Russian Rulers 1855-1964 Practice Flashcards

Flashcards reviewing Russian rulers and political leaders from 1855 to 1964, covering their backgrounds, personal lives, and political contexts.

Which three members of the Romanov dynasty ruled Russia between 1855 and 1917?

Alexander II, Alexander III, and Nicholas II.

What were the full names of the Communist leaders Lenin and Stalin provided in the text?

Vladimir Illyich Ulyanov (Lenin) and Josif Vissarionovich Dzugashvili (Stalin).

Which Communist leader was the first to use his own name?

Nikita Khrushchev.

What was the occupation of Lenin's father?

A provincial school inspector.

Where was Stalin born, and what was his father's occupation?

He was born in Gori, Georgia, and his father was a cobbler.

What quote from Simon Sebag Montefiore's Young Stalin describes Stalin's hometown of Gori?

"one of the most violent towns in the Tsar's empire"

What was Khrushchev's family background and early work history?

He was the son of a coal miner whose grandfather was a serf in the Tsarist army; after a village education, he moved to Yuzovka in the Donets Basin and became a pipe fitter at age 15.

Which Russian ruler in the period 1855-1964 was the only one who performed manual work and had the least formal education?

Nikita Khrushchev.

What subjects were included in the modern curriculum studied by Alexander II?

Mathematics, Physics, History, Political Economy, and Law.

What musical instrument did Alexander III play?

The French horn.

Which reactionary tutor was shared by both Alexander III and Nicholas II?

Konstantin Pobedonostev.

What language did Nicholas II speak within his family?

English.

Where did Nicholas II travel before becoming Tsar, and what event occurred during his travels?

He traveled in the Far East and was nearly assassinated in Japan.

How was Alexander II's wife, Marie of Hesse, described by an American visitor in 1871?

"a tall stately lady, with a sad face and the appearance of an aristocratic invalid, is rarely seen in public."

Whom did Alexander III marry on 9 November 1866?

Princess Dagmar of Denmark (Maria Feederovna).

Whom did Nicholas II marry, and which ballerina mistress did she replace?

He married Alix of Hesse-Darmstadt, who replaced the ballerina mistress Kschessinska.

What were the fates of Stalin's first and second wives?

His first wife died from cholera, and his second wife committed suicide.

Who were the three wives of Nikita Khrushchev mentioned in the text?

Yefrasina (who died in the famine of 1921), Marusa (a peasant girl he left), and Nina Petrovna (whom he lived with for over 40 years before marrying in the 1960s).

Which Tsar's wife was the only one to exert political influence, and who was her favourite?

Empress Alix, whose favourite was Rasputin.

Which two Russian rulers came to power aiming to reform an existing system, and how did their rules end?

Alexander II (ended by assassination in 1881) and Nikita Khrushchev (ended by a humiliating removal from power in 1964).

How did Alexander III demonstrate his physical strength during a family railway accident?

By holding up the roof of a carriage to rescue his family.

What non-Russian term did Lenin use to describe Stalin?

"Asiat"

Where was Aleksandr Fedorovich Kerensky born, and what connection did his father have with Lenin?

He was born in Simbirsk, and his father was a teacher who briefly taught Lenin.

Where did Kerensky study law and History?

St. Petersburg University.

What political roles did Kerensky hold after February 1917 prior to becoming Prime Minister in July 1917?

Minister of Justice and Minister of War.

What was the Social Revolutionaries (SR) party, and who formed it in 1901?

A group formed under Victor Chernov that advocated peasant democracy and land redistribution; it was the largest revolutionary group before 1917.

What does the word "Duma" mean, and where did the first Duma meet in 1906?

It means State Assembly or Parliament; it met in the Tauride Palace in St. Petersburg.

Who were the Trudoviks, and how many members did they have in the first and second Dumas?

A group of peasant deputies and intellectuals numbering 130-140 members in the first and second Dumas, derived from Trudovaya Gruppa (Toilers' or Labouring people's group).

Which Trudovik minister in 1917 played a leading role in attempting to suppress the Bolsheviks?

Zarduny.

Which military conflict did Alexander III command forces in prior to becoming Tsar?

The Russo-Turkish War 1877-78.