Chapter 7

Question 1

What can be said about Nicholas II’s personality

Answer 1

Nicholas had excellent manners, could speak several languages and a good memory, but politics bored him

Question 2

How did Nicholas II’s upbringing affect his autocratic rule

Answer 2

• Brought up by Konstantin Pobendonostev
• Raised to believe any weakness or concessions were a sign of faliure or cowardice on his part

Question 3

Nicholas II’s Russification policies from 1894-1904

Answer 3

• Continued Alexander III’s harsh policies
• Supported right-wing nationalistic gangs like the Black Hundreds
• Increasing anti-semitism

Question 4

What key event before Nicholas II’s accension made society as a whole more politicised

Answer 4

The Great Famine 1891-92

Question 5

Evidence to show that unrest was brutally supressed by Nicholas II’s from 1894-04

Answer 5

• In 1901, a squadron of mounted cossacks charged into a crowd of students in St Petersburg
• Killed 13, and imprisoned 1,500

Question 6

Evidence to show rural unrest before Stolypin’s reforms

Answer 6

• From 1902-07
• Peasants set fire to landowners barns, destroyed grain and physically attacked landowners
• Worse in central provinces

Question 7

How did Stolypin deal with rural unrest

Answer 7

• Ferociously
• Floggings, executions and exiling peasants in their thousands
• Only aggrivated the situation further

Question 8

Consequence of Stolypin dealing with peasant unrest

Answer 8

Ferocity of his actions further only aggrivated the situation further

Question 9

Evidence for urban unrest 1894-1904

Answer 9

Industrial strikes rose from 17,000 in 1894 to 90,000 in 1904

Question 10

What was the significance of the Russo-Japanese War 1904-05

Answer 10

• Humiliating defeat for Russia
• Strong correlation between losses in the war, and discontent in 1905

Question 11

What was the first event of the 1905 revolution

Answer 11

On 3rd January, strikes began at Putilov Iron Works in St Petersburg, with 150,000 involved

Question 12

What occured on 9th January 1905 (Bloody Sunday)

Answer 12

• Gapon led a peaceful march to the Winter Palace demonstrating the worker’s loyalty but also requesting constitutional reform
• 12,000 troops used to break-up demonstration
• At Narva Gates, workers were charged with cavalry leaving 40 dead, and hundreds wounded

Question 13

Evidence to show military discontent in 1894-1904

Answer 13

• In June 1904
• Mutiny on Battleship Pomekin over mouldy meat rations
• 2000 killed and 3000 injured

Question 14

What event sparked the October Manifesto

Answer 14

• General strike in Moscow brought country to standstill
• The tsar’s uncle threatened to shoot himself unless reform was instituted

Question 15

When October Manifesto signed, and what involve

Answer 15

• October 17th 1905
• Promised contitutional reform through the introduction of the State Duma

Question 16

Public reaction to October Manifesto

Answer 16

General strike called off, and street celebrations

Question 17

What group of society was negatively affected by the October Manifesto

Answer 17

Jews - suffered terrible pogroms in final months of 1905

Question 18

With the October Manifesto easing urban unrest, how did Nicholas II ease rurual unrest in 1905

Answer 18

Redeption payments halved on 3rd November 1905

Question 19

How were the Duma’s flawed from the outset

Answer 19

• Voting favoured peasantry and nobility who were assumed to support Nicholas II
• Nicholas could veto decisions

Question 20

When were the Fundamental Laws introduced

Answer 20

5 days before the first Duma met

Question 21

What did the Funamental Laws decree

Answer 21

Nicholas could dissolve the Duma at will, and rule by decree

Question 22

How critical was the first Duma and why

Answer 22

• Less critical than 2nd as boycotted by Bolsheviks and SR’s
• Dissolved after 10 weeks

Question 23

How critical was second Duma and why

Answer 23

All political parties participated and so was very critical

Question 24

What was Nicholas II’s response to the second Duma

Answer 24

• Reduced weight of peasants + workers vote
• Increased weight of nobilities vote
• End of hope of Constitutional Reform for SR’s and SD’s

Question 25

How critical was the third duma and why

Answer 25

Very submissive - agreed to 2200 of the 2500 government proposals

Question 26

How critical was the fourth duma and why

Answer 26

Largely ignored, and influence declined leading up to the war

Question 27

How did Stolypin deal with poltical rural unrest

Answer 27

• In 1906, Stolypin estabslihed court martials to deal with crimes of political intent
• Accused weren’t allowed a defense
• 3000 executed from 1906-09

Question 28

How had issues with government changed from 1904-14

Answer 28

None of the issues sparking the 1905 revolution had been resolved

Question 29

Summary about Nicholas II’s rule leading to autocratic instability

Answer 29

While the Russian people became more urbanised, educated and politicised, Nicholas II tried to maintain the seventeenth century autocracy of the dynasty’s founder