Alexander ll Flashcards
(38 cards)
1
Q
what happened in Balaclava to Russia in the crimean war
A
- suffered humiliating defeats as Britain and France came to Turkey’s help
2
Q
what problems did the defeat in the black sea naval base cause
A
- trade had been disrupted through the black sea causing food shortages, peasant uprisings and had shown the weaknesses of the economy
3
Q
what problems had the crimean war highlighted
A
- lack of weapons (1 musket for every 2 soldiers)
- outdated weapons
- low morale
- transport inadequacies - slow and no railway system
4
Q
what was alexander ll’s views
A
- believed in autocracy and strength of tsardom
- needed to modernise and industrilise
5
Q
economic ideas of Alexander ll
A
- serfs weren’t free to move to cities to work in factories
- population increase that couldn’t be provided for
- greater competition with Western Europe
6
Q
what did the intelligenstia campaign for
A
- for reform along western lines e.g. representitive assemblies
- serfdom was backward and immoral
7
Q
what did slavophiles believe needed to be changed after the crimean war
A
- needed to be modernised
- keep culture and heritage based on the Orthodox church
8
Q
what were the early stages of the emmancipation (1856-8)
A
- in 1856 a group of nobles had been asked to make suggestions but this failed and in 1857 a secret committee of leading officials was created but they were too slow
- alex decided to be more involved and toured the country making speech which grew a personal bond with the people
9
Q
why did some nobles not agree with the emancipation
A
- wanted to keep economic control over the peasants and didn’t want to lose out financially
10
Q
what year was the emancipation edict made law
A
- 1861
11
Q
what were the terms of the emancipation decree
A
- free from ties to landowner
- free to marry
- own property and business
- had to pay redemption payments for 49 years
- mir organised allotments and collected taxes
- for 2 years peasants still had to do labour service for the landlord
- serfs could keep their cottage and land
12
Q
how many years did the emancipation take
A
20
13
Q
how were improvements made to serfs lives
A
- some made money from surplus (kulaks)
- some peasants sold their land and moved to towns and cities for better wages
14
Q
how were there still problems for the peasants
A
- many resented having to pay the redemption payments
- some felt there wasn’t enough land to live on as they had small plots
- some were forced to continue working for landowners as the redemption payments were too high
- some peasants fell into debt and relied on loans from kulaks
- mir was too traditional as land was passed down to families which restricted growth
15
Q
what military reforms did alexander ll create
A
- Dmitrii Milyutin who was the minister of war made reforms to remove abuses and create a more professional army
- included:
- improvements in equipment, food and medicine
- length of service reduced for 25 to 15 years
- conscription for all classes from the age of 20
- corporal punishment was abolished
- railways to improve transport
- military colleges to better train officers
16
Q
what was the outcome of alexander ll’s military reforms
A
- smaller but better trained army
- some peasant soldiers remained illiterate
- success against war with Turkey in 1878
17
Q
what local government reforms were made in 1864-70
A
- Zemstva were created, they were local elected councils peasants voted for an electoral college system who then did the official voting for people in the zemstva
18
Q
what was the role of the zemstva
A
- manage and organise public services such as roads, schools and public health
19
Q
what was bought in to towns in 1870
A
- dumas
- zemstva in urban areas
20
Q
what were limits to the zemstva
A
- no control over local taxes, law and order
- the provincial governors who were appointed by the tsar had control over law and oder and could overthrow the zemstva
21
Q
what judicial reforms were made by alexander ll in 1864
A
- new court system - needed due to the new freedom of the serfs
- local courts, district courts, chambers and senate
- cases heard by a jury
- open proceedings
- better training for judges
- cases recorded and reported in the press
- however judges were still appointed by the tsar
22
Q
what improvements were made to judicial system
A
- less corrupt
- many intelligentsia became lawyers who could criticise the regime
23
Q
what problems still existed in the judicial system
A
- juries were not extended to all parts of the empire e.g. poland
24
Q
what educational reforms were made by alexander ll in 1863-64
A
- universities could govern themselves, primary and secondary education was extended
- extension of modern schools
- women could attend secondary school from 1870
25
what censorship reforms were made by alexander ll in 1858-70
- relaxation of press censorship
- foreign publications allowed
- publications were allowed that commented on government policies
- however the ministry of internal affairs could stop publications
26
what economic reforms did alexander ll in 1860-78
- treasury reformed
- bank facilities extended
- state bank created in 1860
- foreign investment was encouraged
27
what church reforms did alexander ll do in 1867-69
- allowed talented and eductaed priests to gain promotions in the church
- didn't want to alter the systems of the church due to it weakening his autocracy
28
what reforms were made in poland
- relaxed restrictions on catholicism and the polish language
29
what reforms were made in finland
- semi-independent government allowed and finnish langauage accepted
30
what was the assassination attempt in 1866
- Karakosov, a student with a noble background attempted to shoot alexander near his home
31
due to the attempt what was changes were made to education
- zemstvas power over schools was reduced and church regained power over rural schools
- gimnazii had to follow traditional curriculum and only these could go to university
- censorship and publications increased
32
due to the attempt what changes were made to the police, law and courts
- increased the third section
- show trials held to deter political opposition and political prisoners were exiled
- however the show trials backfired as the jury often showed sympathy which led to them being held in private
33
why did alexander ll increase restrictions for non-russians
- a rebellion in poland against russian control in 1863
34
how and why did the intelligentsia oppose the Tsar
- grown due to increase knowledge of western ways and growth of democracy
- students published a manifesto called young russia after wanting a new society based on science and away from the church
35
how do socialist thinkers oppose the tsar
- Bakunin and Cherynyshevesky wanted peasants to be the superior group
- karl marx and das kapital spreading communist ideals
36
how did the populists oppose the tsar
- led by Chernyshevsky and lavrov
- published what is to be done in 1863 concerning how to deal with poor peasants and marx
37
how did the peoples will oppose the tsar
- wanted to use violence to start a revolution and made 4 failed attempts to assassinate the tsar
38
what was the Loris Melikov constitution
- set up to try and reduce revolutionary activity
- made suggestions for a more representative government at national level
- alexander ll agreed to this but was assassinated before the official meeting to settle it
