10.5 Flashcards
(46 cards)
What does colossus mean?
A giant.
Who was Alexander II?
Ruler of Russia who came to the throne in 1855; responsible for reforms but was assassinated by radicals.
What was the Crimean War?
A war in which Russia tried to seize Ottoman lands; ended in Russian defeat and exposed how backward Russia was.
What is emancipation?
The act of freeing someone, usually from slavery or serfdom.
What was a zemstvo?
An elected local assembly in Russia responsible for road repair, schools, and agriculture.
What is a pogrom?
A violent mob attack on Jewish people.
What are refugees?
People who flee their homeland to seek safety elsewhere.
What is the Duma?
An elected national legislature in Russia.
Who was Peter Stolypin?
Prime minister appointed by Tsar Nicholas II who tried to restore order and introduced reforms but was assassinated.
Why did industrialization and reform come more slowly to Russia than Western Europe?
Tsars resisted reform, imprisoned critics, and ruled with absolute power.
What was Russia like by 1815?
The largest and most populous nation in Europe but economically undeveloped.
What type of government did Russia have?
An autocratic government that resisted reform.
What was one major obstacle to progress in Russia?
Its rigid social structure.
Who resisted reform in Russia?
Landowning nobles.
What was the Russian middle class like?
Weak and small.
Who made up the majority of Russia’s population in the early 1800s?
Serfs bound to the land.
How did tsars rule Russia?
With absolute power.
What happened when tsars introduced liberal reforms?
They often reversed them to maintain noble support.
What kind of monarchy did Russia remain while others changed?
An absolute monarchy.
When did Alexander II take the throne?
In 1855, during the Crimean War.
What did the Crimean War reveal about Russia?
It was backward and needed change.
What major reform did Alexander II implement in response to pressure?
Emancipation of the serfs.
Why was emancipation of the serfs important?
It was a turning point that led to calls for more reforms, though peasants remained poor.
What were some reforms of Alexander II?
• Emancipated serfs
• Created zemstvos
• Introduced trial by jury
• Reduced military service
