Test on FridayAbsolute monarchies: (Spain, France, Prussia,

Russia)

Scientific Revolution

Enlightenment

American Revolution

French Revolution

Russian Revolution

Format: 20 MC & two long answer (one on Revolution & one on Enlightenment/Scientific Revolution/Absolute Monarchies)

Academic Discussion due Monday!!!

Be prepared to share your points!

Must hand in your notes, your notes should be clear for me to mark!

Will have Wednesday & Thursday to prepare for the discussion. This preparation will better prepare you for the

test.

Use Brinton’s “Anatomy of a Revolution” to better understand the role of violence.

Geography of RussiaEarly 1800s

60 nationalities100 different languagesSlavs, Europeans, Middle Easterners, & Asiatic peoples

Largest country in the world ¾ of its population live in Europe ¾ of its land lies in Asia Trans-Siberian railroad takes 10 days (11 time zones)

AutocracyGovernment in which one person rules with unlimited

authority

Societal Composition in Russia

Aristocracy Landowners

Intellectuals Urban Workers Peasants (82%)

Urban 13%, Rural (87%)

All governed by an Autocracy!

Background to Nicholas II

Took over as Czar in 1894

Land problems Affected 80% of the population (over 100 million

peasants) Peasants were burdened with heavy taxes and tied to

the land Called on the Czars for an improvement in conditions,

but it never happened

Civil Liberties Limited

Rapid Industrialization Left very little in workers rights

Background to Nicholas II

RussificationCentralized Russia and forced Russian culture on the

ethnic minorities of the Russian empire comprising almost half of the empires population

Eastern ExpansionChinese empire is disintegrating and it pushed

Russia and Japan to fill the void in the East.Trans-Siberian Railroad was completed in 1899

Opens up the East for settlement

All in all: A fragile state

Russia & Japan At War1903 Russia and Japan negotiate over

claims to land in Korea and Manchuria

1904 Russia & Japan go to war (Russo-Japanese War) Similar to Pearl Harbour

The War In BriefFebruary 8, 1904 Japanese surprise Russian

Naval Fleet at Port Arthur

Russian troops had to travel for a long time

Russia forced to abandon war practices Teddy Roosevelt encourages Russia to accept

peace talks

Significance of Japanese Victory in 1905

Exposes a BAD internal Russian government: Corrupt Inefficient Oppressive

Citizens in Russia were striking Walked out of factories Inflation & unemployment

Russian citizens embarrassed, critical, and angry!

Growing DissentRapid industrialization led to growing number

of urban working class

Revolutionary mood encompassed Russia (Socialism based on Karl Marx): Mensheviks Sizable working class = socialist

revolution Bolsheviks Revolutionary leaders could bring

socialist revolution

Revolution of 1905“Bloody Sunday” January 22, 1905

Outside of Tsar Nicholas II’s Winter Palace in St. Petersburg, Father

Gapon leads protest of

working-class citizens calling

for better pay and working

conditions

Bloody SundayGrand Duke Vladimir, chief of Security Police,

ordered his troops to open fire on the unarmed, peaceful demonstrators (over 100 innocent individuals killed)

Civilian ResponseUrban Workers & Peasants revolt

Peasants seized land and livestock from landlords

Some of the Army & Navy mutinied

Results of the RevoltNicholas II promises to meet the needs of

urban workers and peasants (October Manifesto)

Drafts a constitution with regards to civil liberties

Organized democratically elected duma (national assembly)

Organized democratic election of a prime minister

Results of 1905 Revolution

Was Russia democratized? NO

Once order had been restored, the duma was dismissed and Nicholas II returned to autocratic rule

Revolutionary/Socialist leaders leave Russia and seek safety abroad to escape persecution

Stage set for future revolutions in Russia “dress rehearsal for 1917” Lenin

First legal political parties

Millions of people participating actively in political life

Russia in the Early 1900s

Russo-Japanese War

Revolution of 1905

Results: Alienation of the lower classes Debts, taxes, & rent kept peasants & urban

workers bound to poverty

Russia & World War IMilitary was ill-equipped & inefficient

Losses: 1.7 million soldiers dead 5 million soldiers wounded 2 million civilians dead

Food supply within Russia scarce soldiers & civilians starving

Nicholas’ wife runs gov’t who is manipulated by Rasputin Ends up being killed by nobility

Ra, ra, Rasputin…lover of the Russian queen…

Ra, Ra, Rasputin…lover of the Russian queen…

Ra Ra Rasputin.......

Famine & Food Shortages

Mobilization of 15 million men dislocated the Russian economy Industry was shifted from consumer goods to war

production

Exports decreased while imports for military supplies increased

Military blockade on Russia by Germany, Russia was unable to break the blockade because of a weak navy.

Inflation

Spring 1917Demonstrations commemorate

Soldiers & peasants protest & revolt (some soldiers followed orders, others joined revolt)

Housewives joined by workers protest food shortages.

March, 1917 Duma declares a provisional government (after

Nicholas postponed a meeting of the Duma) Czar Nicholas II abdicated (step down from rule), Romanov dynasty after 304 years of rule

The Provisional Government

Established in 1917 with Alexander Kerensky as prime minister

Unpopular with masses due to preoccupation with World War I

Failed to deal with social reform Life in Russia did not improve!

Response to Provisional Government

Rival Power: Petrograd Soviet of Workers’ and Soldiers’

DeputiesMild Revolutionaries = Petrograd SovietsSocialists = MensheviksRadical Socialists = Bolsheviks

Gained wide support among the masses

Called for peace, land reforms, & better working conditions

Lenin BiographyVladimir Ilyich Ulyanov = V.I. Lenin

Intelligent, radical, & passionate

Middle-class background (studied law)

After brothers execution by regime of Alexander III, he dedicated his life to radical revolution (Bolshevik)

Exiled for beliefs

Return of Lenin1917 Lenin returns to Russia (escorted by

the Germans)

Goals: Organize Bolsheviks (turns them more radical) Seize power from provisional government

“Peace, Land, Bread, and power to all Soviets”

Soviets: the name given to Russian political organizations, a council, collective, or union of sorts.

Bolsheviks Seize PowerEffects of World War I worsen: Ukraine wanting

autonomy

November 6, 1917 Bolsheviks overthrow provisional government “Bloodless” coup d’etat

Kerensky = resign; Lenin = assumes control

Bolsheviks assume absolute power

Lenin announces the first Soviet government

While Bolsheviks have a fairly easy time taking over in the West, the East proves to be a bit more difficult to gain support

A Socialist StateBolsheviks become the Communists

End private ownership of property

Distribute land among the peasants (owned by the state but had to be cultivated by those using it)

Workers control factories & mines Workers enthusiasm vs. managing experience

Nationalization of the economy

Officials: Leon Trotsky = Foreign Affairs Joseph Stalin = National Minorities

The ChekaThe All-Russian Extraordinary Commission for

Combating Counter-Revolution and Sabotage

“Since the first massacres of Red prisoners by the Whites, the murders of Volodarsky and Uritsky and the attempt against Lenin (in the summer of 1918), the custom of arresting and, often, executing hostages had become generalized and legal. Already Cheka, which made mass arrests of suspects, the was tending to settle their fate independently, under formal control of the Party, but in reality without anybody's knowledge.” Victor Serge “Memoirs of a Revolutionary”

The Cheka (Chesvychaika), or GPU, is the instrument of the red terror, organized in 1918, through which the Soviet government, the Communist party and the Third International, Russia's indivisible trinity, maintains itself in dictatorial power to this very day. The years have brought a change in name, less activity, more secrecy. George Seldes

Russia Leaves World War I

March 1918 Lenin seeks peace with Germany

Treaty of Brest-Litovsk Russia accepts terms of Germany Loses Poland, Ukraine, Caucasus, etc. Loses ¼ of land, ¾ of iron & coal, 40% of

population Was hard for Russia to accept, but were forced to

Elections in 1918Bolsheviks win a minority of seats

“The voting represented the first free, unfettered, and democratic elections in Russian history.”

“Thus ended in less than twenty-four hours the first democratically elected parliament in Russian history.”

Once it was clear that the parliament was going to go against the work of the Bolsheviks, Lenin cleared the parliament.

Russian Civil War1918 Political opponents contest

Communists

Taking Sides: Reds = Communists Whites = Moderates (assistance from Allies)

Fighting destroys Russia for 3 years Starvation & economic depression

Outcome of Civil WarLenin & Communists maintain power & defeat

the Whites in 1921

1922 Communists rename Russia the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (U.S.S.R. or Soviet Union)

Communists remain in power until end of the Cold War (1989)