Fall of the Romanovs Test

Nicholas II

the last Tsar in the Romanov family and Russian history. Ruled from 1894 to 1917, was a weak ruler who was not fit or enthusiastic enough for the job to be able to save the Russian empire from revolution. Did not listen to his advisors which contributed to the massacre of Bloody Sunday, put down the 1905 Revolutions with the creation of a Duma (October manifesto). Also joined WWII which had terrible consequences for the country. Eventually had to abdicate and was shot later on.

1905 Revolution

triggered by Bloody Sunday, there was mutiny on the Battleship Potemkin, peasants were revolting in the countryside, there were massive strikes in the cities, workers stopped working, essentially the country shut down. The creation of the Duma ended this revolution.

Russo- Japanese War

War fought from 1904-1905, clash of imperialist ambitions, Russia and Japan were looking to expand into Korea and Manchuria

Tsushima Straits

huge naval victory for Japan, Russian Baltic fleet were sent halfway around the world to the strait. 8 battleships and 3 cruisers were sunk.

Treaty of Portsmouth

Russia had to give up Port Arthur, South Manchurian Railway and the southern part of Sakhalin island due to their loss in the Russo

Bloody Sunday

a peaceful protest led by Father Gapon demanding better conditions in factories and for workers, they marched to the Winter Palace where the tsar was nowhere to be found. Because he was not at the palace, the tsar’s guards opened fire on the crowd and killed 200

Father Gapon

lead the protest to demand better conditions, now known as Bloody Sunday.

October Manifesto

created a duma (elected legislature) and ended the 1905 revolution

Duma

democratically elected legislature which tsar Nicholas dismissed and did not listen to.

Battleship Potemkin

muninies on a battleship during the 1905 Revolutions, also an important Soviet film.

Gavrilo Princip

Bosnian Serb who assassinated the Archduke of Austria, after this Austria gives Serbia a harsh ultimatum and when they do not accept, Austria declares war and Russia takes Serbia’s side because of their ethnic ties (Orthodox Christian, Slavic).

Ultimatum

a final demand or statement of terms, the rejection of which will result in retaliation or a breakdown in relations

Mobilization

when a country gets its soldiers prepared or ready for war, Russia made a big mistake in mobilizing to aid Serbia (Orthodox Christian, Slavic) because they were so industrially behind all the other countries in WWI. Germany sees this as an act of war so they declare war on Russia

Allies

Russia, Britain, France

Central Powers

Austria, Germany, Ottoman Empire

World War I

Russia fared badly, lost most battles, did okay against the Austrians and Turks but were crushed by the Germans ~ they were more industrialized. Russian troops were poorly armed and equipped

Battle of Tannenberg

crushing loss for Russia, nearly 200,000 Russians were killed, wounded, or captured, big win for Germany

Rasputin

Siberian peasant and “Mad Monk” who gained influence over the royal family, the Tsarina was convinced that he could heal their son Alexei who had hemophilia. He was a man of low moral character, this shows badly on the family as having him as an advisor

February Revolution

a complete breakdown of law and order in St. Petersburg, on his way back from the warfront, Tsar Nicholas II was forced to abdicate. The Tsarist government was replaced by the provisional government, led by key members of the Duma. Soon Alexander Kerensky becomes the prime minister of the provisional government

Provisional Government

system of government that took over after Nicholas II had abdicated, held key members of the Duma, one of which, Alexander Kerensky, who becomes the prime minister

Soviets

councils of workers share power with the Provisional Government

October Revolution

the Provisional Government kept Russia in WWI which does not improve conditions, a second revolution happens in October of 1917 and this is when Lenin and the Bolsheviks come to power

Peace, land, bread

Bolshevik slogan, peace= pull Russia out of WWI, land = break up the big noble estates and give the land to the peasants, bread = end bread and other food shortages

Treaty of Brest Litovsk

treaty signed between Russia and Germany, pulled Russia out of WWI, treaty said Russia had to give up large amounts of land to Germany, but gained much of it back after WWII when Germany lost

Russian Civil War

war between the Reds and Whites during 1918

Soviet Union

what Communists would rename Russia, ruled Russia from 1917 to 1991 (collapse of Communism)

Tsarina Alexandra

Tsar Nicholas’s wife, she would go on a spiral in trying to find ways to heal her son Alexei, became obsessed with Rasputin and his supposed healing powers, ruled Russia with him while Nicholas II was on the warfront. Many began suspecting she was a German spy as she was German born and the poor ways of her ruling.

Tsarevich Alexei

the only son in the Romanov family, had hemophilia and was always concerned with hurting himself, this led to the family’s correspondence with Rasputin.

Anastasia

one of the Romanov daughters, many claimed to be her after she was murdered along with her family.

Franz Ferdinand

emperor of Austria who was assassinated and part of the spark of WWI

Petrograd

the new name for St. Petersburg during WWI to make it more Russian sounding as opposed to more German sounding.