Transcript WH Chapter 10 Section 5

World History
Chapter 10 Section 5
“Russia: Reform & Reaction”
November 11 & 12, 2013
Woodridge High School
Mr. Bellisario
Lesson Objectives
• Describe major obstacles to progress in Russia.
• Explain why Tsar followed a cycle of
absolutism, reform, and reaction.
• Understand why the problems of
industrialization contributed to the outbreak
of revolution.
Conditions in Russia Affected Progress
• 1815 Russia was largest,
most populated nation
in Europe & world
– 1600’s explorers
expanded across Siberia
to Pacific
– Peter & Catherine the
Greats added lands on
Baltic & Black Seas
– 1800’s expanded into
Central Asia
Conditions in Russia Affected Progress
• Looked on as a colossus (giant),
but disliked by Western Europe
because of autocratic
government & ideas of expansion
• Russian czar’s need to be in
absolute control, kept the nation
from modernizing
– Rigid social structure
– Land- owning nobility did not want
to change
– Most Russians were serfs (peasants
bound to the land) and were
controlled by land-owning masters
• Had no desire to work hard
• Kept Russian economy backward
Czars Followed Cycle > Absolutism > Reform > Reaction
Czars had ruled with absolute power
• Alexander I (1801)
– Seemed open to liberal
ideas
– Eased censorship,
promoted education,
talked about freeing
serfs
– Napoleon invaded Russia
in 1812, reforms stopped
– Tried to limit power of
landowners over serfs
Czars had ruled with absolute power
• 1825, December Revolt
– By army officers
– Demanded constitution
Czars had ruled with absolute power
• Nicholas I
– Suppressed Decembrists & cracked
down on dissenters
– Used police spies, banned books
– Russian liberals were shut up in
mental hospitals or 150,000 sent to
Siberia
– Three pillars of Russian absolutism:
• Orthodoxy – strong ties between
Russian Orthodox Church & govt
• Autocracy – absolute control of govt
by czar
• Nationalism – respect for Russian
traditions & suppression of nonRussians
– New law code
– Some economic reforms
– Tried to limit power of landowners
over serfs
Russian Reform: Alexander II
• Crimean War – between
Russia & Ottomans over
lands on Danube River
– Britain & France helped
Ottomans & invaded
Crimean peninsula
– Russian defeat
Russian Reform: Alexander II
• Liberals demanded
reforms; students
demonstrated
– 1861 Alexander II
emancipated (freed) the
serfs
– Problems
• Serfs had to buy land
they’d worked for so long
• Too poor to do so
• Led to discontent among
peasants
Russian Reform: Alexander II
• Alexander II set up local
governments, elected
Zemstovs (local
assemblies)
– Road repair, schools,
agriculture
– Some self-government
– Trial by jury, eased
censorship, tried to reform
military,
• Encouraged industrial
growth
Reaction: Revolutionary Groups
• Revolutionary group –
People’s Will, bombed
Alexander II’s carriage
March 1881
• Alexander III Increased
secret police, restored
censorship & sent critics to
Siberia (gulags)
– Program of Russification
– Suppress non-Russian
cultures
– One language = Russian
– One church = Russian
Orthodox
Reaction
• Large Jewish population
severely persecuted –
pogroms (violent mob
attacks & massacres on
helpless people, like the
Jews)
– Limited number of Jews
allowed in universities & to
be lawyers, doctors
– Forced Jews to live in
restricted areas or to
become refugees (people
forced to flee from their
homelands)
Problems of Industrialization
Contributed to Growing Crisis &
Outbreak of Revolution in Russia
• Building Russian industry
– 1890’s finally entered industrial
age (100 years behind western
Europe)
– Nicholas II’s finance minister,
Count Witte, his key goal was
economic development
• Railroad building
• Connect coal & iron mines with
factories
• Move goods across Russia
• Foreign money to build TransSiberian Railroad
– Problems – slums bred
discontent (Vladimir Ulyanov =
Lenin)
Russo-Japanese War
• 1904, Russia was defeated & humiliated
Protestors & Bloody Sunday
• After the Russo-Japanese
war, protestors, workers
went on strike for shorter
hours & better wages,
wanted corrupt government
out
• March let by Orthodox
priest to Czar’s palace in St.
Petersburg, Jan. 1905
– Czar ordered soldiers to
protect palace
– Hundreds were killed or
injured
– “Bloody Sunday” – people’s
faith & trust in czar gone
Results of “Bloody Sunday”
• More strikes
• Workers took over local
governments
• Peasants revolted &
demanded land,
• Minorities wanted
independence,
• Terrorists killed officials
– Result> Led to minor
changes in Russia
Nicholas II’s Reforms
October Manifesto
• Summoned Duma
(elected national
legislature)
– Freedom of speech &
assembly
1906
• 1906 disbanded Duma &
appointed new prime
minister Peter Stolypin
• Arrests, pogroms,
executions > 1st step to
restore order
• Some reforms
– Land reforms – to get
peasant support
– Strengthened Zemtovs
– Improved education