Lead up to Russian Revolution

Question 1

How did Catherine the Great Rule?

Answer 1

Enlightened Absolutism

Question 2

Who did Crimea belong to during the Crimean War (1853-1856)?

Answer 2

The Ottomans

Question 3

Why did the war ostensibly start?

Answer 3

To “protect” Christians from persecution

Question 4

When was serfdom abolished?

Answer 4

1861

Question 5

Who abolished serfdom?

Answer 5

Tsar Alexander II

Question 6

How was serfdom abolished?

Answer 6

Serf were allowed to buy their freedom from the nobility of many years

Question 7

What was serfdom?

Answer 7

A feudal institution whereby serfs were locked to land belonging to a lord, similar to a slave.

Question 8

What percentage of the population was peasantry?

Answer 8

~85%

Question 9

What percent of the population was workers, artisans, merchants, etc.?

Answer 9

~10-15%

Question 10

What percent of the population was the autocracy?

Answer 10

1.5%

Question 11

Did the nobility have any power?

Answer 11

No. Only the Czar

Question 12

What was the position of the slavophiles as opposed to the westernizers?

Answer 12

They believed that imitating western institutions has caused Russia nothing but problems. The should focus on building Russia’s institutions, develop the proletariat and the commune.

Question 13

What was the People’s Will (populism) of 1873-74?

Answer 13

A campaign to get peasants to join communes. They failed, but some breakaway extremists come to be terrorists who assassinate Alexander II.

Question 14

How did the Mensheviks want change to happen?

Answer 14

They wanted change by democratic means, to use unions and strikes to make change out in the open.

Question 15

How did the Bolsheviks want change to happen?

Answer 15

Through professional revolutionaries like Lenin et. al. via covert, conspiratorial means.

Question 16

Who was Julius Martov?

Answer 16

Leader of the Mensheviks

Question 17

What did the Kadets wants?

Answer 17

A constitutional monarchy, some political participation

Question 18

Who was Sergei Witte?

Answer 18

head of various ministries and Prime Minister 1905-6. Architect of Russian modernization, built railroads, all done by state because there was no middle class.

Question 19

What was Bloody Sunday?

Answer 19

A Massacre on Jan 22 1905 in response to the formation of the first “Soviets” councils. Hundreds were killed and injured in the massacre by the Tsar’s soldiers

Question 20

What were the inciting incidents of the 1905 revolution?

Answer 20

Loss in Russo-Japanese War, Economic downturn, a poor harvest, and Bloody Sunday

Question 21

What did the Bloody Sunday Marchers want?

Answer 21

To petition the Tsar for improved working conditions in urban employment as well as the right to vote and the end to the Russo-Japanese War.

Question 22

How did Bloody Sunday change people’s view towards the Tsar?

Answer 22

Where before he was seen as a champion and father to the people, he lost a lot of popularity and people became bitter towards his absolute rule.

Question 23

How did the people respond to Bloody Sunday?

Answer 23

The 1905 Revolution that lasted from Jan 22 1905 to June 16 1907. It was a series of strikes, peasant unrest, and military mutinies.

Question 24

How did the Tsar try to appease the revolutionaries in 1905?

Answer 24

The October Manifesto.

Question 25

What did the October Manifesto do?

Answer 25

It ended the status of absolutism for the monarchy by creating a constitutional monarchy. The new constitution created the Duma - parliament - and gave civil liberties like freedom of speech, press, assembly, and the franchise to elect Duma members. It temporarily appeased revolutionaries and strikers that allowed the Tsar to regain control of the country.

Question 26

Were the promises of the October Manifesto fulfilled?

Answer 26

Not as promised. Two houses of the Duma were created, and only one was elected. The Duma had no authority over the budget, the executive branch. The Tsar had veto power over legislation and could dismiss the Duma if he wanted.

Question 27

What effect did the Russo-Japanese War have?

Answer 27

Russia lost hugely to an Asian power that was considered inferior. Russia’s prestige took a hit and the war was a huge cost on an already poor economy.

Question 28

What did Peter Stolypin, Prime Minister 1906-11 do?

Answer 28

He tried to form a middle class in Russia through agrarian reforms whereby peasants could buy land. He was assassinated by left revolutionaries in 1911.

Question 29

When did the Social Democrats split into the Bolsheviks and Mensheviks?

Answer 29

1903