Ivan the Terrible

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

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Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/ivan-the-terrible

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. When was Ivan the Terrible born?August 25, 1530
2. When did Ivan the Terrible die?March 28, 1584 (age 53)
3. Where was Ivan the Terrible born?Moscow, Russia
4. Who was Ivan the Terrible?Ivan the Terrible was Russia's first Tsar, born in 1530. He became king when he was only three years old and ruled until 1584.
5. Why was he called "Terrible"?He was called Terrible because he used very harsh punishments and violence, especially during the Oprichnina, to keep his power.

Boyars: The highest rank of feudal aristocracy in Russia, often wielding significant political power.
Oprichnina: Ivan the Terrible's state-sanctioned policy of terror and repression, enforced by his personal guard.
Time of Troubles: A period of political crisis, famine, and civil war in Russia following the end of the Rurik dynasty.