Political, economic and social position of Russia in 1682: the Tsars and the nobility; economic backwardness and serfdom
In 1682, Russia was a poor, rigidly hierarchical country. A single ruler called the Tsar held absolute power, most people were serfs — peasants legally bound to work for noble landowners.
Real World
Russia's serf economy in 1682 functioned like a country where the entire workforce was legally tied to private landowners — closer to the American antebellum South than to contemporary Western European peasant communities.
Exam Focus
Link Russia's economic backwardness explicitly to Peter's later reforms; examiners expect you to use context to explain motivation.
Essay Framework
Use PEEL to structure every paragraph. Tap each step for guidance and an example.
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