Russia 1: End of Tsardom (1905-1917)

Who became Tsar of Russia in 1894?

Nicholas II

What were the main features of Witte’s industrial policies?

Focus on heavy industry, railway expansion, foreign investment and loans.

What were living conditions like in Russian cities before 1914?

Overcrowded slums, poor sanitation, long working hours, low wages.

What were rural conditions like for peasants before 1914?

Outdated farming methods, poverty, redemption payments, land controlled by nobles.

Why was Nicholas II’s autocracy unpopular?

He resisted reform, believed in divine right, and was weak and indecisive.

What were the three main opposition groups to the Tsar?

Liberals (Cadets), Social Revolutionaries (SRs), Social Democrats (SDs).

What happened to the Social Democratic Party in 1903?

It split into Bolsheviks (Lenin) and Mensheviks.

What were the causes of the 1905 Revolution?

Defeat in Russo-Japanese War, Bloody Sunday, poverty, lack of political reform.

What was the October Manifesto?

A promise of reforms – civil rights and the creation of a Duma (parliament).

What were the Fundamental Laws of 1906?

Laws that reasserted the Tsar's absolute power, weakening the Duma.

What reforms did Stolypin attempt?

Land reform (create kulaks), improve agriculture, repress opposition.

What was “Stolypin’s necktie”?

A nickname for the noose – symbol of Stolypin’s brutal repression.

How did WWI affect Russia militarily?

Major defeats, poor leadership, low morale, millions of deaths.

What were the social and economic effects of WWI on Russia?

Inflation, food/fuel shortages, transport system collapsed.

Why was Rasputin unpopular?

He was seen as corrupt, had influence over the Tsarina, and symbolised court scandal.

What happened in March 1917?

Strikes and protests in Petrograd, army mutinied, Nicholas II abdicated.

What ended with the abdication of Nicholas II?

Over 300 years of Romanov rule and Tsarist autocracy.