Why did the Tsarist Regime collapse in 1917 Flashcards
What percent of the population was peasants
80%
Name 3 key principles underpinning Tsarist rule
Autocracy - All decisions ultimately rested upon the Tsar, only leader
Nationality - strong feeling of national identity and superiority of ‘Russians’
Orthodoxy - The Russian Orthodox Church and therefore Russian people believed the Tsar was appointed by god
What does historian A.Ascher describe Tsar Nicholas II as
“A narrow-minded, prejudiced man”
Who was Russia’s finance minister between 1892-1903 and what did he do that was significant
Sergei Witte - He launched Russia into an age of heavy industry focusing on the development of railways
By end of 1890’s 60% of iron and steel used on railways
His most famous project was the Trans-Siberian railway
What was Russification
The policy of Russifiying national groups under Russian control
Making them wear Russian clothes, speak Russian and follow Russian customs
Give an example of a policy centered around Russification
In Poland it was forbidden to teach children Polish
What was life like for peasants in Russia in the early 1900’s (give 4 details)
The average life expectancy for a peasant was 40 years
Peasants used the backwards strip method of farming using wooden ploughs
Farming land was becoming scarce as population grew 50% from 1860 to 1900
There were regular widespread epidemics (e.g, typhus)
What was life like for urban workers in Russia in the early 1900’s (give 4 details)
Only made up 2.5% of the population
Working days were often 11+ hours
Wages were very low barely enough to live
Working conditions were very poor and accidents leading to serious injury or death were common
Why were the workers important politically
They had a high literacy rate of over 50% so could read political literature and articulate views
They were responsible for large economic growth in Russia
Revolts were inevitable such as Textile workers strikes in 1896 and 1897
How were ethnic groups (Jews) in Russia during the early 1900’s treated (give 3 details)
Jews were forced to live in an area called the Pale of Settlement
There were 650 pogroms between 1903-06 one prevalent example being the Kishinev pogrom of Easter 1903
Suffered from deliberate policies of antisemitism placing social, economical and political restrictions on them
Why and When did the Russo-Japanese war start
Arose out of Russia’s expansionism into the Far East. They particularly clashed over Korea which both nations wanted to control
The war began when Japan launched a surprise attack on Russian ships in Port Arthur on 26th Jan 1904
Give three reasons why Russia failed in the Russo-Japanese war
Russia underestimated Japan
Japan had a better trained army
Japan had amore effective navy and intelligence
Russia were far away from the action and the Trans-Siberian railway was incomplete so transport was difficult
Give two specific Russian battle losses in early 1905 during the Russo-Japanese war
After retreating in 1904, in Jan 1905 Port Arthur fell to the Japanese
In March the Russian army defeated at Mukden
Why was the Russian Baltic defeat in May 1905 in the Russo-Japanese war so embarrassing
It took 6 months to sail to the battle
Once they met the Japanese fleet in the Tsushima straits most of the ships were put out of action in under one hour
The Russians then agreed to withdraw from Korea and Port Arthur
Give 4 causes of the 1905 revolution
International economic recession beginning in 1900 destroyed any economical progress and wages fell
A very poor harvest in 1901 lead to revolts in 1902-03 and mass hunger
The revolutionary parties were taking shape
The Russo-Japanese War lead to price rises, national shortages and international embarrassment
Who were the Zemstva
An institution of local government in Russia
When was Bloody Sunday and what happened initially?
January 22nd 1905
A priest called Father Gapon organised a march to the Winter Palace to deliver a petition with a crowd of around 100,000
What did the petition that Father Gapon delivered want
An 8-hour work day, better wages, better working conditions
What did the troops do during Bloody Sunday and what were it’s short term consequences
The troops had orders to stop the march before reaching the palace
Protesters were then met with open fire
An estimated 130 killed and 300 injured
By the end of January over 400,000 were on strike
Describe the events of the Potemkin battleship mutiny
On 14th June 1905 crew of the battleship mutinied
Th crew killed several officers and siezed control of the ship
As the ship arrived radicals invited onboard and looting and arson took place
When was the St Petersburg Soviet’s set up and who was Deputy Chairman
26th of October 1905
Leon Trotsky
What was formed in May 1905
The Union of Unions
An organisation that acted as an umbrella for a range of trade and professional organisation
Give two events that showed the Tsar was loosing control of the people between January and August of 1905
January, censorship collapsed and newspapers became increasingly anti-Tsar
27th August Universities were given control of what they taught and became focal points for political meetings
What treaty was signed that ended the Russo-Japanese war
The Treaty of Portsmouth 29th August 1905
