Tsardom of Russia Modern history

imperial russian cossacks (left) in paris in 1814

russia experienced territorial growth through 17th century, age of cossacks. cossacks warriors organized military communities, resembling pirates , pioneers of new world. native land of cossacks defined line of russian/ruthenian town-fortresses located on border steppe , stretching middle volga ryazan , tula, breaking abruptly south , extending dnieper via pereyaslavl. area settled population of free people practicing various trades , crafts.

in 1648, peasants of ukraine joined zaporozhian cossacks in rebellion against poland-lithuania during khmelnytsky uprising, because of social , religious oppression suffered under polish rule. in 1654 ukrainian leader, bohdan khmelnytsky, offered place ukraine under protection of russian tsar, aleksey i. aleksey s acceptance of offer led russo-polish war (1654–1667). finally, ukraine split along river dnieper, leaving western part (or right-bank ukraine) under polish rule , eastern part (left-bank ukraine , kiev) under russian. later, in 1670–71 don cossacks led stenka razin initiated major uprising in volga region, tsar s troops successful in defeating rebels. in east, rapid russian exploration , colonisation of huge territories of siberia led cossacks hunting valuable furs , ivory. russian explorers pushed eastward along siberian river routes, , mid-17th century there russian settlements in eastern siberia, on chukchi peninsula, along amur river, , on pacific coast. in 1648 bering strait between asia , north america passed first time fedot popov , semyon dezhnyov.