Kievan Rus'

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/kievan-rus

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. What is the capital of Kievan Rus'?Kyiv
2. What is the founding figure?Prince Oleg (Varangian)
3. What is the major religious event?Christianization under Prince Volodymyr the Great (988)
4. Who was Prince Oleg and why was he important?Prince Oleg was a Varangian leader from Novgorod. He captured Kyiv in 882 CE and made it the capital. His action is seen as the start of Kievan Rus'.
5. How did trade help Kievan Rus' grow?Trade along the Dnieper River let people move furs, honey, wax, and slaves north, and bring silk, spices, silver, and wine south. This trade made the kingdom rich and brought many cultures together. It helped the kingdom grow strong and prosperous.

Varangians: Norse merchants, mercenaries, and rulers who established and influenced early Kievan Rus'.
Dnieper River: A vital waterway forming the 'Route from the Varangians to the Greeks,' crucial for trade and state development.
Russkaya Pravda: The foundational legal code of Kievan Rus', compiled and expanded by Yaroslav the Wise.
Byzantine Empire: The Eastern Roman Empire, a major source of religious, cultural, and political influence for Kievan Rus'.