Engineering an Empire Russia

The History Channel program I decided to watch was engineering an Empire Russia. The program talks about how Russia became an Empire over the time. Starting as a nomadic land being under the rule of the Tatars.  When the first Tsar Ivan The great took control of the Russian Empire.  He had conquered the Tatars and made a new city called Moscow, which became the capital of Russia, He also, expanded the Capital and the land to the north and south near the Country of Kazan. Which He went to war with and conquered them as well.  For building wise Ivan the great used the idea of Italian arts to build Churches and palaces.  The next the Tsar was Ivan the Terrible. Ivan the Terrible would go explain Russia over the Tatars.  He also, was the first Tsar to be crowed.  During this rein as well, during war the Russian came up with new ways to battle when war broke out. A battle fortress, which moves around and a safe way to battle.  Ivan also, expanded Russia to the Far East and south to the black sea. He also, ordered the construction of St. Basils, Church in red Square.  The nest Tsar Peter the great was set to rule Russia. Peter the great would go on and build St. Petersburg by hand.  St. Petersburg was an ideal location due to it gives Russia axis to the Waterways up north.  He would build the great marvel of the peterhoff palaces on a bluff over looking the land.  Peter also, was build a strong navy, and revamping the army as well.  Also, under his rule Russia would stretch from Eastern Europe to Alaska.  After the Death of Peter Next was Catharine the great German born she would go on a expand Russia once more in to a great empire and would also, try to make Russia more modern then ever before.  Catharine would revamp the Winter Palace, which is the centerpiece of St. Petersburg.  She took over St. Petersburg to make it a very culturally rich city and country.  The Strengths about the Engineering an Empire was it all happen Build Russia from a small state to a big and powerful nation.  The program was very knowable about all the different Tsar and Tsarinas. Each had a different agenda to help better Russia and the people.  The weakness about this program I would say the segment about Ivan the Terrible its was more about his mental health state then him being an asset to the Russian empire.  This program is a good secondary source, due to many reason, there are not a lot of people first hand about the rules of the Tsars. Also, having people thoughts about building a city and war. The only part of the program had a first hand experience was Catharine the Great she wrights “ Building is like a Disease I cant stop building.”  That’s the only personal account in the program. I would say thats a big weakness for this program. there no really personal account.