Key Figures and Events in Russia (1881-1917)

These flashcards contain key terms and definitions related to the key figures, ideologies, and events in Russian history from 1881 to 1917, essential for understanding the context of the revolutions.

Autocracy

A system of government in which one person has absolute power.

Russification

The policy of forcing non-Russian minorities to adopt Russian culture and language.

Okhrana

The secret police force created to suppress opposition and prevent revolution.

Zemstva

Local councils established by Alexander II that Alexander III weakened significantly.

Bloody Sunday

A massacre of demonstrators by the Tsar's troops on January 9, 1905, which led to widespread outrage.

Duma

The elected national parliament of Russia that emerged after the 1905 Revolution.

Rasputin

A mystic faith healer who gained significant influence over Tsarina Alexandra and the Russian royal family.

Bolshevik

A faction of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party led by Lenin that advocated for immediate revolution.

Menshevik

The faction of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party that opposed Lenin's ideas and favored a more gradual revolution.

Fundamental Law

Issued in 1906, it formalized the Tsar's power while creating a parliament but allowed the Tsar to govern without it.

Cheka

The All-Russian Extraordinary Commission for Combating Counter-Revolution and Sabotage, established to suppress dissent.

Nationalism

A political ideology that emphasizes the interests of a particular nation and advocates for independence or dominance over others.

October Revolution

The 1917 coup by the Bolsheviks that overthrew the Provisional Government and established a communist regime.

Father Gapon

A Russian Orthodox priest who organized workers' protests but was eventually suspected of being a double agent.

Stolypin's Necktie

A term used to describe the severe measures taken by Prime Minister Stolypin against revolutionaries.

Alexei

The last Tsar's son who suffered from hemophilia and was a significant factor in Rasputin's involvement with the royal family.

Witte

Sergei Witte, a key architect of Russian industrialization known for the 'Great Spurt'.

Lenin's April Theses

The document in which Lenin called for immediate revolution and opposed the Provisional Government.

Brest-Litovsk Treaty

The peace treaty that ended Russia's involvement in WWI, resulting in significant territorial losses.

Trotsky

A leader of the Bolshevik Revolution and key figure in establishing the Soviet state.