19 th century Russia

1. 19th century Russia

2. Red: 1800 Pink: Additions to 1900 Red: 1800 Pink: Additions to 1900

3. Ethnicities of Russian Empire Great Russians Ukrainians Poles White Russians Jews Kirghiz Tartars Finns Germans Latvians Bashkirs Lithuanians Armenians Roumanians Estonians Mordvinians Georgians Tadzhiks Turkmens And many other smaller groups • Ethnic Russians made up less than HALF of the total population!

4. How was Russia Ruled? • Unlimited or absolute monarchy • Nobility served the crown • Nobility also ran central government

5. Orthodox Church Most deeply religious ‘Red corner’ at home Priests paid by state Blind obedience to God = Blind obedience to Tsar

6. Alexander I (19th Century) • “Savior of Europe” in 1812

7. Grande Army Defeated!

8. Russian Society: ~1% ~2-3% Tsar Royal Family Nobles/Landlords/ (Gentry) Middle Class WORKERS Freed Peasants (Controlled) Semi-Free Peasants (Indentured Servants) Serfs (Slaves) ~5-6% 6-8% ~80%

9. Russian Society: ~90% serfs/ ~5% Middle Class/~5% Gentry • In 1855, 5/6 of European Russians are peasant serfs • 1/2 private • 1/2 state-owned • Owners supply means to live • Serfs treated like slaves • Physically punish • Send to army • Sale, trade, mortgage • Diet • Cabbage soup • Rye bread • Gruel • Permission to: • Marry • Travel

10. Life Expectancy =35 Years

11. Nobility/Landowners • Upper classes supported serfdom • Mortgaged land & peasants • Fabulous wealth for some • “Best police force” for the Tsar

12. Middle Class • Very Few • Professionals • Enlightenment ideals • Critical of ‘backward Russia’

13. Decembrist Revolt! 1815

14. Nicholas I • Autocracy • Orthodoxy • Nationality -est. Third Section (Secret Police) to enforce

15. Crimean War 1855

16. Growing Problems in Russian Society • Serfdom becoming outdated • Failure to join the Industrial Revolution • Weak systems • Banking • Transport • Government

17. Two Distinct Views Emerge Liberal • More critical of Russia • More education led to questioning of Russia’s ways • Believed Russia was backward • Believed Russia was out of step w/modern world • Disagreed over what to do about it -Limit tsar -Overthrow tsar Conservative • Suspicious of the west • Suspicious of Enlightenment ideas • Believed Russians naturally superior • Believed in own traditional view of the world • Supported the tsar

18. Alexander II “Tsar Liberator” • Enacted radical reforms over: • Serfs • “It is better to abolish serfdom from above than to wait for the time when it will begin to abolish itself from below.” • Local Government • Education • Law • Army • Despite well-intentioned reforms • Assassins threatened constantly • Forced to travel w/armed guard

19. Growth of Opposition • Despite reforms, political climate grew more threatening • Reform allowed dissent to grow • Demands never granted -Constitution -National Assembly • Student movement Study abroad

22. Assassination(s) of Alexander II • 1866 Student shot & missed • 1867 Polish man failed attempt in Paris • 1879 3 bombs on trains from Crimea • 1st Tsar took another route • 2nd Bomb failed to explode • 3rd Exploded under wrong train • 1880 bomb in Winter Palace • Carpenter infiltrated • Killed 40 Finnish soldiers in dining room but not the tsar • 1881 bomb thrown • Killed Cossack guard • Alexander stepped out to help • 2nd bomb thrown kills tsar • Blew his legs off

23. Aftermath Alex III Alexander Ulyanov ‘Savior of the Spilt Blood’ Built on site of assassination

24. Alexander III and Nicholas II • REACTIONary!!! • Abandonment of Alexander II’s liberal reform policies • Series of repressive measures • Censorship • Russification • Implemented by son Alexander III & grandson Nicholas II • In “reaction” to terrorist movement

26. Industrialization Continues • Trans Siberian Railway • Working Class expands -see article in Stearns on p.

29. Reaction to “Bloody Sunday”(and the other problems to an extent)

30. (…or why did it end?)