Topic 3

Question 1

What was Nicholas’ policy of Russification

Answer 1

Official foreign policy
Enforced Russian culture and way of life
Policy of suppression designed to gain control over Russian people

Question 2

What changes did Russification bring

Answer 2

Polish schools had to teach all subjects in Russian
Russian declared official language of Finnish government departments
Finns could be conscripted into Tsars armies

Question 3

What affect did the policy of Russification have

Answer 3

Caused civil unrest
Divided people
Increased membership to revolutionary groups

Question 4

What were the main consequences to Russia regarding the policy of Russification

Answer 4

Russia lost ties, alienated allies, lost support in WW1, mass emigration

Question 5

How had Zemstvas been undermined after 1880

Answer 5

Land captains given political and policing control
Could override elections and decisions
Introduction of closed court sessions
Reduction of peasants vote in 1890

Question 6

What was Nicholas’ reaction to the undermining of the Zemstva

Answer 6

Did not regard it as important
Dismissed attempts to create an ‘all Zemstvo organisation’ in 1896
Attempted to make Zemstva more conservative

Question 7

Describe the events of Bloody Sunday in 1905

Answer 7

Peaceful demonstrations against working conditions and hours
10,000 workers and families
Military action

Question 8

What were the consequences of Bloody Sunday

Answer 8

Fresh wave of strikes
Emergence of illegal trade unions
Grand duke assassinated by SRs
Naval mutiny 
Printers strike in Moscow which spread and resulted in a general strike

Question 9

What were the three main causes of the events at Bloody Sunday

Answer 9

Russo-Jap War 1904 (short term)
Previous economic factors under Witte
Russification

Question 10

What were the causes of the Russo-Jap war

Answer 10

Russia wanted more coastline and ports

Japan wanted more land and resource

Question 11

Why did the Russo-Jap war cause Bloody Sunday

Answer 11

Short lines of supply
Lack of ammunition
Exacerbating existing economic problems
Food shortages
Loss of factories to munition production
9000 deaths at Munkden

Question 12

What response from Nicholas did Bloody Sunday spark

Answer 12

October Manifesto in 1905

Question 13

What 3 measures did the October manifesto give to help solve social unrest

Answer 13

Civil liberties
Workers represented and given a voice through the Duma
All laws must be approved by the Duma

Question 14

Who were the Octobrists

Answer 14

Loyal to the a tsar and his government

Wanted to maintain Russian empire

Question 15

Who were the kadets

Answer 15

Largest of the liberal parties

Wanted Russia to develop a constitutional monarchy

Question 16

What were the initial reactions to the October manifesto

Answer 16

Rejoicing and public optimism

Question 17

What happened in the months following the October manifesto

Answer 17

Strikes continued

10 out of 19 cities in turmoil by November

Question 18

How did Nicholas II address the continued unrest after the October manifesto

Answer 18

Issued the Fundamental Laws in April 1906

Question 19

Why did Nicholas issue the fundamental laws

Answer 19

Restore order
Outline extent of Duma Power
Remove ambiguities
Reassert authority

Question 20

What did the Fundamental laws state

Answer 20

Only Tsar holds power over everything
Tsar had control over all legislation
Tsar could rule without objection in emergency situations
Could is solve Duma

Question 21

What were the characteristics of the first Duma (1906)

Answer 21

Bolsheviks and SRs refused to take part
Made up of radical-liberals
Demanded abolition of state council, seizure of land, universal male suffrage, abolishment of emergency laws

Question 22

What were the characteristics of the second Duma (1907)

Answer 22

New PM: Stolypin
Bolsheviks, Mensheviks and SRs all took part
Votes from peasants, workers and national minorities decreased
Representation of gentry increased
Stolypin accused SDs of trying to assassinate the Tsar (dissolved Duma)

Question 23

What were the characteristics of the third Duma (1907-1912)

Answer 23

Octobrists and rightists won majority of seats
Only wealthy (30%) male population could vote
Suspended twice by Tsar

Question 24

What were the characteristics of the fourth Duma (1912-1917)

Answer 24

Very conservative due to new finance minister

Duma was ignored and its influence declined

Question 25

Who was Stolypin

Answer 25

Appointed prime minister in July 1906
Introduced new court system, land reforms, health/education and changed electoral law
Assassinated in 1911

Question 26

What were the 4 key legislations Stolypin created

Answer 26

Sept 06: state land available to peasants
Oct 06: peasants granted equal right in administration
Nov 06: peasants given right to leave commune
Jan 07: redemption payments abolished

Question 27

What were Stolypins three main successes

Answer 27

Worlds largest cereal exporter by 1909
37% land purchased by land-less peasants
Development of large farms, increasing production

Question 28

What were the three main limitations if Stolypins legislation

Answer 28

Only 10% farms had moved beyond traditional farming methods
Only 14% communal allotments passed to private ownership
Only 1.3 of 5 million applications for establishment of independent farms approved

Question 29

Why could Stolypin have saved the autocracy

Answer 29

If given enough to time and support
Successfully improved harvest and reduced unrest
Number of workers increased to 2.9 million
Growing population suggests economic stability
Worlds 5th largest industrial power in 1914

Question 30

Why couldn’t Stolypin have saved the autocracy

Answer 30

Conservatism of the peasants ran deep
Number of strikes initially reduced but this was not sustained
Assassination allowed emergence of Rasputin