The Early Russian Period

The Early Russian Period

1. The Russians made virtual slaves of the Aleuts. They men were forced to do the hunting while the women became playthings for the Russians.

2. Catherine II demanded better care and treatment of the Aleuts, but didn’t reinforce it. Eventually the fur tax imposed on the Natives was terminated in 1769.

3. In June of 1802, Baranov was in Kodiak while the Tlingits attacked and destroyed Mikhailovsk, killing or capturing most of the whites and Natives employed there.

4. Rezanov aimed to make Russia America a healthier environment. He restrained men from excessive drinking, proposed setting up homes for the aged, establishing schools for the children, creating a people’s court to act on minor offenses, reprimanded the clergy for their interference in government affairs, warned against overhunting, and promised to root out abuses that had crept into the company’s operations.

5. Baranov worked closely with Americans and traded with them.

6. Russians had exclusive rights to hunt and trade with the Natives in the area north of 55 degrees north latitude while Americans had the same privileges on the southern half.

7. Because of wars, Russians and their newly obtained American ships could not use ships flying American flags to send their furs to Canton and had to trade overland in Kiahta.

8. The Russians were interested in getting resources from Hawaii, but Baranov withdrew support of Schaffer after the man disobeyed his orders in obtaining “trading privileges only.” Without Baranov’s support, Russia left Hawaii.

9. Baranov asked to be replaced several times, but both times a successor had been named, the man in question had died before making the journey to America.

10. Baranov was persuaded into returning to Russia, where he was wrongly told he could give the company’s directors the benefit of his counsel and experience in Russia America. Alas, this was only a lie told to get Baranov out of the area because the company knew he still had influence over the people.