Terms to know

Question 1

Duma

Answer 1

Initiated as a result of the 1905 revolution, the Duma was established by Tsar Nicholas II in his October Manifesto (October 30, 1905), which promised that it would be a representative assembly and that its approval would be necessary for the enactment of legislation. But the Fundamental Laws, issued in April 1906, before the First Duma met (May 1906), deprived it of control over state ministers and portions of the state budget and limited its ability to initiate legislation effectively.

Question 2

Social Democratic Labour Party

Answer 2

Manchiks and Bolsheviks

Question 3

Bolsheviks

Answer 3

What did the SDP believe?
*Marxist, so they believed that history proceeds in
predictable cycles.
*They believed that after industrialisation
happened, the workers (proletariat) would have a
revolution against the factory owners (bourgeois).
*This would lead to socialism, where everyone will
work in harmony with a working class government,
and eventually Communism, where everyone
would be equal.

What was different about Bolsheviks?
*They believed that the revolution could be
sped up by violent, aggressive revolutionary
activity and propaganda.
*They believed that they Party membership
should be limited to a small number of
professional revolutionaries.
*They also believed that class struggle could
be extended beyond industrial workers, to
include peasants as well.

Question 4

Soviet

Answer 4

a revolutionary council of workers or peasants in Russia before 1917.

Question 5

Social Revolutionaries

Answer 5

What type of party were the SRs?
*Although they had one aim, peasant land
ownership, the SRs were a collection of factions
(separate groups).
*Some SRs were anarchists, who wanted to smash
central government and form local peasant
communes (independent communities) that ran
themselves.
*Others had Marxist ideas which were similar to
the SDP, and were more willing to work with them.
*There was also a terrorist wing to the SRs that
carried out political assassination between 1901
and 1904, including Phleve (Minister of the
Interior) in 1904, and Grand Duke Sergei (Nicholas
II’s uncle) in 1905.

Why were the SRs so popular?
*Because they focussed upon the peasants, the
largest population group in Russia, and also
encouraged industrial workers to join, the SRs
became the most widely supported political group
in Russia between 1902 and 1917.

Question 6

Mensheviks

Answer 6

What did the SDP believe?
*Marxist, so they believed that history proceeds in
predictable cycles.
*They believed that after industrialisation
happened, the workers (proletariat) would have a
revolution against the factory owners (bourgeois).
*This would lead to socialism, where everyone will
work in harmony with a working class government,
and eventually Communism, where everyone
would be equal.
another way. He held two votes at the
Congress over whether to follow his

What was different about Mensheviks?
*They believed that the revolution should be
slow; they had to let history take its time
until Russia was ready for a full revolution.
*They believed that they Party membership
should be open to as many people as wanted
to join.
*They also believed that class struggle should
be limited to industrial workers, and that
they had to wait until enough of Russia was
industrialised.

Question 7

Treaty of Brest Litovsk

Answer 7

The treaty that ended Russia’s participation in the First World War was signed on 3 March 1918.
Brest-Litovsk had a role in provoking the civil war between the Whites and the Reds.

Question 8

NEP

Answer 8

New Econonmic Policy,
The New Economic Policy was an economic policy of the Soviet Union proposed by Vladimir Lenin in 1921 as a temporary expedient.

Question 9

Constitutional Democrats (Kadets)

Answer 9

*The Constitutional Democrats, or Kadets, were a more radical centre liberal group.

*They were formed in 1905 as a result of the October Manifeso.

*They believed that the Manifesto was helpful, and that the Duma was a good step. But
they believed that it was only a start on the road to democracy and that more
developments were needed.

*Ultimately, they wanted a reduction (but not removal) in the Tsar’s power and an
increase in democratic power in Russia.

The Manifesto of the Kadets:
1. Basic right of citizens:
1. All Russians treated equally, regardless of sex, religion, nationality.
2. Every citizen guaranteed freedom of religion.
3. Freedom of press, and to organise political meetings without permission.
2. Government apparatus (structures):
1. Constitution (rules) of the country to be decided by the people.
2. Elections by secret ballot, and all adults allowed to vote.
3. No ukase (imperial decree, or statement that is treated as a law) by the
Tsar without the Duma agreeing it.
4. Greater local self-government throughout the Russian Empire.

Question 10

Whites/Reds Russian civil war

Answer 10

reds = bolsheviks or communists
white = anyone what wanted to stop them from taking power, former tsarists, liberals, Srs, nationalists and Mensheviks

Why?
-ongoing food shortages
-bolshevik creation of sovnarkdom
-closure of all opposition press
-banning of kadet party
-end of Russias involvement in ww1 dec 1917
-closure of constituent assembly
-signing of Brest litovsk
-bolshevik seizure of power wasn’t a popular uprising and Russia was still divided

Question 11

July Days

Answer 11

The Prov gov contiumes the war which causes the left side to attack, then the right attacks. The bolishiks soon overthrow it.

Question 12

Russo-Japanese War

Answer 12

This was over rival imperial ambitions in manchuria and korea. Japan feared Russian enchroachment on its plans to create a sphere of influence in Korea and Manchuria.
Russia had demonstrated an expansionist policy ear of the urals in siberia and the far east.
Japan won,
less respect for tsar
nationism
fuck you

Question 13

Great War

Answer 13

Army badly led and poorly equipped

Early losses and defeats show it was not great power

Nicholas II would take personal command – not good leader

While away corruption continues at court – Alexandria German

War took millions of men from farms – not producing enough food

Food in field not making way to cities (see trains used for war)

Food shortages and food prices rose – anger in cities

Winter 1916 hard – fuel shortages and coal – cold

Russia cut off from Allies at Gallipoli – supporting herself

Food shortages meant peasants hoarded more grain

Question 14

Zemstvos

Answer 14

Local councils o provides social and economic services.
After the October Revolution the zemstvo system was shut down by the Bolsheviks and replaced with a multilevel system of workers’ and peasants’ councils (“soviets”).

Question 15

Serf Emancipation Act

Answer 15

re set free from personal dependence on their landlords, acquired civil rights, and were granted participation in social and economic activities as free citizens.

Question 16

Autocracy

Answer 16

Autocracy is a form of government in which absolute control lies in the hands of a single person, or of a tightly held group of people.

Question 17

Order No 1

Answer 17

Soviets issued this
the publication of the soviet’s Order No. 1, which directed the military, among other things, to obey only its orders and not those of the Provisional Government. It ordered that committees of soldiers were to be formed in all military and naval units in Petrograd.

Question 18

Kronstadt Revolt

Answer 18

The history of the rising of the naval town of Kronstadt in Russia by workers and sailors supporting the original aims of the 1917 Revolution against the new Bolshevik dictatorship. The rebellion was crushed by Red Army troops under Trotsky’s command.

Question 19

Red Guard

Answer 19

The Red Guards were armed factory workers. They first appeared during the 1905 Revolution and they reformed in March 1917 in order to defend the government that replaced the overthrow of Nicholas II. soviets

Question 20

Okhrana

Answer 20

Secret police created by alexander II to repress religion and non-Russians

Question 21

Bloody Sunday

Answer 21

Labour Movement held protestes and the police tried to stop the march and then ordered his police to fire upon the demonstrators. More than 100 marchers were killed, and several hundred were wounded.
loss of trust respect of the tsar, nichoal II

Question 22

October Manifesto

Answer 22

Nichoals II issued this, he did not want a Revolution, but it was too little too late, the the bloshivks take over
The Manifesto of the SRs:
1. Preservation (protection) of the Russian State.
2. Develop a constitutional monarchy that worked effectively with the Duma.
3. Guarantee civil rights.
4. The urgent summoning of a State Duma to deal with urgent issues such as:
1. The peasant question – whether peasants should have equal rights with
everyone else.
2. Workers insurance, limited working hours and the right to strike.
3. New measures on education.
4. Judicial (law court) reforms.
5. Economic measures to make the tax system more sensible and fair.

Question 23

Nationalists

Answer 23

*Nationalists is a catch-all name for the large
number of conservative nobles and politicians who
became involved in the Duma system after the

October Manifesto.

*Essentially, this group believed that the October
Manifesto was a necessary step to prevent violent

What type of people were
nationalists?
*Most nationalists were wealthy,
and often landed elite or factory
owners.
*To them, the extension of
democracy and political power to
the masses was a threat to their
traditional position.
Most nationalists would be

B. Armstrong
www.historyrevision.wordpress.com

Manifesto was a necessary step to prevent violent
revolution, but that it was not desirable.
*Overall, they took the Tsar’s side on everything.
*They voted in favour of laws that benefitted the
traditional elite, and against laws to reform for the
people.

*Most nationalists were wealthy,
and often landed elite or factory
owners.
*To them, the extension of
democracy and political power to
the masses was a threat to their
traditional position

*Most nationalists would be
described as “slavophile”, rather
than a “westerniser”.

Question 24

Provisional Government

Answer 24

The tempory government (democracy) untill a constituent assembly was held for an election (it failed, see Prov gov vs bolshivks)

Question 25

Octobrists

Answer 25

*The Octobrists were formed in 1905, as a result of the October Manifesto; their proper
name was the “Union of October 17”.

*Essentially, they believed that the October Manifesto was the ideal settlement of
political demands.

*As a result, they were a centre party with liberal ideas, but they firmly supported the
Tsar.

*They wanted some change but no revolution. They wanted to use the Duma to pass
legislation that would help the people and stabilise the country.

Question 26

March Revolution – Bread Riot
1917

Answer 26

Begins with spontaneous bread riot in Petrograd

Munitions workers go on strike

Marches sweep through cities call for down with Tsar

Armies returning refuse to follow orders – join protestors

Petrograd Soviet set up to deal with dissention

Duma calls on Provisional Government to be formed

Government calls for Abdication of the Tsar

Political Parties work with Government – form Provisional Govt

Question 27

March - November

Answer 27

Provisional Government called – made up of different groups

Allies call on government to continue war – promise loans

Soviets formed in major cities – Petrograd, Moscow etc

Order No 1 – places soldiers and revolutionaries under Petrograd

April – Lenin and other leading Bolsheviks return to Petrograd

April Thesis – calls for Soviet control of state power – revolution

June war continues – new attack on AH (army mutinies continue)

July Days – Bolsheviks attempt to seize power (along with soldiers)

Kornilov Uprising – Leading general attempts coup

Kerensky arms Red Guard to put down Uprising

September Soviets in Petrograd and Moscow support Bolsheviks

November Bolsheviks seize power by taking over key places in cities

Question 28

Khodynka tragedy 1896

Answer 28

Nicholas held a party to celebrate his coronation, he promised free food and drinks. However, people started trampling over people and nearly 1500 people died.