Treatment of Nationalities under the Tsars

Question 1

5 points, A2 and N2

What degree of political autonomy was Poland given?

Answer 1

Alexander II
* Initially given some freedom. Granted their own PM, Alexander Wielopolski, in 1862 who campaigned for partial independence and introduced some liberal reforms.
* Following uprising in 1863 placed under direct control of Milyutin, Russian War Minister, who sought to convert Poland into part of the Russian Nation State (Russification).
* Poland renamed Vistula provinces in 1866.

Nicholas II
* By 1914 Poland considered part of Russia.
* Polish National Democrats made contributions to the 1st and 2nd Dumas.

Question 2

6 points, A2, A3+N2

How many social and cultural freedoms was Poland given?

Answer 2

Alexander II
* Initially given its own archbishop, a medical school and reopening of Warsaw University.
* Following 1863 Russian became official language of admin, and was taught in schools.
* From 1876 all existing books in Polish were removed from schools.
* Catholic church placed under government supervision and stopped from communicating with the Vatican.

Alexander III and Nicholas II
* Teaching in schools had to be Russian - prompted a strong nationalistic movement to develop, as well as interest in marxism and socialism.
* Led to Polish Socialist Party in 1892 and Social Democratic Party in 1893.

Question 3

2 points, A2

What extent of repression was there in Poland?

Answer 3

Alexander II
* 1863 uprising brutally crushed by Russian army.
* Saw 10,000 Polish nationals and nobles exiled to Siberia, with estates given to Russian officials.

Question 4

4 points, A2, A3, N2

What degree of political autonomy was Ukraine given?

Answer 4

Alexander II
* Ukraine ruled as part of Russia, by interior ministry.

Alexander III
* Russification strictly enforced by A3 as part of his plan to promote unity in Russian Empire.

Nicholas II
* Ukraine heavily represented in 1st and 2nd Dumas.
* However, change to election rules in 1907 meant they were heavily marginalised from then on.

Question 5

6 points, A2, N2

How many social and cultural freedoms was Ukraine given?

Answer 5

Alexander II
* Initially given lots of freedoms. First journal in Ukrainian language, Osnova, published in 1861. Societies set up in Russian Schools, bromady, to celebrate Ukrainian language and culture.
* After 1863 far more restricted. Publishing of religeous or educational texts in Ukrainian forbiden. Ukrainian became known mockingly as “little Russian”.
* Ukrainian Catholic church abolished in 1875, country’s religeon placed under Russian Orthodox church.
* In 1876, Ems Ukaz passed banning use of Ukrainian in all printed works.

Nicholas II
* Closure of all Ukrainian cultural centres by Stolypin.
* Prohibition against giving lecutres in Ukrainian and organising any kind of non-russian club put in place.

Question 6

4 points, A2, A3 + N2

What extent of repression was there in Ukraine?

Answer 6

Alexander II
* Following the emancipation in 1861, many Ukrainian activists accused of formenting discontent amongst peasantry.
* Saw many individual activists persecuted, e.g. writer Shevchenko exiled to Central Asia.

Alexander III and Nicholas II
* Tight censorship and threat of repression led many young people to become involved in covert political activities.
* This led to birth of Revolutionary Ukrainian Party, which in a pamphlet in 1900 pushed a political goal of an independent Ukraine.

Question 7

9 points, A2, N2

What degree of political autonomy was Finland given?

Answer 7

Alexander II
* Until 1890s Finland granted lots of Political freedoms, A2 remembered as founder of independent Finish state.
* Created Finnish Diet (parliament) in 1863, with act passed in 1869 saying it should convene regularly.
* Given its own constitution in 1865.
* A law in 1878 laid foundations for Finnish army.

Nicholas II
* Appointment of Governor General Bobrikov (1989) saw end to Finnish privileges.
* Disbanded Finish army.
* Russian officials at highest levels of state administration.
* Finnish State Secretariat abolished.
* Led to unrest and assassination of Bobrikov in 1904.

Question 8

3 points, A2

How many social and cultural freedoms was Finland given?

Answer 8

Alexander II
* Finland got its own currency, the Markka, in 1865.
* Finland got its first railways, which were established under Finnish administration.
* Finnish language elevated to a national language.

Question 9

5, A2, A3 + N2

What degree of political autonomy were the Baltic States given?

Answer 9

Alexander II
* Under Russian control.
* Relatively stable and prosperous due to abundance of raw materials.
* Many Russians migrated to the area, with Riga (Latvia) becoming an important commercial and business centre.
* Considered “golden age” of the region.

Alexander III and Nicholas II
* Imposition of Russification and increasing control from St Petersburg.

Question 10

5 points, A2, A3 + N2

How many social and cultural freedoms were the Baltic States given?

Answer 10

Alexander II
* Widespread use of German language allowed.
* Teaching in schools and universities was bi-lingual.

Alexander III and Nicholas II
* Russification enforced.
* German language declined and Russian migration to the region was heavily promoted.
* Dorpat University, Estonia, renamed Yurvev University in 1898, and was forced to end its emphasis on bi-lingual learning.

Question 11

4 points, A2, N2

What degree of political autonomy were the Caucuses given?

Answer 11

Alexander II
* Caucuses adopted into land of Russian Empire following end of Russian-Cuacasian war in 1864.
* Lands distributed amongst Russian elite.

Nicholas II
* Creation of Duma allowed Caucuses access to political representation.
* Change in laws of duma, 1907, stopped muslims from being able to attend.

Question 12

3 points, A2

How many social and cultural freedoms were the Caucuses given?

Answer 12

Alexander II
* The Armenian Church lost all their property as it was confiscated by the Russian Government.
* The Georgian Church was crushed by forced conversions and the assassination of some priests.
* The Georgian language was suppressed in schools.

Question 13

4 points, A2, A3

What extent of repression was there in the Caucuses?

Answer 13

Alexander II
* Landscape destroyed by Russian army - including forests and agricultural land.
* 1859 opposition from Islamic tribal leader Imam Shamil had been crushed.
* Muslims subject to ethnic cleansing by Russian army.

Alexander III
* There were uprisings in both Armenia (1886) and Georgia (1892) which were both brutally crushed by Russian army.

Question 14

4 points, A2, N2

What degree of political autonomy were the Jews given?

Answer 14

Alexander II
* Jews were in a unique position as they did not have a homeland in the Russian Empire.
* They had been given an artificial place to settle called the Pale of Settlement, overlapping Ukraine, Poland and Lithuania.

Nicholas II
* Jews allowed to attend Duma.
* During WWI, Jews alowed to leave the Pale and settle temporarily in Russia due to advancing Astro-Hungarian army.

Question 15

5 points, A2, A3

How many social and cultural freedoms were the Jews given?

Answer 15

Alexander II
* Removed some restrictions on them, some allowed to leave the Pale.
* Allowed them into higher education and government service.

Alexander III
* Introduced 1400 statues regulating Jewish life - restrictions of purchasing land, restrictions on education and restrictions on certain careers, including medicine and military service.
* Confined again to the pale.
* Removed from electoral register of Zemstva.

Question 16

5 points, A3, N2

What extent of repression was there towards the Jews?

Answer 16

Alexander III
* Alexander III and Pobedonostev were both anti-semites.
* A3 thought Jews were behind Ignatiev Memorandum (an unoficial note by Russia’s ambassador to Constantinople saying Russia would fight alongside Serbia against the Turks).
* Led to a mini-pogrom called ‘little thunder’ led by a Russian anti-semitic group called the Holy League.

Nicholas II
* Persecution increased - Kishinev Pogrom (1903) saw 47 Jews die as well as multiple rapes.
* The Cossacks, sent to restore order, joined in with the violence.

Question 17

4 points, A2, N2

What degree of political autonomy was Central Asia given?

Answer 17

Alexander II
* Followed up his father’s and grandfather’s actions by trying to gain control of Central Asia.
* Used army to gain control of areas such as south Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.

Nicholas II
* All-Russian Muslim League emereged and gained representation in the Dumas.
* However, rule change to Dumas in 1907 meant Muslims could no longer attend.

Question 18

5 points, A2 + A3, N2

How many social and cultural freedoms was Central Asia given?

Answer 18

Alexander II and Alexander III
* Linguistic and cultural Russification not attempted due to complexities of nomadic societies.
* Communication and transport established so Russians could settle there instead.
* The Steppe Statue of 1891 granted 40 acres of land to Russian peasant settlers - enough to establish a successful farm unit.

Nicholas II
* 1910 Stolypin pushed for more migration to this area to combat land hunger.
* Led to land held by natives being seized, causing resentment.

Question 19

3 points, N2

What extent of repression was there in Central Asia?

Answer 19

Nicholas II
* Conscription revolt of 1916. People were mad that conscription had started during Ramadan, as well as about disrespectful comments about muslim military prowess.
* This led to a rebellion that was brutally put down by Russian army.
* Tens of thousands died or fled to China.

Question 20

7 points, A2, A3, N2

What degree of political autonomy was East Asia given?

Answer 20

Alexander II
* Amur basin gained in 1860 when governor-general of Eastern Siberia Muraviev forced the Chinese to sign two treaties giving Russia land aroung the Amur river and access to the Pacific Coast.
* Vladivostok founded in 1860 and became base for Pacific fleet.

Alexander III
* Russia concluded a defensive treaty with CHina which allowed RUssians to construct Chinese-Eastern Railway, giving them access to mineral deposits in Manchuria.

Nicholas II
* In 1897 Russia negotiated deal to lease Port Arthur, an ice-free trading port and additional base for Russian Navy.
* The Chinese Boxer rebellion (1899-1900) gave Russia opportunity to consolidate holdings in Manchuria.
* Japanese said that if Russia allowed them to influence affairs in Korea, they would let Russia maintain its interests in Manchuria.
* Russia rejected this, and it led to the 1904-5 Russo-Japanese War.

Question 21

3 points

How many social and cultural freedoms was Eastern Asia given?

Answer 21

• Limited attempts to Russify region due to distance from West Russia.
• Before completion of Trans-Siberian railway in 19903, the main route to the Pacific coast was a dirt track.
• By end of the 19th century it could still take 3 months to go from Moscow to Sakhalin.