Join this course to take a captivating journey through the storied legacy of Imperial Russia. From the grandeur of the tsars to Catherine the Great's accomplishments, delve into the rich tapestry of Russian history, culture, and artistry. Together with Professor Carol, we will explore Russia’s profound influence on the world stage. 

Special notes: Students will need to purchase a semester-long subscription to the course materials (instead of a textbook). We have arranged special pricing for Homeschool Connections students ($30.00 for the semester) with  www.professorcarol.com/imperial-russia/. This price will be available with a coupon code emailed to each enrolled student. Access to the course materials is valid for immediate family members, so you all can learn together as a family.

Total Classes:  12

Class Dates: Mondays, January 6 to April 7, 2025. (No class Feb. 17 & Mar. 17)

Starting Time: 1:00 PM Eastern (Noon Central; 11:00 Mountain; 10:00 Pacific)

Duration: 55 minutes

Prerequisite: none

Suggested Grade Level: 9th to 12th grade

Suggested Credit: One full semester of History, Russian History, or Social Studies

Instructor: Carol B. Reynolds, Ph.D.

Course Description:  From its Christianization in 988 through the early Bolshevik years, we will journey in this course through the colorful history of Imperial Russia and discover the intrigue of its tsars, the strengths of its religion and history, and the astonishing beauty of its culture (via music, art, dance, theater, and architecture).

Weekly Outline:

1. Russia and the West

2. Orthodox Music and Art

3. The Rurik Dynasty

4. The Early Romanovs

5. The Tsarina’s of the 18th Century

6. The Accomplishments of Catherine the Great

7. Napoleonic Russia / Romanticization of Folk Art

8. Pushkin

9. The Golden Age

10. Russian Realism

11. Final Flowering of Imperial Russia and the Avant-Garde

12. End of Tsarist Russia

Course Materials: The course materials are completely electronic (video lectures that precede each live lecture: text materials, vocabularies, chronologies, assignments, quizzes, etc.).  The live (interactive) lectures with the students involve review, summaries, discussion, clarifications, expanding, and exploring the week’s course materials.

Thus, each student will need to purchase a semester-long subscription to the course materials (instead of a textbook).  We have arranged special pricing for Homeschool Connections students ($30.00 for the semester) with  www.professorcarol.com/imperial-russia/. This price will be available with a coupon code emailed to each enrolled student. Access to the course materials is valid for immediate family members, so you all can learn together as a family.

Optional: In addition, the instructor strongly recommends the purchase of Land of the Firebird by Susanne Massie. Used copies are available at reasonable prices (www.bookfinder.com). 

Homework: Students will view the video recorded lecture for each week’s topic (1 hour in length), prior to our Monday class (live, interactive lecture). The academic material for each week includes vocabulary, chronology, terminology, and research into specific topics. Results are best if the majority of individual preparation is done before participating together in the live class. There are unit quizzes as well. 

Fee: For all 12 classes: $207 if you register on or before November 15, $227 if you register after Nov. 15. (Registration closes one week before the first day of class. After that date, registration is not guaranteed. There is a $20 surcharge for late enrollments after the course is closed.)