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Russia in Revolution: Russia Struggled to Reform

 

Vocab and Identify:

Romanov – the last family that held the throne of Russia.  They held the throne for 300 years and the last czar was Nicholas II.

Siberia – a bleak region in northeastern Russia.  Serfs were exiled to Serbia by nobles and landholders.

Nicholas II – the last czar of Russia.  He was czar during WWI and abdicated the throne during the Russian Revolution.

Alexander III – Second to last czar.  He entirely rejected all reforms and restricted the power of elected officials.  He instituted secret police and oppressed all minorities.

Romanov – the last family that held the throne of Russia.  They held the throne for 300 years and the last czar was Nicholas II.

Siberia – a bleak region in northeastern Russia.  Serfs were exiled to Serbia by nobles and landholders.

Nicholas II – the last czar of Russia.  He was czar during WWI and abdicated the throne during the Russian Revolution.

Alexander III – Second to last czar.  He entirely rejected all reforms and restricted the power of elected officials.  He instituted secret police and oppressed all minorities.

 

 

  1. Most Russians were serfs
    1. 80% of people in Russia were serfs
    2. They were permanently bound to the noble whose land they worked
    3. Serfs were sold and bought like merchandise
    4. They had no rights and could be punished by the landholders without due process

e.       Many people thought serfdom was wrong and that it slowed down economic growth because serfs had to reason to produce more food or learn new trades.

f.        Czar Alexander I thought about freeing the serfs but ultimately did not do it.

  1. Decembrists
    1. A revolt occurred in December 1825 (thus the name Decembrists)
    2. Army officers led this movement; they had seen countries with bills of rights and wanted the same for Russia
    3. They formed secret revolutionary societies.
    4. They put their support behind Constantine
    5. Their revolt was put down by Nicholas I.
  2. Nicholas I
    1. Resisted change
    2. Refused to free serfs
    3. Agreed serfdom was wrong but backed landholders because they helped prevent peasant revolts
    4. Censorship
    5. Secret Police
    6. Poor foreign policy: defeated in war against Britain, France and Turkey. 

                                                               i.      The war showed that the Czar’s government was weak

                                                             ii.      It also showed that Russia’s technology was behind that of Britain and France

  1. Alexander II
    1. Freed serfs
    2. Mirs
    3. Serfs still tied down because of taxes
    4. Gave people the right to trials
    5. Set up elected councils to deal with local matters
  2. Reforms Encouraged Unrest
    1. Censorship made it so politics had to discussed in secret
    2. Nihilists
    3. Narodnikis
    4. March 13, 1881, Alexander II killed by radicals.
  3. Alexander III
    1. Secret police
    2. Censorship
    3. Reduced power of elected councils
    4. Teachers had to submit reports on every student
    5. Regarded all minorities as dangerous

                                                               i.      People who didn’t speak Russian

                                                             ii.      People who didn’t worship in the Russian Orthodox Church

                                                            iii.      People who questioned the Czar

                                                           iv.      Jews were heavily oppressed

  1. Nicholas II
    1. Refused constitution and change
    2. Russia changed by itself
    3. Cultural changes

                                                               i.      People began discussing ideas of foreign thinkers (e.g. Darwin, Marx, Pasteur)

                                                             ii.      Russian artists, thinkers, and scientists were making contributions

                                                            iii.      Leo Tolstoy and Anton Chekhov became great literary figures

                                                           iv.      Sergei Diaghilev made Russian ballet the best in the world

                                                             v.      Tchaikovsky wrote music for ballet and the concert hall

    1. Economic developments

                                                               i.      Population of cities grew

                                                             ii.      Government encouraged growth of industry

                                                            iii.      Invested money in companies and set tariffs to protect Russian goods from foreign competition

                                                           iv.      Encouraged foreign investment

                                                             v.      Built the trans-Siberian railroad.

                                                           vi.      Still far behind

1.      production low

2.      wages low

3.      unions not allowed

4.      Large gap between rich and poor