alexander II Flashcards
who were his parents?
nikolay pavlovich (nicholas I) and alexandra fyodronva (previously princess charlotte of prussia)
when was his reign?
1855 - 1881
when did he live?
1818 - 1881
what was he mainly known for?
his reformation of russia post crimean war
what were some of his reforms?
russian railway
emancipation act
judicial statute
military improvements
Pale improvements
what was the impact of the russian railways being developed?
- allowed the economy to grow post crimean war: improvement to agricultural society, movement of grain and development of joint- stock companies
- improved communications across russia
- one single railway (connecting St. Petersburg and Moscow) to 14,000 miles of railway at the end of his reign
when was the emancipation act?
1861
what was the impact of abolishment of surfdom?
overhaul of drastic change to russian society, abolishing the archaic institutions
- this allowed surfs to have righteous freedoms escaping the harsh treatment
what is a surf?
- similar to slaves but have their own land and are self-contained
- work and live on the lord’s land, gave a substantial amount of grown crops to lord
- couldn’t leave holding/village without permission, couldn’t marry or change occupation as well as dispose of their property without the lord’s permission
- had little freedoms and harshly treated
how could a surf become a freedman?
- though manumission (release), enfranchisement (given right to vote) or escape
what impact did the Judicial Statute have on russia? When was it?
1864
- gave russia a judicial system
- remodelled the local governments, setting up local assemblies (zemstvos)
- this improved local welfare (education, hygiene, medical care)
what was the Cantonist System?
- a schooling system forcing Jewish children (12-18) into Russian and Christian education in preparation for 25 year military conscription
- many were kidnapped (around 8 years old) into the system as they were too young to sign up.
- they ‘adapted’ to Christianity
- discipline was maintained by threat of starvation
- they were transferred from their home in the Pales and were sent to Cantonist institutions (Kazan, Chkalov, Perm and Serbia)
- journeys took several weeks, many left behind and barely half made it
- all extremely malnourished and fatigued
what was the objective of the cartonist system?
to alienate jewish children from their religion and own people and to align themselves with Christianity in preparation to serve 25 years in the russian military
when was alexander assassinated?
march 1881
where was alexander assassinated?
st. petersburg
