless.

In these cases, the general rule is that the home is scattered and the village is small-there is no centralized village or city.

Some towns that appeared at that time developed into trade centers along major waterways. Located in the north-south traffic artery.

This is the case in Kiev along the Dnieper River and Novgorod on the lake of gillman, which controls east-west trade.

It was long-distance trade that provided the foundation for the first Russian country developed in the 9th century. Kiev belongs to this country.

Center, but the country is still a loose union of principalities along waterways. Kiev itself is located in the forest area, and

The border of grassland is extremely fragile. Therefore, in order to survive, it has to constantly struggle with nomadic cavalry.

Some powerful rulers in Kiev can often claim their rights to the areas in the south that reach the Black Sea and the Sidadadoz River. But,

The display of this power is short-lived; Russian colonists could not move to the south and east of Kiev 150 miles.

Because the threat of nomadic aggression hangs over them like the sword of Damocles.

1237, the sword is coming; Mongols swept across Russia, just as they swept across most parts of Eurasia. Mongolia

Before the invasion, Kiev was described by travelers at that time as a luxurious palace, eight markets and 400 churches.

Including St. Sophie's Cathedral, a magnificent metropolis. However, eight years after the invasion, when Franciscan friar Ioanes

When Dupla Cappini passed Kiev on his way to the Mongolian capital, he found that the former capital was only 2O0.

The residence and the capital were surrounded by corpses.

The Mongols continued to push their devastating aggression into Central Europe, reaching the gates of Italy and France. Then, they

Automatic retreat, only the Russian region of Europe was retained. Their vast empire expanding in all directions is not United.

An organization that unites and survives for a long time. It is divided into several regions, among which the so-called golden horde includes Russia.

Area. The capital of the Golden Horde, which was the capital of Russia in the next two centuries, is Sarai near Stalingrad today.

In this way, the ancient struggle between forest and grassland has been decisively solved with the victory of grassland and its nomadic people.

At this time, the Russians handed over some small flying places on the grassland and retreated to the depths of the forest. There, they only

We should recognize the suzerainty of Khan and pay tribute to Khan every year, so that we can live in our own way. Gradually, the Russians recovered.

After recovering its own strength, it developed a new national center-deep in the forest far from the dangerous prairie.

Moscow park. Moscow has other advantages besides being inaccessible to nomads. It is located in

The intersection of Dnieper River and northeast China. Because many rivers flowing in different directions flow through Mozambique.

Skopje is also the closest area to each other, and Moscow can benefit from internal drainage. There are also a series of rulers in the park.

Favorable conditions for peace-loving, frugal and careful planning. These rulers patiently and tirelessly expanded their territory until

Moscow has become the new national core. /kloc-At the beginning of the 0/4th century, the principality covered an area of about 500 square miles, but by15th century.

By the middle period, it had grown to 65,438+05,000 square miles. A century later, during the reign of Ivan the Terrible (ID33- 1584)

), all the parks in Russia have been brought under the rule of Moscow.

"The growth of Russian land" completely changed Russians and Mongolians, who were more commonly called Tatars at that time.

The balance of power between. Originally, the Tatars won because they were completely different from the struggling Kiev state and United internally.

Consistent, but also has a fast-moving cavalry, more advanced militarily. However, in the16th century, the Russians

Unified under Moscow, and the golden tent khanate in addition to the Siberian Tatar khanate east of the Urals, also

It is divided into Kazan khanate, Astrakhan khanate and Crimean khanate. In addition, Russians

Our military technology is also developing, because they can make great progress from western Europe, especially muskets and artillery.

Benefiting from the great progress of the face. 1552, Ivan's advantage in artillery was added when he attacked the Tatars in Kazan.

The help provided by a Danish technician in supervising the bombing of Kazan fortress wall with mines proved decisive. my

After the explosion, the Russian army quickly and successfully captured the fortress, and then occupied the whole Kazan khanate. They marched along the Volga River.

Astrakhan was easily conquered in 1556. In order to consolidate the occupied territory, the Russians did not give in.

A series of fortifications were built on the banks of the Ergun River, extending to the mouth of the Volga River in astrakhan. So,

Russians have become the masters of the huge Volga River basin, stretching from the Caspian Sea in the south to the Urals Mountains in the east.

At this time, the Russians opened the road to the infinite expansion of the Volga River and the Ural Mountains. Some new ones

This area was won by force, just like in Siberia. This type of extension will be discussed in the next two sections.

Discuss it. In other areas, Europeans bought Manhattan Island and Ohio River from American Indians.

A large area of land in the basin was acquired through personal transactions with indigenous leaders. The famous Russian writer Sergei

Aksakov vividly described the expansion of this way in his memoir A Russian Gentleman:

..... You just need to invite 12 local Bashkir leaders in some areas to accept your hospitality: offer them both.

Three fat sheep, slaughtered in their own way, then took out a barrel of whisky and several barrels of fermented strong bash.

Kilmead and a barrel of homemade hometown beer-by the way, this proves that even in the past days, Bash

The Kiir people are not strictly Muslims, and the rest are very simple. Indeed, this kind of hospitality is said to have been possible once.

It will last for a week or even two weeks: Bashkir people don't rush things, they have to ask them this every day.

A question, "Hey, good friend, is it time to discuss my business?" It is no exaggeration to say that guests.

I have been eating all day and drinking all night; However, if they are not completely satisfied with the hospitality, if they sing.

Their monotonous singing, playing long seedlings and dancing the strange dance of standing or squatting in the same place are not exhausted.

Xing, then, the highest-ranking leader among them will slurp, shake his head and look dignified.

Without looking at the questioner, he replied, "Not yet. Bring us another sheep! " "Of course, there are always sheep.

Yes, beer and spirits are ready-made; Then, the drunken Bashkir people began to sing and dance again, one after another.

One by one, they fell asleep where they felt fit. However, everything in the world has an end; Such a day

Finally arrived: one day, the big leader looked at his master calmly and said, "We thank you, thank you very much!" " Now, you want to

What is this? The rest of the transaction follows a fixed pattern. The buyer is a real Russian at first.

Sheng speaks shrewdly: he assures the Bashkir people that he doesn't need anything at all; However, he heard that the Bashkir people

Very kind, so I came to Ufa to establish friendship with them, and so on. Then, somehow, the topic

Will turn to the following aspects: Bashkir people's site factories are endless; Now that the situation of tenants is not satisfactory, they will

After paying the rent for a year or two, they stopped paying, but they continued to live on this land as if they were the legal location of this land.

Someone; It is reckless to expel them, so litigation is inevitable. These words accord with the facts; Then,

The buyer politely offered that he was willing to help the kind Bashkir people reduce a part of the land that had become their burden.

As a result, the whole area was sold at a very low price. The transaction is determined by legal documents, but,

The amount of land has never been specified in the document, nor can it be specified, because the land has never been measured. Usually, the edges

The boundary is determined by the following landmarks: "From a small estuary to a dead tree on the Wolf Road, from a dead tree to a watershed,

From watershed to foxhole, from foxhole to Sol Tamrat's hollow tree ",and so on. Circle ten thousand, twenty thousand or even three.

The landmark of ten thousand mu of land is very clear and lasting! And the price of all these lands may be 100 rubles and value.

100 ruble gift, excluding entertainment expenses.

Third, cross the Urals.

The victory of the Russians made Kazan khanate and Astrakhan khanate cease to exist. However, Crimea and Urals

The Tatars on the other side of the mountain remained independent and continued to harass the Russian colonists with constant attacks. Because after this chapter,

For various reasons to be discussed, Russians had to be robbed by Crimean Tatars before the end of 18.

Sweep it. However, they can easily destroy the Siberian khanate, and in doing so, they unconsciously began to move toward the Pacific Ocean.

An epic coastal March.

The frontier developers who crossed the Urals and conquered Siberia were mainly bold and capable, called Cossacks.

These people are similar to frontier developers in the western United States in many ways. Most of them are trying to get rid of the bondage of serfdom.

Former farmers who fled Russia or Poland. Their refuge is the barren grassland in the south, where they become hunters.

People, fishermen and herders. Just as American frontier developers became semi-Indians, they became semi-Tatars.

They love freedom and advocate equality. However, they are willful and like to rob. As long as it looks profitable, they are always ready.

Willing to be a bandit. Nikolai Gogol, a famous Russian novelist, vividly described the lifestyle of Cossacks as follows.

Write:

There is not an industry that the Cossacks don't know: steaming wine, making cars, making gunpowder, and working as blacksmiths and locksmiths.

Fourth, conquer Siberia.

Russia's conquest of Siberia was an extraordinary achievement. Russians in Siberia and Spaniards in the United States are one.

Sample, with surprisingly small power to win a huge empire in just a few years. Facts have proved that the Irtysh River is in ancient Chu.

The khanate in the valley is just a weak shell, and there is no solid entity in it. Once the shell is punctured. Russians can do it.

Travel thousands of miles without serious confrontation. Their speed of progress is amazing. Ermak is in 158 1 to 1584.

Go out occasionally. Sir Walter Raleigh also landed on Roanoke Island in North Carolina at 1584. To 1637

In half a century, the Russians have reached the Sea of Okhotsk in the Pacific Ocean, which is farther than the Pacific coast of the United States.

The distance to the Atlantic coast was more than half, and the British colonists did not cross the other side of the Allegheny Mountains during this period.

The reasons for the rapid development of Russians can be explained by many factors. We already know that climate, land

The shape, vegetation and water system are all beneficial to intruders. Due to the small number, poor weapons and lack of unity and groups, various indigenous peoples

Weave and be at a disadvantage. In addition, we should also take into account the Cossacks' perseverance and courage; They are illegal in French Canada.

Like fur hunters, they endure great hardships and dangers in the wilderness. The reason why they did this can be summed up in one word.

-Fur. Minks lure them from one river to a new river by land transportation, so

Keep moving eastward.

Cossacks built fortifications or fortresses similar to bunkers in remote areas of America to protect them while advancing toward the spine.

The traffic between them. The first fortress in Siberia was built near Siberia, on the Tobol and Irtysh rivers.

Tobolsk at the interchange. When the Russians discovered that these two rivers were tributaries of ob river, they rowed along the ob river.

As a result, I found myself moving the boat to land for some distance, and then I could enter the Yenisei River, the next big waterway. To 16 10

In, they arrived in Yenisei River valley in large numbers and established Krasnoyarsk fortress. Here, they met.

Buryats, a militant people, have been trying their best to resist since they conquered ancient Chu. Russians avoid Bree.

The Atlanteans turned northeast and discovered the Lena River. 1632, where they established the Yakutsk fortress and cooperated with the soil.

The moderate Yakutia trade profitably. However, the Buryats continued to attack their communication lines,

Therefore, the Russians launched a cruel and extinct war. Finally, the Russians won and continued to advance to Lake Baikal.

Lake Moore; 165 1 year, where they established Irkutsk fortress.

During this period, the expedition set out from Yakutsk in all directions. 1645, a group of Russians have arrived.

Reach the coast of the Arctic Ocean. Two years later, another group of people arrived at the Pacific coast and established the Okhotsk fortress. The following year, 1648, brother.

Simino Dezhnev, an Isaac explorer, set out from Yakutsk on an extraordinary journey. He walked along the Lena River.

Sail downstream. He found that some river sections were too wide for him to see the banks. A delta as big as a continent.

Gravel covered with watershed. After crossing the delta, Deznev sailed eastward along the coast of the Arctic Ocean until

Reach the top of Asia. Then, he sailed along the waterway that was later called Bering Strait. In the storm

After losing two ships, he reached the Anadel River; Set up the Annadel fortress less than 7000 miles from Moscow.

Lee! Dnev submitted a report on his trip to the governor of Yakutsk; After the governor submitted his report,

It slipped my mind. It was not until Vitus Bering made a formal expedition that the report was discovered again; Bering joined in.

Set sail in Dnief 1725 Determine whether America and Asia are connected by land-this problem was prominent as early as 77 years ago.

Successfully solved.

So far, the Russians have not encountered any force that can stop them. However, when they advanced from Irkutsk,

When they advanced to the amur river Valley, they not only met their opponents, but also met the power that was at its peak at that time.

China's imperial outpost (see chapter 4, section 2).

Hunger drove Russians to the amur river Valley. The cold north produces fur instead of grain, while Europe

The Russian barn is like being on another planet. Therefore, the Russians turned south to the amur river Valley hopefully;

According to indigenous legends, this is an excellent place with fertile soil and golden grain. Cossack vasily

Bojar accepted the task of opening a trail from the Lena River to amur river. His extraordinary adventure and Jezny

With the trip to the Arctic Ocean, Ortiz has a prominent position in the history of Siberian exploration.

On June 5th 1643, Bojar Kov led 132 people from Yakutsk. He went up the Lena River and its tributaries,

Crossing 42 rapids in one place and losing a boat. Spent the winter on the road, and the next year he went to amur river.

When Boya arrived in Songhua River, he sent people to explore this tributary. All these people were ambushed except two.

Killed a day later. The main force arrived at the mouth of amur river River and spent the winter there. Because of the cold weather and lack of food,

I have tasted terrible suffering. The following spring, they bravely sailed into the high seas in a small boat. They marched north along the coast,

Arrive at the Sea of Okhotsk, and then return to Yakutsk by land. 80 members, almost two-thirds of the original expedition,

Died in this 3-year, 4,000-mile trip. Bojar Cove brought back 480 minks and wrote a newspaper.

Prosecution; In his report, he declared that it was feasible to conquer amur river.

A series of adventurers entered the amur river Valley after boyar Koff. They occupied the city of Albazin and established a

A series of fortresses, killing and plundering in a typical Cossack way. These atrocities they committed on the edge of China eventually made China

The emperor was furious and sent troops to the Northern Expedition in 1658. China recaptured Albazin and took the Russians as a whole.

The amur river Valley has been cleared. However, as soon as they left, Russian adventurers came back in droves. So,

Another China army was sent to amur river, and at the same time, the two governments began to negotiate to solve the border issue. pass by

After many disputes, the Treaty of Nebuchadnezzar Chu was signed on August 27th, 1659.

Apart from its extremely important provisions, this treaty is particularly important for two issues: China and Europe.

The treaty signed by the first big country; As the China delegation had Jesuits as translators, the treaty was drafted in Latin.

The border is built along the Waixing 'an Mountains north of amur river, so the Russians have to be completely controversial.

The drainage area was evacuated. In return, the fourth clause gives Russians commercial privileges; This article stipulates that the ministers of the two countries

People can freely cross the border and engage in business activities without interference. The trade that developed in the next few years was from

Yes, it includes gold and fur; Russians exchanged gold and fur for tea. It comes from China, Russian.

The Russians got what later became the drink of their country. Russians soon became more fond of tea than British people.

People.

With the signing of the Treaty of Nebuchadnezzar Chu, the first stage of Russia's expansion in Asia finally ended. In the next 170 years,

Russians have always abided by the provisions of the treaty and stayed outside the amur river Valley. It was not until the middle of the19th century that they did not

Continue to push south; At that time, they were much better than Vasily Bojar-Koff's time, while China people were relatively.

The ground is very weak.