Learning about Russia!

I thought the most interesting topics we discussed about Russia were its history, present culture, and the role of religion in determining the general Russian character. I cannot choose one topic, mainly because these three elements are all inter-related.

Because I have taken a European History course in high school, I thought it very refreshing to reinfoce some of the knowledge I had about Russian History, and I learned quite a bit and linked multiple events together as a result of my research. I also learned a great deal about early, pre-Czarist Russian history from Jakobi and Eric's part of our presentation.

I enjoyed Hayden's and Minna's presentation because it talked about present-day Russian customs, culture, and "fast-facts." This information was very interesting, useful, and applicable in today's world, and it gave me insight about the nationalistic sentiments in Russia that deem Russia's history as the utmost important characteristic that defines a Russian person.

The religion presentation that Kellar, Jon, and Simon did was very relevant also. Russian Orthodoxy is the most popular religion in Russia, and this version of Christianity relates to how Russians act, view themselves, and view other people. It was interesting to learn about the progression Russian Orthodoxy went through to become the biggest religion in Russia, and I'm glad that the religion has ties into world history and present-day pertinence.