Section 1 - Chapter 1

Question 1

What type of Empire was Russia?

Answer 1

autocratic

Question 2

How many square kilometres was the Russian Empire in 1855?

Answer 2

21 million

Question 3

Who ran Russia in 1855?

Answer 3

Tsar Nicholas

Question 4

What religion was followed by Russians?

Answer 4

Russian Orthodoxy

Question 5

Who was the highest member of the Russian Orthodox Church after the Tsar?

Answer 5

Over-Procurator

Question 6

What were laws created by the Tsar called?

Answer 6

Edicts (ukazy in Russian)

Question 7

Main advisory bodies of the Tsar?

Answer 7

Imperial Council / Chancellery, Council of Ministers, and Senate.

Question 8

What is the Chancellery

Answer 8

A group of 35 to 60 nobles picked by the Tsar to advise him.

Question 9

What was the Council of Ministers?

Answer 9

A group of 8 to 14 ministers in charge of different government dr

Question 10

What was the Senate?

Answer 10

It was supposed to oversea all the workings of government.

Question 11

What was the role of the nobles in the running of Russia?

Answer 11

Nobles had not been obligated to serve the state since 1785 but many still did. The Tsar often put loyal nobles on committees.

Question 12

How big was the serf army?

Answer 12

1.5 million serfs.

Question 13

How long did the serfs have to spend in the army?

Answer 13

25 years when conscripted.

Question 14

How much of Russia’s annual spending did the military consume?

Answer 14

45%

Question 15

Who were the Cossacks?

Answer 15

An elite military regiment that acted as both personal bodyguards to the Tsar and police reinforcements.

Question 16

What kind of state was Russia?

Answer 16

Police state - prevented the freedom of speech, the press, travel abroad, and strikes. There was censorship at every level of government.

Question 17

What did Alexander I consider doing after the French Revolution?

Answer 17

Setting up an advisory representative assembly and possibly giving it law making powers - this never happened.

Question 18

What were Nicholas’ I views?

Answer 18

He encourage the path of repression and believe in strict autocracy.

Question 19

What was the split of town to village dwellers in Russia in the 1850s?

Answer 19

11:1 (village:town)

Question 20

Population of St Petersburg in 1855?

Answer 20

50,000

Question 21

What was serfdom?

Answer 21

They were Russian peasants classified as the ‘property’ of the owners. They weren’t allowed to marry without permission and were liable for conscription.

Question 22

What percentage of the population was literate?

Answer 22

Only 28% of the population was literate.

Question 23

What percentage of the population were peasants/serfs?

Answer 23

85% of the population were peasants.

Question 24

What percentage of land to did the landowners own?

Answer 24

Landowners (who made up 10% of the population) owned 75% of the land.

Question 25

Where did most of the country’s funding come from?

Answer 25

Lower classes provided 90% of revenue through taxation.

Question 26

Which groups were exempt from paying taxes?

Answer 26

Nobility and clergy

Question 27

Social hierarchy in Russia in the 19th century?

Answer 27

God → Tsar → Hereditary nobles → Non-hereditary nobles → Christian priests → Merchants → Peasants → Serfs

Question 28

Strengths of Russia’s geography?

Answer 28

→ They have a lot of resources, large areas can be used for farming, other areas contain lots of natural resources that can be traded and sold, providing Russia with income.
→ In a military sense the vastness of Russia is an asset as it means Russia has access to the Pacific and Arctic Oceans as well as the Baltic and Black Seas.

Question 29

Weaknesses of Russia’s geography?

Answer 29

→ Takes up 1/6 of the world’s land mass, making it very difficult to govern as communication was difficult.
→ Russian climate made it difficult to govern; with unpredictable rainfall patterns and droughts the people of Russia often faced famine.
→ The main cities are in the West, so difficult to maintain control across the country.
→ Over 100 different nationalities means culture and language barriers makes it difficult for rulers to understand their people.

Question 30

Who was involved in the Crimean War?

Answer 30

First major conflict in 40 years. It included the Ottoman Empire, Britain, France, Austria and Russia.

Question 31

What was the excuse given by Russia to attack Crimea?

Answer 31

Believed to be started by religious disputes as Russia demanded that all Orthodox land to be placed under Russian protection - but the Ottomans refused.

Question 32

Why did Britain and France join the Crimean War?

Answer 32

Britain didn’t want Russia to gain more land around the Black Sea.

Question 33

What was the result of the Crimean War?

Answer 33

Russia lost. After winning the Northern War, Russia-Turkish War and Russo-Persia War this lost was humiliating to the Romanov dynasty.

Question 34

What were the main reasons that Russia lost the Crimean War?

Answer 34

• Poor transport
• Outdated equipment
• Incompetent commanders
• Poor hygiene

Question 35

What did the Crimean War highlight to Russian officials?

Answer 35

→ It emphasised the poor communication system in Russia - there was a lack of large transport systems such as railways.
→ Questions about how Russia’s money was being spent and whether spending 45% annually on the military was a good decision.
→ Russia’s inability to harness and deploy human and material.
→ It was clear to Russia that their weaponry was outdated.

Question 36

How many Russian troops died in the war?

Answer 36

450,125 men

Question 37

What was signed after the Crimean War?

Answer 37

Treaty of Paris (1856)

Question 38

When did Alexander start to rule Russia?

Answer 38

1855