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The Russian Revolutions

March 1905 - 1922

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The RomanovsThe Czars of Russia

z Vocabulary§ Czar — one having great power or

authority; the autocratic ruler of Russia until 1917

§ serf — a member of a servile feudal class bound to the land and subject to the will of its owner

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Russia – the Great Power§ By 1800, Russia was the most populous nation in Europe, but also a

Great Power.

§ Russia had acquired, since 1600 under Catherine and Peter, and into the 1800s, Russia had lands in large parts of Europe and central Asia.

§ Other countries looked upon Russia as colossus, as a giant with wonder and misgivings.

§ Western Europeans disliked its autocracy and feared its expansionist aims.

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The Czars and Modernization§ Catherine and Peter tried to modernized without success.

§ By the 1800s, Czars saw the need to modernize, but resisted reforms that would weaken their autocratic rule.

§ Consequently, Russia fell further and further behind other modernized countries.

§ A great obstacle to progress:

§ Rigid social structure

§ Landowning nobles dominated society and resisted any reforms that would threaten their privileges.

§ The middle class was too small to have influence

§ The majority of Russians were serfs, bound to the land with no power or influence

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The Pillars of Absolutism

§Autocracy

§Orthodoxy

§Nationalism

zRussia Remains Stoic to Preserve the Autocracy

§ The Enlightenment and the French Revolution which revolutionized Western Europe had nearly zero effect on Russia.

§ Alexander I – inherited the throne in 1801

§ Appeared to be softening to modernization

§ Eased censorship, promoted education and talked about freeing the serfs.

§ BUT, when Napoleon invaded Russia in 1812, he retreated from these positions.

§ He feared losing support of the noble class.

z Nicholas I§ Took power in 1825 upon Alexander I’s death.

§ Used police spies to hunt out critics

§ Banned books from Western Europe that might spread liberal ideas

§ Only approved textbooks were allowed in schools and universities.

§ Many liberals and revolutionaries were deemed insane and shut up in mental hospitals.

§ More than 150,000 Russians were exiled to Siberia

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Quote from Mark Twain About Russia Absolutism

§ “In Russia, whenever they catch a man,

woman or child that has got any brains or

education or character, they ship that person

straight to Siberia. It is admirable . . . It

keeps the general level of Russian intellect

and education down to that of the Czar.”

z Embracing the Three Pillars of Russian Absolutism

§ Nicholas I embraced the three pillars

§ Orthodoxy

§ Strong ties between the Russian Orthodox Church and the government

§ Autocracy

§ The absolute power of the state

§ Nationalism

§ Respect for Russian traditions and suppression of non-Russian groups within the empire.

z Alexander II§ Came to power in 1855 during the Crimean War

§ Liberals and students came together to demand reforms.

§ 1861, Alexander II finally acquiesced and freed the serfs

§ Freeing the serfs helped industrialization in the cities AND built support for more reforms.

§ Alexander II enabled more reforms: military (service was reduced from 25 to 15 years and brutal disciplined was limited), elected local assemblies and trial by jury.

§ Alexander II also tried to encourage industry.

§ A movement began to liberate women as they could not attend Russian universities and as a result would study abroad. Due to being outside of the country they became supporters of the growing popular revolution

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Killed by the People and Reaction Ensues

§ Russians continue to be unsatisfied with Alexander II’s attempts at reform (no constitution and representative government is formed, serfs still cannot acquire land and rights are not given to the people).

§ Alexander II is killed by two bombs hurled at his carriage by terrorists in 1881.

§ Alexander III revives the harsh methods by Nicholas I in reaction to his father’s death.

z Alexander III§ GOAL: to wipe out the power of the liberals and revolutionaries.

§ Increases powers of the secret police

§ Restored strict censorship

§ Exiled critics to Siberia

§ Rejected all talk of democracy and constitutional government as the “lies of hollow and flabby people”

§ Launched a program of Russification aimed at suppressing the cultures of non-Russian people in the empire.

§ Required one language (Russian) and one faith (Russian Orthodox)

§ Poles, Ukrainians, Finns, Armenians and others suffered persecution.

zAlexander III and the Jewish Population

§ A large Jewish population was absorbed when Russia carved up Poland, and thus, the persecution of Russian Jews increased.

§ Limited the number of Jews allowed to study at universities and practice professions such as law and medicine.

§ Revived laws that forced Jews to live in certain restricted areas.

§ Official persecution encouraged mob attacks on Jews. Police did nothing to stop it.

§ Consequently, many Jews became refugees and many fled to America.

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Russian and Industrialization

§ Under Alexander III and his son Nicholas II, Russia finally began to

become industrialized.

§ Loans from France helped build the Trans-Siberian railway (5000

miles)

§ The drive to industrialized created more problems as nobles and

peasants opposed it due to the change they felt would come.

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The 1905 Revolution§ Provoked by Bloody Sunday (January 22, 1905) in which hundreds of Russian

Orthodox followers died, strikes followed and much discontent. As a result, Nicholas II announced sweeping reforms in October.

§ Promised “freedom of person, conscience, speech, assembly and union”.

§ Nicholas II stated, no laws would go into effect with approval by a Duma (nationally elected legislature).

§ In 1906, the first Duma met, but the Czar quickly dissolved it when the leaders criticized the government.

§ More Dumas met, but new voting laws made sure they were conservative.

§ By 1914, Russia was still an autocracy simmering with worker and peasant unrest.

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Watch a Video§ Watch the EPIC History Video on

What Happened to Nicholas II and his family when the Russian Revolution took place in 1917.