Chapter 4- Political Authority In Action

Question 1

How many different ethnic groups inhabited tsarist Russia?

Answer 1

Over 100

Question 2

What ethnicities existed largely in Russia?

Answer 2

Ukrainians 
Latvians
Catholic Poles
Fins 
Estonians 
Romanians 
Etc.

Question 3

What were the main religious minorities?

Answer 3

Jews!!!!!!
Muslims (due to Imperial expansion in Asia)
Catholics

Question 4

Why were different ethnic groups supposedly a problem in Russia?

Answer 4

They challenged national ideology (belief Russia was a powerful nation)
Especially Polish (Polish nationalism had surfaced)

Question 5

What event occurred in 1863 in which Polish used guerilla warfare against their masters?

Answer 5

The Polish Rebellion 1863

Question 6

How did Alexander II control ethnic minorities?

Answer 6

Concessions (e.g. Finns were allowed their own diet/ parliament )

Question 7

What evidence could be used to show that Alexander II’s attitude towards ethnic minorities was forced to become more hostile?

Answer 7

Ukrainian language was banned in performers and literary publications from 1876

Question 8

What was the aim of Russification?

Answer 8

To bring all the Tsar’s subjects together to share a feeling of national pride, strength and identity
Also to challenge the strong Germanisation which was occurring in border areas

Question 9

What was the official creed of Pobedonostsev?

Answer 9

‘Autocracy, Orthodoxy, Nationality’

Question 10

In which parts of the empire was the destruction of culture focused?

Answer 10

Finland and Poland

Question 11

How was Russification enforced in Finland?

Answer 11

Parliament (diet) reorganised in 1892
Russian language demanded
Independent postal service abolished
Russian currency enforced

Question 12

How was Russification enforced in Poland?

Answer 12

Polish National Bank closed 1885

All schooling had to be done in Russian language apart from Polish and religious education

Question 13

How did Russification target Baltic Germans?

Answer 13

1885-1889:
Russian language enforced in all schools, the police force, state offices and judicial system
German University of Dorpar became Iurev University (1889-93)

Question 14

How was Ukraine affected by Russification?

Answer 14

Limited use of Ukrainian language
1884- all theatres in Ukrainian provinces shut down
Conscripts from national areas were separated to prevent national groups forming in the military

Question 15

How did religion change through Russification?

Answer 15

Many people converted to Orthodoxy to receive more support
In Poland monasteries were closed
Influence of Catholic priests repressed
All-Russian Orthodox Missionary worked to convert Muslims
Mass forced baptisms
Members of non-Orthodox churches couldn’t build places of worship
Anyone converting to non-Orthodoxy or attempting to convert others would be exiled to Siberia

Question 16

How was Russification opposed?

Answer 16

Constant uprisings and rebellions
Petitions (by educated nobles) for the tsar to allow more freedom
Secret publications
Some ethnic schools survived

Question 16

Why did Russification fail in some ways?

Answer 16

Arguably it increased national pride in non-Russians
Wealthier citizens emigrated
Some citizens who would have otherwise remained loyal joined political opposition groups.

Question 17

Which racial group suffered the most?

Answer 17

Jews

Question 18

Approximately how many Jews were living in the Eussian empire during Alex III’s reign?

Answer 18

5 million

Question 19

Where in the Russian Empire had Jews been living since 1736

Answer 19

Western Russia (Pale of the Settlement)

Question 20

Why were Jews confined to Pale of the Settlement?

Answer 20

Legally they could not leave without a special licence.

Only a limited number of Jews were allowed to live outside of this area

Question 21

Why were Jews hated by mostly poorer areas during Alex II’s reign?

Answer 21

Resented their personal riches/money lending

Disagreed with beliefs in contrast to strict Orthodoxy

Question 22

Why did Alexander II withdraw his concessions and reduce Jewish involvement in government?

Answer 22

The Polish revolt made him lose confidence

Question 23

What was Pobedonostsev’s suggestion surrounding anti-Semitism?

Answer 23

‘One third should emigrate, one third die and one third convert’

Question 24

Why did Alexander III believe in persecution of Jews?

Answer 24

On religious grounds - he was devoted to the Russian Orthodox Church

On political grounds - propaganda encouraged the idea that Jews were responsible for Alexander II’s death
Therefore he feared Jweish opposition movements

Question 25

Why were Jews vulnerable to pogroms?

Answer 25

They were easy targets as they were geographically together

Question 26

Why is thought that anti-Jewish pogroms broke out in 1881, in Ukraine?

Answer 26

Linked with the assassination of the tsar, the Okhrana took over

Question 27

What happened during pogroms?

Answer 27

Jewish property burnt
Shops and businesses destroyed
Incidences of rape and murder

Question 28

What were the impacts of anti Semitism / pogroms?

Answer 28

Some Jews left the country (either through choice or expulsion)
Foreign Jews exported
Closed down synagogues
More Jews became involved in revolutionary movements

Question 29

Which individuals were largely responsible for growth of anti-semitism?

Answer 29

Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich (Alexander III’s brother)

Pobedonostsev