Abortion
Out of context: Reply #215
- Started
- Last post
- 216 Responses
- kodap0
Did You Know that Peter the Great taxed people for growing beards?
Modern Russia started with the rule of Peter the Great. He realised that Russia should be westernised to ensure its independence. Already fascinating by mechanical inventions, he studied government and business models of the West.
But Peter also believed in starting from the bottom and working his way up. He learned ship building from the Europeans he invited to Russia, and built a ship himself, which he captained as Peter Alekseevich. In 1697, he accompanied an embassy to European courts as a carpenter named Peter Mikhailov. He also served as seaman, soldier, barber and, to the discomfort of his courtiers, as dentist.
Peter sent Russians to be educated in the West, and imported skilled labour, military and administrative experts from abroad. He encouraged smoking, but taxed tobacco. Because European men usually were clean shaven, he taxed Russians wearing beards.