Alexander II

Question 1

when did Alexander ii became tsar

Answer 1

1855

Question 2

how were the tsars and the Orthodox Church intertwined

Answer 2

There was an Over-Procurator of the Holy Synod who was appointed by the tsar to run Church Affairs. Archbishops and bishops at the head of the church hierarchy were subject to Tsarist control over appointments, religious education, most of the churches finances and issues of administrations

Question 3

who were the main advisory bodies for Alex ii about land

Answer 3

edicts (advisers and ministers)

his main advisory bodies were the Imperial Council or Chancellery (35 to 60 nobles) and the Council of Ministers

Question 4

summarise what the role were of the council of ministers

Answer 4

ministers in charge of different government departments

Question 5

what are the bureaucracy and state some issues surrouding them

Answer 5

a system of government in which most of the important decisions are taken by state officials rather than by elected representatives

it was riddled by internal corruption and incompetence

Question 6

summarise the army in 1855

Answer 6

1.5 million conscripted serfs
serfs forced military service of 35 years
serfs made to live in a military colony
military made up 45% of the annual spending

Question 7

what was the secret police called

Answer 7

Third Section

Question 8

summarise the economic situation in 1855

Answer 8

agriculture based economy
severely behind in terms of the west
11:1 ratio of rural to urban life

Question 9

what were the reasons for Russia’s economic backwardness in 1855

Answer 9

The territory was inhospitable (size and climate)

communications between the rest of Europe was poor

serf based economy

self-sufficiency (lack of trade)

Question 10

what were the serf communes called

Answer 10

mir

Question 11

summarise the social situation in 1855

Answer 11

division between the land-owning elite and serfs

no middle class

Intelligentsia

Question 12

when did the Crimean War take place

Answer 12

1853-1855

Question 13

give 3 reasons why Russia lost the Crimean War

Answer 13

outdated technology

poor transport

inadequate leadership

Question 14

how many serfs were there in 1861

Answer 14

51 million

Question 15

when were the serfs emancipated

Answer 15

1861

Question 16

give 5 reasons why the serfs were emancipated

Answer 16

increase in peasant uprisings

inefficiencies in the Crimean War

pressure from ‘enlightened bureaucrats’ (Milyuitn brothers)

Question 17

give 2 reasons why peasant uprisings increased in 1855

Answer 17

landowners pushing serfs to produce more

protests against military conscription during the Crimean War

Question 18

summarise the Emancipation Edict 1861

Answer 18

1858-59 set off on a tour of the countryside making pro-emancipation speeches to try to win noble support

Question 19

give 3 reasons why the serfs felt like they were cheated by the emacipation

Answer 19

unfair land allocations

substinence farming and technical backwardness persisted (50% of the population by 1878 were capable of producing a surplus)

redemption payments for 49 years

Question 20

how benefited from the emancipation

Answer 20

kulaks

Question 21

how organised the military

Answer 21

Milyutin

Question 22

give 3 example of military reforms

Answer 22

conscription was made compulsory for all classes

conscription went from 25 years to 15 years

punishments were made less severe

military colonies were abandoned

modern weaponary was used and a new command structure was established

Question 23

when was the Russo-Turkish war

Answer 23

1877-1878

Question 24

summarise the local government reforms

Answer 24

zemstva was introduced, dominated by nobility, the role was to improve the public services, had no control over state and local taxes

Question 25

summarise judiciary reforms

Answer 25

the new system was modelled on the west:

volost courts dealt with peasant cases
judges were appointed by the tsar
Local Justices of peace were elected every 3 years
courts were open to the public