Alexander II Society 1855-1881 (Unit 1, Topic 3) Flashcards
Liberal?
A political philosophy that promotes individual rights, civil liberties and democracy
What was the Size of Russia in 1855?
Russia’s boundaries stretch 3,000km towards the Baltic Sea in the north and the Black Sea in the south. A further 60,000km west to the Pacific Ocean. The USA could fit into it 2 and a 1/2 times and Britain over ninety times
What were the Biomes of Russia in 1855?
The northern parts were frozen over most parts of the year and only supports scrub vegetation. South lies endless miles of forest, a huge resource of wood. In the steppes there were open plains and grasslands, good fertile land for agriculture but unpredictable weather and droughts and floods
What was Communication and Transport like for Russia in 1855?
Communications across the vast area was poor, with few paved roads except for in big cities. Most roads turned to mud in heavy rain and became impassable in winter. Rivers were used for long journeys. Railways were undeveloped by 1850’s
What were the People like in 1855?
The expansion of Russia brought over 100 different ethnic nationalities under the Russian State Control. Russians themselves formed half of the country’s population but the diversity, culture and language was astonishing. Over 90% were peasants living and working in poor conditions
What were the 4 Main Regions in Russia in 1855?
Black Sea- Mediterranean area used for trading
Steppe- Large unforested area good for agriculture
Black Earth Region- Famous for high quality soil, really good for agriculture
Caucasus- Region between Black Sea and Caspian Sea
How was Russia Agriculturally?
Majority of land was not available for agriculture due to frozen ground, the serfs also had insufficient ways of distributing and moving between strips of land wasting time. Lack of transportation and communication made trading difficult
There wasn’t any fertilizers or agriculture machinery, there was no middle class and working class , with cottage industries dominating the economy.
How Far had the Nobility Changed between 1855-1881? (Changes and Continuities)
Changes- A 1/5th of university professors now came from nobility, their personal land holdings declined as they had to be sold to pay debts. 700 owned their own business and 2,500 were employed in commerce, transport and industry
Continuities- Found places in the zemstvo and province governments returning their previous status
Overall, their power increased and they became even wealthier with a higher status
How Far had the Middle Class Changed between 1855-1881? (Changes and Continuities)
Changes- Numbers added to less than half a million but had a greater demand for professional jobs like bankers and doctors. Increase in educational opportunities and positions higher up
Continuities- Still hard working, small part of society that weren’t very influential
Overall they started to be on the same level as the nobility
How Far had the Peasants Changed between 1855-1881? (Changes and Continuities)
Changes- Some peasants sold up and left the countryside to join workers in railway building groups. 1864, 1 in 3 of the inhabitants of St Petersburg were peasants by birth
Continuities- They were still in poor working and living conditions and more continued to move to towns
Overall, they were given a wider range of jobs in factories but conditions remained the same, they still had little rights even after emancipation
How Far had the Workers Changed between 1855-1881? (Changes and Continuities)
Changes- Became able to be part of the railway or factory workforce, working with coal and iron
Continuities- Mostly small scale industries dominated society like cottage industries. Still no industrial revolution and poor working and living conditions
Overall, development of economy, created a significant amount of jobs for the workers
What was the Role of the Russian Orthodox Church in Society?
They were made to influence the peasantry and stay in a close bind with the tsarist regime
What was the Ecclesiastical Commission against the Church in 1862?
The church was not following the respect of the people after the emancipation and therefore not maintaining loyalty to the state
How did the Church Change in 1868 as a result of the Commission?
The reactionary Dmitrii Tolstoy had become a primary influence implementing new reforms that allowed the priests to gain a better education. This opens the tsarist regime up to criticism from the Church and gave the more talented, educated priests the opportunity to gain influential positions in the church hierarchy
