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russian history > alexander II (1855-1881) > Flashcards

alexander II (1855-1881) Flashcards

the reign of Alexander II: 1855-1881

1
Q

How many conscripted Serfs in 1855.

A

1.5 million.

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2
Q

Name of the Tsar’s personal regiment.

A

The Cossacks.

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3
Q

When was the Crimean War.

A

1853-1856.

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4
Q

Why did Tsar Nicholas I send troops into Ottoman Moldavia.

A

As protector of Christians and Slavs, as Ottomans stretched into the Balkans.

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5
Q

Who else helped the Russians in the Crimean War.

A

French and British.

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6
Q

When did Nicholas I die and Alexander II take over.

A

1855.

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7
Q

The Treaty of Paris (1856)

A

Prevented Russian warships using the Black sea.

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8
Q

Why did the Crimean War end.

A

Sebastopol fell.

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9
Q

Results of the Crimean War.

A
  • Exposed outdated transport, weaponry and technology.
  • The poor leadership and administration.
  • The Intelligensia looked towards the West for inspiration for improvement.
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10
Q

When was the Emancipation Edict.

A

1861.

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11
Q

Alexander II’s liberal influences.

A

Duke Konstantin, Elane Pavlovna and the Milyutn Brothers.

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12
Q

Why did Alexander II advocate for emancipation.

A
  • Travelled the Russian countryside.
  • Had multiple liberal influences.
  • The Milyutin Brothers argued for reform after the Crimean War.
  • Peasant riots started to spark in the 40s.
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13
Q

Alexander II’s early liberating acts.

A
  • Releasing political prisoners and Decembrists.
  • Relaxed censorship controls and travel.
  • Cancelled tax debts.
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14
Q

A central argument for the emancipation.

A

For change to come about “from above, rather than from below.”

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15
Q

Issue in application of the emancipation edict.

A

Applied only to privately owned serfs in 1861, then to state owned serfs in 1866.

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16
Q

Conditions of the emancipation edict.

A
  • Freedom and an allotment of land.
  • Had redemption payments for 49 years.
  • Mirs had control.
  • Volosts formed to oversee mirs.
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17
Q

Positives of the emancipation.

A
  • Kulaks grew.
  • Some could leave to cities for work.
  • Landowners payed of debts or invested with compensation.
  • More individuals gained personal land.
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18
Q

Negatives of the emancipation.

A
  • Technological and method backwardness persisted.
  • Redemption payments made travel near-impossible.
  • Resentment of kulaks caused violent outbreaks.
  • Landowners resented the Tsar.
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19
Q

When was the military reform introduced.

A

1874.

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20
Q

Military reforms.

A
  • Conscription made compulsory for all classes.
  • Compulsory service length reduced from 25 years to 15 years and 10 in reserves.
  • Military colonies abolished,
  • New command structure.
  • Mass army education introduced.
  • Medical care improved.
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21
Q

When were local government reforms introduced.

A

1864-1870.

22
Q

Local government reforms.

A

Zemstva formed, then the duma in 1870.

23
Q

Powers of the Zemstva.

A

Improve roads, schools, public health, prisons, and develop industrial projects or administer relief.

24
Q

Judiciary Reforms (1864).

A
  • System of local provincial and nation courts established.
  • Accused could employ a lawyer.
  • Judges were appointed by the Tsar.
  • Courts were open to public and could be freely reported.
25
Q

Negatives of the judiciary reforms.

A
  • Ecclesiatical and military courts exempt.
  • Peasants in volost courts treated poorly.
26
Q

Education Reforms (1863).

A
  • Universities could govern themselves.
  • Responsibility of education transferred from Church to zemstva.
  • Modern secondary schools established.
  • School open to all classes and sex.
27
Q

Censorship Reforms (1858).

A
  • Censorship over press, books and newspapers relaxed.
  • Publishers restrictions reduced.
  • Foregin publications permitted.
  • Commentery on government policy permitted.
28
Q

How many books published by 1894.

A

1836.

29
Q

What happened in 1866 to cause Alexander II’s reactionary reforms.

A

Attempted assassination, plus the death of his son and wife causing more closeness with his mistress so a distance from leftist leaning associates.

30
Q

Reactionary reforms.

A
  • Liberal ministers replaced with conservative ones, for example Dimtry Tolstoy replaced Golovin.
  • Church regained authority over education.
  • University courses made more traditional.
  • Persecution of minorities encouraged.
  • Political offenders could be exiled.
  • Show trials introduced.
  • Police rights strengthened.
31
Q

When was the Russo-Turkish War.

A

1877-1878.

32
Q

When did major famine and industrial recession begin.

A

1879-1880.

33
Q

Loris-Melikov report (1880).

A

Reccomended election of nobles, zemstva members and duma members to be included in the drafting of state decrees.

34
Q

When Alexander II assassinated.

A

1881, the morning he would sign Loris-Melikov’s liberalising constitution.

35
Q

When did Alexander II send military to Poland and why.

A

In 1863, to crush the rebellion of the 200,000 fighting for independence.

36
Q

When was Ukranian language in performances and publications prohibited.

A

1876.

37
Q

What were Alexanders concession policies to the Latvians and Estonians.

A

In 1864 and 1975 allowing them to be Lutheran instead of Orthodox.

38
Q

Westernizers.

A

Wanted to mimic more Western forms of government and political approaches.

39
Q

Slavophiles.

A

Wanted to take a more traditionally Russian path toward reformation.

40
Q

When was ‘The Communist Manifesto’ published in Russia.

A

1872.

41
Q

The Tchasikovksy Circle.

A

Intellectuals led by Nikolai Tchaikovsky, congregating from 1868, to distribute revolutionary literature. Membership was under 100 people, concentrated in major cities.

42
Q

Narodnysim.

A

Idea of going out to the people, in this context meaning to go to the countryside to spread Westernizer ideas.

43
Q

The Narodniks.

A

A group of 2000 people sent out by Pyotr Lavrov in 1874 to encourage resentment towards the Tsar, but were met with a lot of hostility from peasants and arrests of the narodniks.

44
Q

‘Land and Liberty’.

A

Founded in 1877, carrying out political assassination and spreading anti-Tsarist sentiment

45
Q

The two divisions of the ‘Land and Liberty’.

A

The Black Repartition, dissolved in 1881, and The Peoples Will.

46
Q

Succeses of the Peoples Will.

A
  • A spy in the Third Section.
  • Assassination of Alexander II.
47
Q

Who was Alexander II’s Minister of Finance.

A

Mikhail von Reutern.

48
Q

Mikhail von Reutern’s economy reforms.

A
  • State, municipal and savings banks.
  • Trade promoted with import duties reduced.
  • Tax farming abolished.
49
Q

When did oil extraction begin.

A

1871.

50
Q

When was an ironworks factory opened.

A

1872.

51
Q

When did naptha extraction begin.

A

1879.

52
Q

Weaknesses in the economy under Alexander II.

A
  • 1/3 of all government expenditure spent on debts.
  • Rouble experienced random variations in value.
  • 66% of government revenue came from indirect tax.
  • Domestic market was small.

russian history (6 decks)

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