During the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, the Russian Empire rapidly expanded its territory eastward across the Ural Mountains and into Siberia. Russian fur trappers, merchants, and soldiers established fortified outposts and collected tribute from the indigenous populations. Which of the following best describes the primary economic motivation for this Russian expansion into Siberia?
- AThe attempt to completely eliminate traditional leaders and enforce a centralized state bureaucracy, duplicating the administrative approach of the Mongol Empire.
- BThe plan to industrialize the Siberian frontier through coal and iron production, mirroring the commercial developments of Song dynasty China.
- The desire to acquire and trade valuable animal furs, such as sable, in global markets.Answer
- DThe goal of spreading Neo-Confucian principles and ancestral veneration to the indigenous nomadic populations.
Answer
The desire to acquire and trade valuable animal furs, such as sable, in global markets.
The correct answer is correct because the fur trade was the central economic catalyst for Russian expansion across Siberia. Animal pelts, particularly sable, were highly valued in Europe and China, and the Russian state collected these pelts as tribute (yasak) from indigenous populations to fund imperial expansion.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
The role of the fur trade in driving Russian territorial expansion across Siberia.
Estimated Time:45s