test on friday absolute monarchies: (spain, france, prussia, russia) scientific revolution...
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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)