Russia Tsar Flashcards
1
Q
What qualities did Nicholas II have that meant he was not fit for Tsar?
A
- Kind
- Immature
- Childish
- Not trained as leader (had thought his older brother would be)
- No political experience
2
Q
Describe the problems of Russia’s size
A
- There were few paved roads and communications were difficult and undeveloped transport, which meant that sparse settlements were hard to control
- West to east stretched over 4,000 miles and North to South 2,000 miles
3
Q
What is an autocracy?
A
A country led by an unelected ruler who has complete and absolute power known as an “autocrat”. In Russia the autocratic leader was known as the Tsar
4
Q
What was the Russian autocracy like?
A
- Council of ministers, but all reported tot he Tsar who made all the important discussions.
- Thousands of civil servants which meant that there was a good deal of bribery and corruption.
- No parliament which meant that there was no way of getting people’s voices heard. (People want change and Tsar can’t know what people want to change and so people just end up angry and against Tsar)
- Newspaper censored and secret police.
5
Q
Describe religion in Russia at the turn of the century?
A
- Religion was very important
- Church closely linked to Tsar
- Tsar was divine leader
6
Q
What were the economic issues in Russia at the turn of the century?
A
- Massive poverty
- Regular disease
- Most were illiterate (propaganda ineffective, need to use church and so has power and military force is required)
- backward way of farming caused food shortages
- Not enough land to go around
- The nobility owned most of the land and yet were not there to run it.
7
Q
What were the class divisions in Russia at the turn of the century?
A
- 84% peasants, with a life expectancy of less than 40 years, had little to eat and endured back breaking work.
- 1.5% nobility which owned a quarter of the land and were extremely rich.
- Middle class enjoyed comfortable life in big cities.
- Workers, bad living conditions poop people living in cities and working in factories, often forced from the land into cities.
8
Q
What was Russia’s biggest obstacle to prosperity?
A
- Tsar was intelligent but he had not been prepared for the job of Tsar and really was not up for it.
- Autocracy out of date and would not work with changing times and Nicholas II did not have the confidence to try to change it and so became a victim of this autocracy.
9
Q
Describe the main features of Tsarist Rule (4)
A
- Little knowledge about the people
- Secret Police
- Autocratic rule
- No parliament
- Newspapers censored
10
Q
What were the main features of Russian society before WW1? (4)
A
- Russia split into different classes with 84% of population peasants.
- Orthodox church played significant rule in ruling of Russia
- Backward economy and limited and not much fertile land.
- Non-democratic
11
Q
Why did enforced industrialisation contribute to the 1905 revolution?
A
- Needed to develop and change backward economy which meant large investment of which was mostly Russian
- Therefore peasants had to pay heavy taxes on grains
- Worker’s wages were kept low
- But 1902 industrial slump
- Strikes and demonstrations broke out in many cities
12
Q
Why did bad harvests contribute to the 1905 revolution?
A
- Poor harvest 1900 and 1902
- Peasants starving and outbreaks of violence and landlord’s houses were burned.
- Government used troops to stop this, but demonstration sand violence continued throughout 1902 and 1903.
13
Q
Why did the Russo-Japanese war contribute to the 1905 revolution?
A
- In 1904 Tsar thought that it was a good idea
- Prices rose in cities and there was a shortage of other goods
- Lack of industrial material caused factories to close and more workers hungry and unemployed.
- Russia was humiliated
- Start of 1905 Port Arthur fell to Japanese bringing renewed protest about the incompetent Tsar and his government.
14
Q
Describe Bloody Sunday
A
- 22nd January 1905
- Father Gapon organised a march to deliver petition to Tsar at his Winter Palace asking for help
- 20,00 people joined
- They wanted: shorter working day, minimum wage created, people have more of a say especially on how their taxes were spent, truth justice and protection.
- Tsar not there guarding soldiers panicked and fired at crowds.
15
Q
Which of, enforced industrialisation, bad harvests and the Russo-Japanese war was most important?
A
- RJ as showed people how useless Tsar and caused food shortages and other good and workers were unemployed and hungry after their already poor situation.
- Although EI similar impact had good intentions for LT and RJ had chosen to go to war to make Russia look better and gain support for government.
- Harvests bad but without EI not as significant and how government dealt with it shows their insensitiveness and highlighted how people had little say and power causing them to want to revolt.
- RJW most important as war would always bring shortage and the fact the Tsar was willing to do this even after EI and harvests highlighted hat a poor leader he was and loosing only damped peoples view on Russia more. Plus how they lost demonstrates how Russia is not strong and needs new leader. He chose also highlights how people have little say and power agin only causing them to want to revolt.
16
Q
What caused the 1905 revolution?
A
Long term problems: 1. Backward economy 2. Inequality in classes 3. High taxation on peasantry 4. Poor leadership 5. Agricultural and Political backwardness Catalysts: 1. Enforced industrialisation 2. Harvest failure 3. The RJW
17
Q
Describe the first half of the 1905 revolution
A
By the end of January 1905 there were more than 400,000 workers on strike.
- February: strikes spread to other cities, workers demanded 8 hour day, higher wages and better working conditions. 4th February Grad Duke Sergei, Tsar’s uncle assassinated in Moscow.
- March and May: shameful defeats in RJW demand for change in government
- May and June: different groups were demanding different changes, middle class liberals demanded and elected parliament, freedom of speech and the right to form political parties. National groups demanded independence and Jews demanded civil rights.
- June: Sailors on battleships Potemkin mutinied, worrying for government as other areas of armed forces may also mutiny.
- June and July: in countryside peasant riots became widespread, land was seized and landowners’ houses were looted and burned.
18
Q
Describe the second half of the 1905 revolution
A
- September: peace treaty signed between Russians and Japanese, thousands of troops were now free to help put down the unrest in European Russia. The government paid them all their back pay and promised them better conditions of services so that they would stay loyal to the Tsar.
- October: general strike spread from Moscow to other cities, all opposition groups, workers, students, teachers doctors and revolutionaries united in demanding changes. Barricades were set up in the streets.
- October 26th: St Petersburg Soviet of Workers’ Deputies was formed, representatives from factories met to coordinate strike action. Soviets were formed in other cities, this was a great threat to the Tsar’s government.
- October 30th: October Manifesto issued
- December: with all the troops back in Russia, the Tsar felt strong enough to take back control. He used force to close down the St. petersburg Soviet and crush the armed uprising in Moscow. He sent out troops to take revenge on workers and peasants who has rioted and bring them under control.
