Russia before the First World War

Question 1

How was Russia ruled?

Answer 1

As an autocracy where all the power was in the hands of the tsar.

Question 2

What did the tsar believe? What did this mean?

Answer 2

He had the divine right to rule - he had been chosen by God. He could therefore do what he liked without consultation.

Question 3

What did the Russian people have?

Answer 3

Little freedom with all unions of workers and strikes being forbidden as well as newspapers and books being censored by the government.

Question 4

What was the tsar determined to do?

Answer 4

Suppress all opposition trough the Okhrana (his secret police).

Question 5

What did the Okhrana do?

Answer 5

Used spies and agents to root out anyone who was against the tsar and his system of government.

Question 6

How much of the population were members of the Orthodox Church?

Answer 6

70%.

Question 7

What did the Church teach?

Answer 7

Taught that the tsar was the head of the country and that he was God’s chosen representative on earth.

Question 8

Why was the Church unpopular?

Answer 8

Resented the power and privileges of the Orthodox Church.

Question 9

What made the system of autocracy work?

Answer 9

If the tsar was strong and able to control the government and different nationalities of the vast Empire.

Question 10

Why did the tsar insist on governing as an autocrat?

Answer 10

Believed he had been chosen by God to rule and that no one has the right to challenge them.

Question 11

What did the tsar introduce to improve the Empire?

Answer 11

A series of reforms such as freeing the peasants from the institution or serfdom, relaxing the censorship of the press, improving conditions for soldiers and making changes in education.

Question 12

How much of the population lived in the countryside?

Answer 12

85%.

Question 13

What was the reason behind why only 5% of the land was used for farming?

Answer 13

Extensive tundra, forest and desert.

Question 14

What did old-fashioned methods result in?

Answer 14

Low food production and frequent famines.

Question 15

What restricted the growth of industry?

Answer 15

Size and undeveloped system of infrastructure as well as the absence of an effective banking system.

Question 16

What were the three reasons that led to a rapid growth in industry?

Answer 16

Increase in the output of coal in the Ukraine / increase in the output of oil in the Caucasus / deliberate government policy.

Question 17

What were the vast majority of people compared with the few minorities?

Answer 17

Peasants compared with autocrats.

Question 18

Examples of industry developments in 1900:

Answer 18

Bankers / merchants / factory owners.

Question 19

Why were peasants unhappy?

Answer 19

Lived in poor conditions and survived on a staple diet / as a result of poor harvest there was starvation and disease / life expectancy of less than 40.

Question 20

Why were the peasants bitter to the nobles?

Answer 20

The nobles had kept most of the land and the peasants hates having to work on nobles’ estates to earn money.

Question 21

What brought greater competition for land and even smaller peasant plots?

Answer 21

A population growth of 50% between 1860 and 1897.

Question 22

What were the final and most rapidly increasing groups?

Answer 22

New workers in industry in the towns and cities.

Question 23

Conditions for peasants working in industries in the city:

Answer 23

Overcrowded slums / cheap food / lived in barracks / filthy dormitories / low wages / long hours / forbidden to form trade unions for better conditions.

Question 24

Give 3 reasons as to why was Russia difficult to rule:

Answer 24

Many ethnic groups.
Population was 125 million.
Many people resented being part of the empire.