romanov dynasty

Question 1

Abdicate

Answer 1

Resign from political rule (referring to a monarch)

Question 2

Autocracy

Answer 2

A system of government in which a singular ruler controls all important decisions

Question 3

Bourgeoisie

Answer 3

The name Karl Marx gave to the employers and people who run large companies, who have the most money and take advantage of ordinary workers

Question 4

Cossacks

Answer 4

A group of people in Russia with a history of fighting and courage - a fiercely independent people from the region of the Don River near the Black Sea

Question 5

Duma

Answer 5

the elected legislative body that convened four times between 27 April 1906 and the collapse of the Empire in February 1917

Question 6

Dynasty

Answer 6

Rulers from the same group of family who govern in succession

Question 7

Emancipation Edict

Answer 7

In 1861, Alexander II announced a series of reforms that abolished serfdom in Russia. Ideally, this meant that Russia’s agricultural workers were not required to work on their own property. In reality, the life of many peasants changed very little after 1861 as the land was expensive and productivity was still quite low

Question 8

Fundamental Laws

Answer 8

Laws enacted by Nicolas II to carry out the governmental reforms promised in his earlier October Manifesto

Question 9

Empire

Answer 9

A group of states, countries or regions ruled over by a powerful nation

Question 10

Gentry

Answer 10

People of high social class

Question 11

Industrialisation

Answer 11

A process of change in society leading to the increased role of factories and manufacturing in the economy. In Europe, industrialisation often meant the movement of people from the towns and countryside and the growth of cities

Question 12

Marxism

Answer 12

A social, political and economic theory based on the writings of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engals

Question 13

Modernisation

Answer 13

An attempt to update and improve a group or nation, usually involving the latest ideas and technology

Question 14

October Manifesto

Answer 14

The document produced by Tsar Nicholas II promising to grant an elected Duma in return for an end to general strikes that had paralysed the economy

Question 15

Okhrana

Answer 15

The name given to the Tsar’s secret police service that deal with opposition to the royal government

Question 16

Police state

Answer 16

A regime in which the government uses the police to limit people’s freedom severely

Question 17

Proletariat

Answer 17

The name Karl Marx gave to the industrial workers

Question 18

Regime

Answer 18

A particular government or system of government

Question 19

Provisional Government

Answer 19

The government which replaced Nicholas II in March 1917 after he abdicated the throne, ending the rule of the Romanov dynasty. It was made up of members of Russia’s Duma and ruled Russia until October 1917 when it was overthrown by radical Russian communists’

Question 20

Revolution

Answer 20

A rapid and comprehensive change in political or social system

Question 21

Romanov Dynasty

Answer 21

Russia’s ruling family from 1613-1917. The family came to rule after a series of power struggles among the ruling families following the death of Ivan the Terrible’s son in 1598. The family included many of Russia’s most famous rulers, such as Peter the Great, Catherine the Great and the last Tsar, Nicholas II.

Question 22

Tsar

Answer 22

The word ‘tsar’ comes from the Latin word ‘Caesar’ which is similar to emperor. From the rule of Ivan the Terrible beginning in 1547, Russia’s supreme rulers adopted this formal title (also spelt csar, tzar or czar)

Question 23

History of Russia

Answer 23

• Russia was politically fragmented and economically undeveloped before the founding of the Romanov dynasty in the early 1600s
• ‘The time of troubles’
• The house of Romanov would reign over russia for 304 years, from 1613 - 1917
• Eighteen different Romanov autocrats ruled Russia throughout the dynasty and between them, over time, the romanovs established world largest and most powerful empire.

Question 24

Tsarism

Answer 24

• Russian culture has relied traditionally relied on a strong central leader
• The tsar was the male ruler of russia 1917, tsarism in this context refers to the rule over the russian empire by either female or female (tsarina) leader
• Tsar - russian word for ‘ruler’
• Tsarism a system of one person rule
• The tsar was described as ‘an autocratic and unlimited monarchy and stated that God himself commands his supreme power to be obeyed.’

Question 25

Geography of Russia

Answer 25

• Much of the vast land is useless
• In 1894 Russia covered over eight million square miles of land, as a result of this Russia had gained a significant number of inhabitants, people of different race, language and culture making it difficult for the government to control.
• communication impossible for peasants in the countryside who were isolated from the rest of the country
• Communications → haphazard (unorganised/ unplanned), with few adequate roads and a rudimentary (basic/ limited) railway system.
• most Russians lived in small villages, either as landless labourers or farming their own small plots. They were badly educated, desperately poor and prone to all the diseases that poverty brings

Question 26

Climate of Russia

Answer 26

• Most lived on 5% of land that was good for farming. The cold lands of Siberia, east of the Ural mountain, were therefore thinly populated, while the fertile land of the south-west and the streets of the cities were often overcrowded.

Question 27

Social structure

Answer 27

• Autocratic Tsardom was the ruling form of leadership for the past 200 years.
• The majority of Russia’s population could be seen as peasants - urban workers (around 10% of the population) and the country peasants who lived by farming small plots of land (around 77% of the population)

Question 28

Economic development

Answer 28

• Tsarist Russia was a stratified society with a high concentration of wealth and privilege. Power was acquired by the Tsar and Tsarina, people of political importance (proximity to power of the Tsar), religious power of the Russian Orthodox church, and the Russian military.
• The low numbers of the working class was an indication that Russia had not attained industrial growth on a large scale, which is a vital factor needed to produce an economically stable country.
• The lack of help that was awarded to the Russians, created deep animosity towards the government officials, the working class especially, because they were constantly working and not reaping any benefits.

Question 29

Relationship with Japan

Answer 29

Relations with Chinese region Manchuria — led to future military conflict with Japan. Following Japan’s total humiliation of Russia in the Russo-Japanese War. Although, in August 1914 they fought as allies against Germany in WW1.

Question 30

Relationship with Austria

Answer 30

Russia’s principal rival in the Balkans region. Russia’s support of the Slavs countered Austrian interests that involved maintaining Austrian control of Slav lands and its Slav subjects.

Question 31

Relationship with France

Answer 31

Relations between the two powers were close and was Russia’s main ally → needed Russia’s size and power to protect itself from the highly powerful German Empire

Question 32

Germany

Answer 32

Tsarina Alexandra was German → held against her whilst Russia was at war with Germany in WW1. Russia had allied with France due to its fear of the Dual Alliance and its humiliation by Germany in 1908 was something Russia would not allow to happen again.

Question 33

The United States

Answer 33

US-Russian relations were not close and the US disagreed with the autocracy of the Tsar. The US had also intervened to bring the Russo-Japanese War to an end in 1905.

Question 34

Britain

Answer 34

Relations between Britain improved significantly and Nicholas II was related by blood to several European monarchs → helped strengthen ties between the two nations

Question 35

Romanov empire at the time of Tsar Nicholas II

Answer 35

• The Romanov tsars ruled Russia from 1613 to 1917
• zempire was one-sixth of world’s land surface from Eastern Europe to Asia
  Population: 122 million → Slavs, Germans, Poles, Ukrainians, Lithuanians, Byelorussians, Latvians, Chuvashes (Turkey), Finns, Yakuts (Turkey)
• Empire ‘outlived its time’ system of ruling had become significantly corrupt and inefficient by the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

Question 36

Nature of the empire during the Tsar’s rule

Answer 36

• The Russian empire was ‘socially, economically and politically backward’ due to its slow economic and industrial development.
  ○ The economy was largely agrarian and a census showed that 82 percent of the
  Russian population were peasant farmers, living in rural areas that were extremely small. Furthermore, other Western European countries had a large growth during the Industrial revolution, contrasting to Russia which had a significantly slower growth. Many Russian individuals that were classified as industrial working class were only 4 percent.

Question 37

Social hierachy

Answer 37

Based on privilege by birth, not utility or merit

Question 38

Ruling class

Answer 38

0.5% - The Tsar and his court → Power was acquired by the Tsar and Tsarina, people of political importance (proximity to power of the Tsar), religious power of the Russian Orthodox church, and the Russian military.

Question 39

Upper class

Answer 39

12% - High-ranking military officers, church officials

Question 40

Middle class

Answer 40

1.5% - Merchants, factory managers & white-collar workers, educated thinkers, writers, artists.

Question 41

Industrial working class

Answer 41

4% - Growing in Russia during this decade.

Question 42

Peasants

Answer 42

82%
- Produced over half of the nation’s income
- Peasant farmers living in rural and small often isolated settlements
- High illiteracy rate

Question 43

What did the low numbers of the working class in Russia indicate, and how did financial insecurity impact housing and provisions?

Answer 43

The low numbers of the working class indicated that Russia had not achieved large-scale industrial growth needed for economic stability. Financial insecurity meant Russia could not provide adequate housing and provisions.

Question 44

How did the lack of support for the working class affect their attitude towards government officials and their political desires?

Answer 44

The lack of support created deep hostility toward government officials as they were constantly working and not reaping any benefits

Question 45

How did the state of democracy in Russia during the 19th century compare to other parts of the world?

Answer 45

Democracy was thriving in many parts of the world except for Russia, where the autocratic system was remained

Question 46

Why did Tsar Nicholas maintain an autocratic system, and what was the impact on political change?

Answer 46

Maintained the system as he felt it was his divinely given obligation to do so. This stance meant that a peaceful, progressive approach to bringing about political change was impossible.

Question 47

How did Tsar Nicholas respond to calls for change, and what were the consequences for those seeking change?

Answer 47

• Nicholas responded to change with harsh oppressive approaches as he saw them as threats
• Those who sought for change were forced underground → people turned to terrorist related protests

Question 48

How did Nicholas become Tsar?

Answer 48

Became Tsar at 26 when his father died of kidney failure in 1894

Question 49

Nicholas’ family members

Answer 49

He was married to German princess Alexandra
→ They had four daughters: Olga, Tatiana, Maria, and Anastasia
→ Alexi, born in 1904, was the youngest child and heir to the throne. However he was born with haemophilia preventing his blood from clotting.

Question 50

How did Nicholas view his rule?

Answer 50

He saw himself as a powerful, divine figure advancing Russia’s interests, believing in self discipline, order, and a sacred bond with the people.

Question 51

Autocratic order:

Answer 51

Nicholas II ruled a police state, relying on the Okhrana to respond brutally to challenges.

Question 52

Elite Cossacks

Answer 52

The government offered land to Cossacks (an East-slavic speaking people from Eastern Europe) for their loyalty and service to the army.