Document Analysis

Russia Turns to Christianity, p.206

Source-        Primary
Author-        Christian Monk
Time Period- 980-1015CE
Society-        Russia
Political, Social, Economic Characteristics at Time Written-
    Eco-    Commercial Allies with Byzantium
    Pol-    Changing Monarchy
    Soc-    Large peasantry class
Purpose-      Explain mission success to Byzantine Church Leaders
Tone-          Excited, successful, simple, To-Good-To-Be-True
Audience-    Christian Supervisors at "home" such as the Pope
POV-          3rd Person
Bias-           Does not mention any resistance to conversion or the military forcing the people into mass baptisms
Assessment of Validity-
    Only valuable for study of an external Christian point of view, not useful for historical evidence, facts, etc.

Kyle S. 1/26/11

Filofei's Concept of the 'Third Rome', online ch. 9

Source-        Primary
Author-        Filofei
Time Period- about 1515
Society-      Russia
Political, Social, Economic Characteristics at Time Written-
    Recently expelled Tatar rule
    Constant empire expansion
Purpose-     To explain the survival of Russia despite the fall of the Byzantines and Rome as a Divine message to Russian                                                                                                                                                                     Orthodoxy
Tone-         Hey-Listen-To-Me
Audience-   Russian people, especially Tsar
POV-         First person
Bias, Assessment of Validity- N/A

Kyle S. 1/26/11