Peter the Great did many things during his life, but he was best known for the westernization of Russia. Peter arrived in Russia in 1682, he wanted to transform Russia into a more modernized country, and he had his own way of doing it. It was Peter's way, or it wasn't. He believed that the best way to gain European powers was to become like them. When he began his process of westernizing Russia, he sent fifty nobles to Western Europe and had them learn the culture and way of life. Peter could have used many ways to change Russia, but he sought his own path, which was also a very independent path. Peter not only wanted to change Russia, but he also wanted total control. Peter insisted that everyone, including people of the nobility, change their way of life to adapt to the ways of the Western world. Peter gained control and power through his army, which helped him take complete control of Russia. So, what exactly is Westernization? Westernization incorporates the culture and technology of the modernized Western world. Peter wanted all of Russia to be converted and transformed for good, not just temporarily. Bringing a country through this type of change was not an easy task and required a lot of hard work, study and communication. The very purpose of doing these things also allowed Peter to make more money in the long run. Peter sought to reform the way the world viewed Russia by increasing the power of the Church and the military, raising educational standards, and imposing taxes that would ultimately lead to the westernization of Russia. Education and churches played an important role in the westernization of Russia. . Peter was determined to push Russia into the modern age by reforming the Church. One of Pete's main reasons... middle of paper ... making sure taxes were paid and all rules were followed. The way the tax worked was that if someone absconded without paying their tax, the village they came from was responsible for repaying the tax. Many villagers kept a close eye on the male residents when the soul tax was due, this way they were not responsible for paying anything extra when the time came. The army had the responsibility of making a list of all the men in Russia in order to know how many of them should be billed at tax time. The list was so difficult to complete that it was not completed until 1724, the year before Peter the Great died. Peter went to great lengths to make sure his taxes were paid and he did his part. The military not only funded taxes like the soul tax, but also individual taxes such as the beard tax and other items such as horse collars..