Edexcel IGCSE History: Russia

Which dynasty had ruled Russia for 300 years?

The Romanovs

What type of rule did the Tsar have?

An autocracy

Who swore loyalty to the Tsar?

The army and navy

What percentage of the population were peasants in 1905 in Russia?

85%

what did the control of the people look like in the early 1900s?

- no parliament

- political parties banned

- the okhrana (Tsar's secret police)

- no free speech/press

- censorship

structure of russian society

autocracy, aristocracy, church, army, middle class/radicals, workers/peasants

reasons for discontent in 1905

- peasants hungry + poor + had v bad living conditions

- radicals/middle class wanted political reform + rights

- industrial workers wanted better working conditions + better quality of life + rights

- censorship frustrated lower classes

- police state; people lived in fear + were spied on

- nationalities didnt like russification + wanted independence + freedom

who were the aristocrats

wealthy landowners with significant influence on political + social factors; opposed reform

what was russification

policy that promoted russian culture + language; aimed to reduce ethnic minority influence

what did the radicals want

a revolution

When was Alexander II assassinated?

1881

What ideas did the Mensheviks follow?

That Russia wasn't ready for a revolution at the time

What ideas did the Bolsheviks follow?

That Russia was ready for a revolution

Who was in charge of the Bolsheviks?

Vladimir Lenin

What was the name of the Tsar's secret police?

Okhrana

Name one of the people that the Okhrana executed?

Lenin's brother, Alexander

short term causes of the 1905 revolution

poor harvest 1901 (extreme famine), russo-japanese war, bloody sunday

When was the Russo-Japanese War?

1904-1905

Why did Russia want Manchuria?

Resources, and it's port that didn't get frozen in winter

why did the war with japan increase discontent?

- war caused food shortages

- taxes raised to pay for war

- russian army lost several battles + looked weak

- higher food prices

- war was a failure for russia + was a waste of resources

When was Bloody Sunday?

9th January 1905

what was bloody sunday

peaceful protest; went to give petition to Tsar; respectful to the Tsar but wanted change + better conditions; palace guards shot + killed protestors

Who led the protestors on Bloody Sunday?

Father Gapon

how many protestors were there on bloody sunday

200,000

where was bloody sunday

Tsar's Winter Palace in St Petersburg

How many people signed the Bloody Sunday petition to give to the Tsar?

150,000

Who were the protestors on Bloody Sunday?

Factory workers and their families

Name two things the Bloody Sunday protestors wanted

8 hour working day, the right to trade unions

How many people died on Bloody Sunday?

More than 100

effect of bloody sunday

- tsar lost respect of ordinary people in russia

- peasants rioted

- workers went on strike

2 features of bloody sunday

- workers demanded change

- soldiers opened fire on protestors

events of the 1905 revolution

- peasants rioted (attacked landlords houses)

- workers went on strike + set up soviets

- Potemkin mutiny

what were soviets

small councils of workers - used to organise strikes + protests

when did soviets start being created?

May 1905

which was the largest soviet

St Petersburg Soviets

who chaired the St Petersburg Soviet

Leon Trotsky

when was the General Strike, who coordinated it, and what happened

20th September - 2nd October 1905; coordinated by the Soviets; all important industries joined the strike so brought russia to a standstill

when was the Potemkin Mutiny

14th June 1905

why were the navy unhappy

- living conditions on navy ships v poor

- v strict discipline; officers in total control

- morale low due to russo-japanese war

who planned to lead the mutiny by the russian navy

Afanasi Matyushenko - low ranked officer on Potemkin battleship

what was the potemkin mutiny for

to overthrow the Tsar's government + improve their conditions

why was the potemkin mutiny such a problem for the Tsar

Tsar relied on armed forces for control + a mutiny in the navy could spark revolt of the army, Tsar needs support of army

events of the potemkin mutiny

- mutineers began to disobey orders + refused to eat meat (had maggots in)

- officer shot + killed one of the mutineers

- mutineers attacked all officers

- mutineers formed socialist committee, took control of ship + sailed to Odessa

- rioting in Odessa to support mutiny

- Tsar ordered army to use violence to stop the rioting in Odessa

- mutineers sailed to Romania + sunk their ship

How many did the Tsarist government kill in Odessa 1905 during the riots?

Over 1,000

When did the Potemkin sink?

8th July 1905

How many Manor House's were burnt down by peasants in 1905-1907?

3,000

How many workers went on strike in January 1905?

400,000

When was the October Manifesto?

17th October 1905

why did the Tsar create the October manifesto

- 1905 revolution spiraling out of control

- Tsar had little choice but to listen to some of the demands to restore his control

what did the Tsar promise in the October Manifesto

- a duma (to approve new laws)

- freedom of speech + religion

- the right to form political parties

- the right to form trade unions

public opinion of the october manifesto

- middle class mostly very happy

- others didn't think manifesto went far enough (said nothing abt land ownership or worker's rights)

- radicals wanted Tsar overthrown still

why did Nicholas survive

- october manifesto addressed some concerns + led to the end of the general strike

- protestors divided

- ensured army stayed loyal by promising them better conditions + pay

- stopped war with japan

- many soviet leaders arrested + soviets shut down

why were the protestors divided after the october manifesto

october manifesto satisfied some groups but not all, diff protestors had diff aims; octobrists vs kadets

why did negotiating peace with japan help keep the Tsar in power

- could use returning troops to stop protestors + stop riots

- stopped wasting resources

- people were not as starved

When someone was exiled, where were they usually sent?

Siberia

what did the Fundamental Laws ensure the Tsar could do

- close the Duma whenever he wanted

- role without the Duma when it was not in session

- change who could vote in elections to the Duma

- appoint whomever he wanted as his ministers (didnt have to be members of the Duma)

When were the Fundamental Laws issued?

April 1906

Which article of the Fundamental laws allowed the Tsar to pass laws when the Duma was in operation?

Article 87

1st Duma

- opened April 1906

- openly hostile to the Tsar

- demanded land reform + release of political prisoners

- dissolved after 73 days

Which two parties had the most power in the 1st Duma?

Kadets and Trudoviks

who were the trudoviks

- previous social revolutionaries who wanted to take part in the first duma (other SR's didnt)

When was the 1st Duma?

April-June 1906

How long was the 1st duma alive for?

10 weeks - 73 days

What did the Kadets + Trudoviks want?

- more democracy

- land reforms (taking more land from landowners)

what happened to 1st Duma

Tsar dissolved it after 10 weeks as duma demands were too radical for the tsarist government but duma deputies wouldn't compromise

2nd Duma

- extreme parties argued to be elected

- Tsar dissolved 2nd duma in June 1907

- realised it was even more of a threat than the 1st duma

When was the 2nd Duma?

February-June 1907

Who took part in the 2nd Duma?

The Social Revolutionaries and the Social Democratic Party

what did the revolutionary parties realise after 2nd duma

their aims would not be achieved through elections

How many socialists were elected in the 2nd Duma?

222

3rd Duma

- only most wealthy male russians could vote so they mainly voted for candidates who were supportive of the Tsar

- much more favourable to autocracy + the Tsar

- lasted full 5 year term

why did stolypin change the election rules before 3rd duma

- 3rd June 1907

- allowed more conservative deputies to be elected so more deputies would support the Tsar

How many seats did conservatives get in the 3rd duma?

287 out of 443

which parties had the most representation in 3rd Duma

Octobrists/conservative deputies

why did 3rd duma last its full 5 year term

gov could rely on it as it tended to support Tsar's policies so there was little opposition

when was 3rd duma

November 1907 - June 1912

4th Duma

- critical of the Tsar

- criticism grew in WW1 until it was dissolved

who dominated 4th duma

conservatives + also right wing nationalist parties

why was the 4th duma closed down

first world war became a priority

when was the fourth duma

November 1912-February 1917

pros of october manifesto for Tsar

- bought him time

- calmed some people down

- split the liberals; weakened opposition

- 3rd duma lasted

cons of the october manifesto for Tsar

- proved to some that he wouldn't keep his word

- issued the fundamental laws

- 1st/2nd dumas closed down

- election rules had to be changed to get a more conservative duma

who were the kadets

- mostly liberals

- wanted a constitutional monarchy

- wanted to keep Tsar but reduces his power

who were the octobrists

- mostly liberals

- middle + upper classes

- supported Tsar + october manifesto

- became more opposed to the Tsar as it became obvious he wouldn't stick to his manifesto

who were the social democrats

- radicals socialists

- wanted a marxist society

- wanted to remove Tsar

- split into Bolsheviks + Mensheviks in 1903

- both wanted a revolution but disagreed on timing of this

who were the social revolutionaries

- radical party

- supported by many peasants because of their ideas of land reform

who was stolypin

prime minister of russia 1906-1911

what did stolypin want

to reform industry + agriculture so economy would grow - wanted to prevent revolutions

stolypin's repression

- police state increased

- many people exiled + hanged

- stolypin's necktie

- closed trade unions

- censorship tightened

- extreme opposition groups repressed

how many were exiled during stolypin's repression

20,000

how many were hanged during stolypin's repression

over 1000

how many trade unions closed during stolypin's repression

over 600

how successful was stolypin's industry reforms

- heavy industry grew rapidly

- economy grew

- economy lagged behind western powers

- Tsar blocked some of his reforms

how successful was stolypin's agricultural reforms

- introduced laws to allow peasants to buy more land

- peasants land banks introduced

- kulaks benefitted (could create bigger farms)

- agricultural production increased significantly

how much did agricultural output increase by

1/3

how much did peasant land ownership increase by

30%

what were Peasants' Land Banks

loaned wealthier peasants money to buy land

who were kulaks

wealthy peasants

conditions for workers in places such as the Lena Goldfield mines

- 15/16 hr shifts

- little to no safety equipment

- injuries were common

- low pay

- workers heavily fined for minor offences

causes of strike in Lena Goldfield

- dangerous and bad conditions

- wages reduced in 1911

- only food available was rotting horse meat in February 1912