Tsarist Russia

What is autocracy?

The Tsar, and only the Tsar, ruled Russia

What was the State Duma?

The Tsarist Russian Parliament

What were the Pillars of Autocracy?

The features of the Tsar's government which helped the autocracy survive

Who was the head of the Church in Tsarist Russia?

The Tsar

What was the Tsarist secret police called?

Okhrana

Which ideas were censored by the Tsarist government?

Liberal and Socialist

How did the Tsarist government support autocracy?

Opponents were exiled to Siberia

How effective was the Tsar's army?

Very effective

How did the size of the Russian Empire uphold Tsarism?

The majority of the population were illiterate peasants, which made it difficult for revolutionary ideas to spread

What was the biggest threat to the Tsar's authority?

WWI

How did the Tsar raise money for himself?

Taxing the produce of peasant farmers

How did peasants sometimes react to the taxes placed on their produce?

They rioted

Which ideas began to spread through Russia from the 1880s?

Marxism

Who is Karl Marx?

A German economist who founded the ideas of Marxism based on socialist values

Which groups began to adopt Marxist ideas?

Social Revolutionaries, Bolsheviks, Mensheviks

Which war did the Tsarist army lose which brought attention to the regime?

Russo-Japanese war (1904-1905)

When was Bloody Sunday?

9th January 1905

How many people were killed during Bloody Sunday?

200

Who protested on Bloody Sunday?

Factory workers - for better working conditions

How large was the Russian Empire in the early 20th century?

Roughly 8 million square miles

Why was economic development limited in the Russian Empire?

Lots of the land was inhospitable

How much of the Empire's population did not live in Russia?

3/4

What mainly contributed to the Russian economy?

Agriculture

Compared to other countries, how developed were the Russian railways?

Underdeveloped and not very widespread

What was the annual industrial growth rate from 1894-1904?

8%

How many factories existed in Russia in 1904?

25,000

How did society treat former-serfs?

Badly

What was the estimated population of the Russian Empire?

185 million

Where were peasants from densely populated areas encouraged to move to?

Siberia

Were strikes common or uncommon among peasants?

Common

How many strikes were there in 1913?

Over 2000

When did strikes begin to emerge again?

1917

What housing issues were there for peasants?

Overcrowding and slums

How did the government attempt to combat strikes?

They banned them

When was income tax introduced in Russia?

1916

What was the main goal of Russian education?

Obedience to the Tsar

What forms of harsh punishment were actually common?

Exile and hanging

What was the main criticism of Rasputin's presence in the Tsar's close circle?

He 'undermines autocracy'

How did the Tsar's decisions at the beginning of WWI affect the middle class?

• Factory owners had their factories shut down

• They lost trade opportunities in Europe

• Their investments lost value

• There was a lack of political reform

How did the Tsar's decisions at the beginning of WWI affect the working class?

• Malnutrition and poor diets

• Inflated prices of goods

• Loss of jobs and income

How did the Tsar's decisions at the beginning of WWI affect the peasantry?

• They were conscripted into the army

• Their goods could not be transported or sold

How did the Tsar's decisions at the beginning of WWI affect the army?

• Nicholas named himself commander in chief

• No arms, clothes, or skilled soldiers

How may soldiers deserted in 1916?

1.5 million

When did Nicholas name himself commander in chief?

September 1915

When did the Progressive Bloc suggest a lack of confidence in the Tsar?

September 1915

How did the Progressive Bloc suggest a lack of confidence in the Tsar?

They demanded an increase in constitutional powers for the Duma

When was the State Duma established?

1905

Why was the State Duma established?

To appease the public by adding more elements of democracy to the power structure

Who murdered Rasputin?

Prince Felix Yusupov

When was Rasputin murdered?

30 December 1916

When did support for the Tsar's government begin to rapidly decline?

1917

By 1917, how many Russian soldiers had been killed in battle?

Over 1.3 million

What had happened to the transport and supply system by 1917?

It had broken down

When did General Krimov relay that the army no longer had faith in the Tsar?

January 1917

Who were the army willing to support?

The Duma, if it took control of the government

Why did people have a problem with Tsarina Alexandra?

She was German

By how much had prices of commodities risen in Petrograd by February 1917?

Six-fold

On average, how long did women wait in queues for provisions?

40 hours

What happened to infant mortality during WWI?

It doubled

When was the demonstration of Pulitov Iron Works?

22 February 1917

What happened during the Pulitov Iron Works?

The owners locked out 20 thousand workers after they demanded higher wages

Who led the Pulitov Iron Works workers?

Bolshevik agitators

When was International Women's Day 1917?

23 February

How many people took to the streets on International Women's Day?

240,000

How many factories closed for International Women's Day?

50

How many people went on strike for International Women's Day?

90,000

How many workers were on strike by 24 February?

200,000

Which colour did demonstrators adopt during the post-International Women's Day riots?

Res

When did the Tsar order the Duma to dissolve?

26 February 1917

How many people were on strike by 25 February 1917?

250,000

How did demonstrator's demands change from 25 February 1917?

They changed from bread to an end to the war and Tsarism

How did the members of the Duma respond to the Tsar's orders to dissolve?

They suggested he appoint a new government which could gain the confidence of the people

Who did the Duma nominate as the new head of the Provisional Government?

Prince Lvov

Who did the Duma nominate as the new Foreign Minister?

Leader of the Kadet Party - Pavel Milyukov

Who did the Duma nominate as the new Minister of Justice?

Alexander Kerensky

How many soldiers mutinied and joined the protestors on 26 February?

66,000

How many rifles did mutinying soldiers supply to protestors on 27 February?

40,000

What did revolutionaries do on the evening of 27 February?

They set up a Soviet with plans to take over the government

What did the newly established Soviet do on the evening of 27 February?

They began to organise food supplies for the city

When did the Army High Command suggest that the Tsar should abdicate?

28 February

How did Nicholas attempt to restore order in Petrograd?

He got on a train to return

Why could the Tsar not reach Petrograd?

His train was stopped by mutineers in Pskov

When did the Tsar abdicate?

2 March 1917

How many years of Romanov rule had there been before the Tsar's abdication?

304

What was Russification?

Making life in other countries more Russian

Who mainly opposed the Tsar?

• The working class

• The soldiers

• The Bolsheviks

Why was Rasputin able to influence the Tsar and his family?

He was a spiritual healer who helped their son

Which two parties did the Social Democrats split into?

Bolsheviks and Mensheviks

What was granted to the people after Bloody Sunday?

The right to vote and the October Manifesto

What was the October Manifesto?

Promised political reforms after Bloody Sunday

Why was International Women's Day significant for social revolutionaries?

They could spread their messages

How much of the population was peasantry?

80%

What undermined the power of the Duma?

The Tsar could veto and dissolve the Duma at any time

What was the impact of the Tsar making himself Commander in Chief?

He left Alexandra and Rasputin in charge

Who resented the Tsar after he made himself Commander in Chief?

• The army

• The working class

• The conscripted peasants

Who refused to shoot protesters from 25-26 February?

The Petrograd Garrison