Peter the Great dragged Russia ‘kicking and screaming’ through the westernization. They were happy in the dark ages and often rebelled against Peter the Great refusing to modernize For example, Peter the Great enforced a tax on the men that wore a beard. Especially the Boyars, or the elite nobility, they wore long robes and had the long beards of the traditional Russians. So Peter the Great enforced a beard tax to force them to shave their beards and conform to modern society’s image. …show more content…
This led to the establishment of Saint Petersburg and allowed Russia to have a “window to the world” because before that time Russia was not in control of any warm water ports. After the establishment of Saint Petersburg, Russia had more influence by European states. Peter the Great also used his love for boat making and sailing to build the first Navy, he taught workers how to build and navigate ships and this allowed Russia to have more trade and protection.
After the war in 1711, Peter made Saint Petersburg the new Russian Capital. Saint Petersburg became the foundations of a new society, Peter built the city with his own hands, he did not want to just conquer another city, and he built the new city to show a new beginning. Although the changing of the capital, the citizens of Russia still considered Moscow to still be the