part 1: the rule of Nicholas II 1894-1904

order of social class high to low

• Tsar and Tsarina

• the nobles

• Russian orthodox church

• the army

• middle class

• industrial workers and the peasantry

features of the nobles

1 million in 1858, 147,000 belonged to Russian hereditary nobles. dominated political appointments

features of Russian orthodox church

under state control, priests often drunk and corrupt

features of the army

corruption, regimental commanders spent less than budget on food

features of the middle class

small shopkeepers and entrepreneurs, some not wealthy. teachers, doctors, experts

features of the peasantry

majority. mostly agricultural workers, self sufficient, high infant mortality rate 50%

features of the industrial workers

come from peasant background, overworked

when did nicholas II become Tzar

1st November 1894

what was Sergei Witte’s job: and what years did he have it

1905: tsar’s chief adviser

1892-1903: minister of finance

features of Nicholas II

• shy and sensitive due to a bullying father

• Nicholas II was 26 when father died → little preparation for responsibilities

• was most happiest with wife and 5 children

what industrial growth happened in:

• Baku

• Ukraine

• Moscow

• St Petersburg

• oil

• coal, iron, steel

• textiles, engineering

• textiles, engineering

how much did industrial output grow 1894-1904

doubled

urbanisation: how much did St Petersburg and Moscow grow?

25%

why was it surprising that there were more strikes and what were the two biggest?

• under Russia’s harsh Penal Code strikes were illegal

• 1896 and 1897 strikes by St Petersburg’s textile workers

where did the worst rural unrest occur, and what did the peasants do? why were the peasants so angry?

• not just cities, fertile ‘Black Earth’ region in southern part of European Russa

• attacked landowners estates - looted + burned

• made them pay for its industrialisation programme - higher taxes on basic consumer items

what happened to Nicholas’ grandfather in 1891 and who did it? and what did the government do in response?

• was assassinated by the ‘People’s Will’

• ferocious government crackdown on radicals and agitators

which opposition groups regrouped in 1897, 1898 and 1902?

1897: The Bund - Jewish socialists

1898: Russian Social Democratic Labour Party

1902: Socialist Revolutionary Party

Combat Organisation:

1. which party are they linked to?

2. what decision did they make in 1902?

3. who did they kill?

1. Socialist Revolutionary Party

2. launched assassination campaign

3. Dmitry Sipyagin in 1902 then his successor Vyacheslav Von Plehve in 1904

Sergei Witte:

1. his job?

2. he attracted foreign investment into Russia: what did he build?

3. how did tariffs help Russian industry?

4. this meant that cheap goods were kept out of Russia, and this ‘squeezed’ who?

1. Minister of Finance

2. construction of Trans-Siberian railway

3. kept cheap imports out of Russia to protect developing industries

4. peasants