Document 6
… How great an effect did Peter have upon Russia? When he came to the throne, Russia was
an insignificant state. He made it into a great power feared by all. At his accession [assumption
of the throne] Russia had no armed forces except for the inefficient and untrustworthy Streltsy
[hereditary military units]. When he died, there was a professional army of 210,000 men. He
created a navy out of nothing, leaving behind him a fleet of forty-eight ships-of-the-line and
many smaller vessels.…
Peter signally [noticeably] failed to create the large, thriving middle class that Russia needed.
In spite of the most strenuous efforts, Russia’s commerce and industry remained dependent
upon the Tsar, so that when he died, there were not enough wealthy, far-sighted traders and
industrialists to develop what he had begun. This lack of private initiative and enterprise was to
remain one of Russia’s greatest social weaknesses until the Communist Revolution of 1917.…
Source: Michael Gibson, Peter the Great, Wayland Publishers
According to Michael Gibson, what were two effects Peter the Great’s rule had on Russia? [2]
