 The Russian Colossus  By 1800, Russia was the largest and most populated country.  Despite the vast lands and numerous people the country lived in traditional ways until the late 1800’s.

 Ruling Czars  For centuries, tsars had ruled with absolute power.  The Enlightenment, American and French Revolutions had little effect on Russian autocracy.

Tsar Alexander II came to the throne in 1855 while Russia was being defeated in the Crimean War.

This defeat revealed the true lack of progress within the country- (Serfdom…really?) Demands for reforms increased.

In 1861, he issued a royal decree emancipating (freeing) serfs. Many left the countryside in search of work in the factories.

Alexander II set up local elected officials called zemstovs and he introduced legal reforms based on trial by jury.

Alexander II reforms failed to make the majority happy and revolts broke out. Revolutionaries threw two bombs at Alex II and the second one killed him in 1881.

Alexander III was the son of Alexander II Alexander III reacted by harshly cracking down on any dissent.

 Tsar Alexander III launched the Russification campaign to suppress all non- Russian cultures in the Empire.  He insisted on one language (Russian) one church (the Russian Orthodox Church) all others suffered persecution.

 Russia at this time had a large Jewish population.  Alexander III limited the number of Jews allowed to study in Universities and practice law and medicine.  There were giant mob attacks on Jews known as pogroms.  Faced with persecution many Jews became refugees. Large numbers went to the US.

 Russia Loses, and this is a humiliation.

 On Sunday, January 22, 1905, Hundreds of protestors walked towards the tsar’s winter palace in St. Petersburg.  The protestors were demanding better working conditions, and a constitution.  Russian troops opened fire, and hundreds of marchers fell dead.

Due to revolts as a response to Bloody Sunday, Tsar Nicholas II presented the October Manifesto, which agreed to summon a Duma (or elected national legislature).

 In 1906, the Duma met, but the tsar dissolved it when leaders criticized the government.  The tsar appointed Peter Stolypin as prime minister.  Stolypin enacted conservative and oppressive policies, including pogroms. He was assassinated in 1911.