Scandinavian traders set up governments along their trade route at the city of Kiev. As the Kievan Russia and the Byzantium contacts grew, Kiev became a great trading center; Therefore Constantinople became a great trading center.
             The role of the East Orthodox religion was played in early Russian culture. Churches had lots of icons and incenses that filled the rooms. The civilians of Russia, including the Prince, converted to Christianity. After the conversion, more priests were literate, they had a Russian Orthodox church, and the state expanded and became known as the largest state in Europe. The Russian literature also developed and described a mixture of religious and royal events and showered praises on the saints and the powers of God. Russian and Ukrainian art also focused on religion. Devotion to the power of God and to other many Eastern saints helped get together worship. Churches had lots of icons and incenses that filled the rooms. Polygamy was influenced to be the Christian practice monogamy. The Russian literature also developed and described a mixture of religious and royal events and showered praises on the saints and the powers of God. Russian and Ukrainian art also focused on religion.
             The five reasons to Kievan Russia's decline was: rival princes set up regional governments and the royal family often squabbled over succession to the throne, invader from Asia whittled at Russian territory, the trade and wealth of the country reduced, no greater prosperity and sophisticated manufacturing of its southern neighbor, and lastly the Mongols easily captured the Russian Cities.
             For the two centuries in which Russia was under Tatar control Russian Christianity continued. Tatar control also created some new harmony among various Russian social classes. When they were finally forced out, a Russian cultural and political tradition could reemerge, serving as a partial basis for the further, fuller development of Russian soc...