The Condition of Russia pre-1917

Question 1

What did Tsar Nicholas II do shortly after coming to power?

Answer 1

He dismissed the Zemstvo’s petition for a national assembly.

Question 2

What was the first Duma known as?

Answer 2

The Duma of “The people’s anger.”

Question 3

How did Nicholas attempt to minimise the influence of the Duma?
[2]

Answer 3

1. He dissolved the first, second, fourth Duma.
2. The Duma could not pass legislation or appoint ministers.

Question 4

What were the causes for the 1905 Revolution?
[5]

Answer 4

1. Bloody Sunday,
2. Russo-Japanese War
3. Working and Living Conditions
4. The Tsar’s autocracy.
5. Economic crisis

Question 5

What did the 1905 Revolution result in?

Answer 5

October Manifesto –> State Duma.

Question 6

Describe Stolypin’s reforms.

Answer 6

Violent disturbances continued in the countryside after 1906.
Prime minister Stolypin introduced reforms to combat this, thousands were hung in the military courts.
He also introduced reforms that meant that peasants could buy strips of land to become ‘rich peasants’. They could also take out loans from peasant banks.

Question 7

How many peasants became kulaks?

Answer 7

15%

Question 8

How did Rasputin gain influence in the monarchy?

Answer 8

The Tsarovich Alexsi was dying of haemophelia his mother, Tsarina Alexandria, was a devout christain and believed that he could heal him.

Question 9

Describe and explain the timeline of Rasputin’s influence.
[6]

Answer 9

1. After his visit to Alexsi in 1907 he had influence over the Tsars.
2. Around 1910 Rasputin was banned from St.Petersburg by Stolypin
3. In 1911, Stolypin is murdered and Rasputin returns to St.Petersburg (1912). This is the height of his influence.
4. Rodzianko warned Nicholas of the damage that Rasputin was doing to the Russian Monarchy’s reputation.
5. After Nicholas declares himself head of the army in 1915 Rasputin almost has complete control over the appointment of state.
6. 1916 Rasputin is assassinated by Prince Yussopov.

Question 10

Why was Rasputin damaging to the Tsar’s reputation?

Answer 10

He was known for womanising and drunkeness which the Tsars were supposed to abhor. There were rumoured affairs between the Tsarina, her daughters and Rasputin. He was part of a controversial religious sect that believed that they must sin in order to get closer to God.

Question 11

What was the initial reaction to Russia’s involvement in WW1?

Answer 11

There was initial patriotism and great support. St.Petersburg was renamed to Petrograd.

Question 12

What did the Duma do in 1914?

Answer 12

They voted for war credits and dissolved themselves.

Question 13

What changed the feelings of nationality towards the war?

Answer 13

1. The Battle of Tannenburg left 300,000 dead or wounded, and thousands more were taken prisoner
2. Defear at the Masurian lakes forced the Russians to retreat from East Prussia.

Question 14

What did the Zemvsto do during WW1?

Answer 14

They established a “union of Zemvsto” to supply the medical facilities that the State had been neglecting.

Question 15

What did factory owners and business men do during WW1?

Answer 15

They set up a congress of reprasentatives of Industry and Business to help co-ordinate production.

Question 16

Give 5 impacts of World War 1.

Answer 16

1. Inflation, cost of living had quadrupled in 1917.
2. Food was left to rot by tracks as the army had taken control of the transport lines.
3. Influx of refugees meant an increased food supply and therefore more food shortages in cities.
4. There were 2 rifles for every 3 soldiers, soldiers often did not have boots - very poorly equipped.
5. 1.5 million desertions in the army by 1916.

Question 17

What did the Zemvsta and mucipinal dumas attempt to do in 1915?

Answer 17

They joined together to form the Zemgor to help the Tsar with the war effort.

Question 18

How did Tsar Nicholas react to the Zemgor?

Answer 18

He dismissed it, he barely even thought about it.

Question 19

What did Tsar Nicholas ii do in 1915? What did this mean?

Answer 19

He named himself commander in chief of the Russian army and navy. Now Nicholas could be blamed for the failings of WW1.

Question 20

In 1915 Tsar Nicholas was away from Russia, he left his wife in charge - what happened to their reputation as a result?

Answer 20

It was badly damaged. The Tsarina was german, her rumoured affair with Rasputin made things worse and they were accused of sabotaging the war effort.

Question 21

How did the millions of conscriptions affect the economy?

Answer 21

The millions of conscriptions meand that there was a shortage of men working in the countryside. Therefore there was a decrease in food production. Therefore peasants began hording food instead of selling it.

Question 22

What did the Russian government do to attempt to pay for the war?

Answer 22

They raised taxes and huge loans from home and abroad.

Question 23

What did Russia experience as a result of the war?

Answer 23

It experienced inflation, money was virtually worthless by 1917.

Question 24

What were the war years like for the people of Russia regarding food?

Answer 24

The war years were times of acute hunger, if not famine.

Question 25

What did Alexander Guchkov (one of the founders of the progressive bloc) do in 1916?

Answer 25

He engaged in talks with senior army officers about a possible coup.

Question 26

How much did the War cost Russia?

Answer 26

14 Billion Roubles.

Question 27

How many Russian soldiers were dead by 1917?

Answer 27

8 million

Question 28

What happened to food and fuel because of the war?

Answer 28

World War 1 caused shortages of fuel and food, making it a cold and hungry Russian winter.

Question 29

How did Stolypin’s reforms affect food production?

Answer 29

There was in-fighting in the peasantry due to the introduction of the Kulaks, therefore there was a decrease in food production.

Question 30

What had happened to non-military factories by 1917?

Answer 30

They had all closed leading to unemployment. Incredibly poor working conditions for the factories still open, massive increase in strikes.

Question 31

What was banned in 1917?

Answer 31

Alcohol.

Question 32

What did the progressive bloc demand?

Answer 32

A vote of confidence.

Question 33

What was Russification, what did it do?

Answer 33

It was the conversion of non-russian ethnicities into orthodox christians and russian culture. It oppressed ethnic minorities.