What was going on socially and culturally during the Renaissance & the Reformation

Peasants revolts were occurring along with the cossacks. They wanted the "true tsar" who would give them back their freedom and reduce the amount of taxes they were receiving.  In the 1500s, mainly in the year 1520, the Stroganov family because very wealthy and a large part of the "commercial empire" (www.yukoncollege.yk.ca).  Help from the salt mine allowed for more trade with the furs of Russia with England.  In 1540 Moscow got caught up in a war with Sweden and Poland.  Also from 1547 to 1584 Ivan IV (the terrible) made his first capture of a land territory by taking Kazan.  The tsar during the 1600s, Peter the Great was interested in "westernizing" his country. (www.freewebs.com/1450-1750).  He was interested in overseas expansion and the water.  He felt that the only way Russia could become even more powerful was by making reforms that helped westernize the country.