Alexander II

Question 1

Why was russia considered backwards?

Answer 1

• medieval social structure- 85% peasants
• no parliament/election
• religion very powerful despite enlightenment- 90 religious holidays a year
• serfdom
• feudal system
• prosecution of minorities-

Question 2

When was the crimean war?

Answer 2

1853-56

Question 3

What caused the crimean war?

Answer 3

• who would control the territories of the ottoman empire- decline of empire
• persecuted Christian’s in the Balkan provinces wanted Russia support
• Ottoman empire described as sick man of europe and russia feared foreign powers gaining an influence
• russian expansionism in the region would threaten british sea routes to india

Question 4

When was the battle of balaclava?

Answer 4

1854

Question 5

How many men died in the battle of balaclava?

Answer 5

70%

Question 6

When was the siege of sevastopol?

Answer 6

1854-56

Question 7

What was signed at the end of the war?

Answer 7

Treaty of paris

Question 8

What happened to the black sea?

Answer 8

It was named neutral territory, there couldnt be any warships or coastal defences for 20 years

Question 9

How many soldiers were killed in the crimean war?

Answer 9

300,000+

Question 10

When was the blockade of st Petersburg?

Answer 10

1854-55

Question 11

What were the consequences of the crimean war?

Answer 11

• showed russia to be militarily inferior to western europe- russian backwardness
• national humiliation for russia- blow to national self esteem
• underlined the pressing need for fundamental reforms
• russia had inferior weaponry and the black sea fleet were wooden ships
• black sea was a warm water port which would make it harder for russia to trade

Question 12

What is a warm water port?

Answer 12

A port that is open all year round

Question 13

What did alexander say regarding reform?

Answer 13

“It is far better that this should come about from above rather than from below”

Question 14

What were Alexander’s views about reform?

Answer 14

• he was determined to rule in a more enlightened manner
• there has been more than 300 seperate peasant risings
• social structure wasnt helping the nobility which the tsarist autocracy depended on
• russia needed to catch up with the west
• serfdom was a barrier to economic progress
• in 1855 the govt had a debt of 54 mil roubles

Question 15

What was the main term of the emancipation edict?

Answer 15

Serfs had to pay redemption payments for 49 years at 6% interest

Question 16

How did emancipation benefit serfs?

Answer 16

They were legally free.
Kulaks could buy extra land and produce surplus gain as they were astute enough to.

Question 17

How did emancipation negatively impact serfs?

Answer 17

Some serfs were given less land than before.
Some redemption payments were unfairly high so serfs had to keep working for masters.
The peasant plot wasnt enough to adopt new farming methods or farm efficiently.
In 1878 only 50% could produce a surplus.

Question 18

How much did holdings fall by in ukraine?

Answer 18

30.8% on average