THE DECLINE AND FALL OF THE
ROMANOV DYNASTY
RUSSIAN SOCIETY AT THE TIME OF
THE TSARS
RUSSIAN CLIMATE
 The whole of Northern Russia is within the Arctic Circle.
One third of the land is permanently frozen.
 Southern Russia is sub-tropical.
 The dominant feature of the Russian Climate is the extreme
cold of winter
 The period when rivers are completely frozen varies from 70
days a year in the west of the country to as much as 250 days
in northern Siberia.
RUSSIAN CLIMATE
 Almost everywhere in the country precipitation is rather low.
In some of the major grain-producing areas of southern
Russia, drought can drastically reduce crop yields in some
years.
 So intense is the cold in winter that northern and eastern
Siberia experience a phenomenon called permafrost. Here
the subsoil remains frozen all year although the topsoil may
thaw out during the summer.
PEASANTS
 Around 80% of Russia’s population in 1900 were peasants.
 About 50% of the population was illiterate until 1860.
 Until 1861, the majority of peasants had been serfs.
RURAL DINING HOUSE 1891
PEASANTS, SIBERIA 1890
THE ROMANOVS
ALEXANDER PALACE
MOSCOW 1901
RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH
 Christian church that originated in the Byzantine Empire and
recognizes the Patriarch of Constantinople as primate rather
than the Pope
 The national religion of the Russian
 The Tsar was believed to have been chosen by God therefore
the church had a very strong influence on the governing of
the country
RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH
A HISTORY OF LIBERALISM
RUSSIA: 1750-1950
A HISTORY OF LIBERALISM
 What is Liberalism?
A HISTORY OF LIBERALISM
 DEFINITION: The belief in the importance of individual
liberty and human rights.
 Liberalists support and advocate for things such as;
- a constitution
- free and fair elections
- equal rights/human rights
- free trade
- separation of church and state
INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION
 1750-1850 Industrialisation develops rapidly in France, Great
Britain and the America’s
 Agricultural machinery is developed and begins to replace
manual labour.
 Factories are built and a working class develops
FRENCH REVOLUTION 1789-1799
Liberty leading the people, Eugene Delacroix
FRENCH REVOLUTION
 What is a revolution?
 An overthrow or repudiation . The thorough replacement of
an established government or political system by the people
governed.
FRENCH REVOLUTION
 Occurred from 1789-1799
 A series of events led by liberal political groups and involving
the common masses which led to major reforms and the
eventual overthrow of Loius XVI (16th).
FRANCE BEFORE THE REVOLUTION
 Absolutist politics
 legal inequality
 feudal economy (including
serfdom)
 alliance of church and state
FRANCE AFTER THE REVOLUTION
 A constitution and the rule
of law to govern politics
 equal rights
 separation of church and
state
 sovereignty belonging to
the people
A HISTORY OF LIBERALISM
 Alexander I comes into
power s the Tsar of Russia
in 1801
 Ideas of liberal reform
emerge
A HISTORY OF LIBERALISM
 In 1812 Napolean tries to enter Russia but is defeated by the
Russian army
 As a result of the threat of Revolution, Alexander returns to
conservative ideas inc.
- censorship
- closely monitored growth in education
- banning of foreign literature
DECEMBRISTS’ REVOLT
 Alexander I dies in 1825 leaving confusion about who is the
next heir to the throne. Nicholas I eventually inherits the
throne
 On December14, a secret society made up of junior
officers stormed Senate Square in an attempt to seize power
 They had planned to do this through the set up of a
constituent assembly that would introduce their reforms.
DECEMBRISTS’ REVOLT
A HISTORY OF LIBERALISM
 Nicholas I dies in 1855 and
his son Alexander II
(‘Alexander the Liberator’)
inherits the throne.
THE CRIMEAN WAR 1853-1856
 Russia had long waited to gain control of the Bosphoros
Straits and Dardenelles to gain vital access to the
Mediterranean.
 Britain, France and Austria intervene on behalf of Turkey.
 Russia lacks industrial capacity to support a modern army
and loses war.
THE CRIMEAN WAR 1853-1856
A HISTORY OF LIBERALISM
 In 1861 he introduces The Edict of Emancipation ( the
abolition of serfdom)
- Serfs were freed from there masters (the nobility) and given
plots of land from the estates of the nobility. They were
however forced to pay for the land by making yearly
payments to the government.
- Most peasants could not afford these payments and went into
debt. The peasants felt portrayed by this because they felt like
the land belonged to the people that worked it- them.
- The nobility also resented the Emancipation Edict thus
alienating both groups in society.
A HISTORY OF LIBERALISM
 Although he refused to consider an elected parliament he
-
-
introduced local councils who were responsible for;
maintenance of roads and bridges
upkeep of hospitals and prisons
prevention of famine
public health and education
A HISTORY OF LIBERALISM
 In October 1879 the People’s Will was formed. A group
advocating violence to achieve reform.
 After several failed attempts, the group succeeded in killing
the Tsar on March 1 1881.
A HISTORY OF LIBERALISM
 In 1881,Alexander III
inherits the throne.
 Industrialisation begins to
take off in Russia and the
urban labour force grows
rapidly
A HISTORY OF LIBERALISM
 He tightens censorship of the press and banishes thousands of
revolutionaries to Siberia
 He also restores full autocracy and judges and officials who
were sympathetic to liberal ideas are removed from office
 Creates the new Secret Police to spy on any group opposed
to the Tsar
A HISTORY OF LIBERALISM
 A policy of Russification is introduced involving the
imposing of the Russian language and Russian schools on
Germans, Poles, Finns and all other minor nationalities
 Alexander III dies in 1894 and Nicholas II ascends the throne