1. RUSSIA: REFORM AND REACTION

3. PETER THE GREAT in the 1600’s and CATHERINE THE GREAT in the 1700’s greatly expanded Russia’s Empire, and by the 1850’s, they were part ASIA, part EUROPE. EUROPE feared Russia and called it a COLOSSUS (GIANT) and most viewed Russia as a land of mystery.

5. Most RUSSIANS were SERFS, they had a tiny MIDDLE CLASS, and the TSARS feared the power of the NOBLES. SERFS had to farm the land of the NOBLES or be their SERVANTS, and sometimes they were forced into the MILITARY. SERFS prevented RUSSIA from being an INDUSTRIAL power, but the nobles did not want to give up power.

7. “I heard... stories of men and women torn from their families and their villages, and sold, or lost in gambling, or exchanged for a couple of hunting dogs, and then transported to some remote part of Russia to create a [master’s] new estate; of children taken from their parents and sold to cruel... masters.” —Peter Kropotkin

8. In 1861, TSAR ALEXANDER II EMANCIPATED (FREED) the SERFS. Decision was based on RUSSIA’S LOSS to the OTTOMAN EMPIRE during the CRIMEAN WAR. Centuries of SERFDOM meant no INNOVATION and Russia had backward weapons and no RAILROADS.

10. ZEMSTVOS were LOCAL GOVERNMENTS in charge of schools and roads. ALEXANDER II allowed trial by JURY and CRUEL PUNISHMENT for crimes was reduced. No land for SERFS, no CONSTITUTION, and SOCIALISTS spreading their beliefs all led to RADICALS assassinating ALEXANDER II.

11. ALEXANDER III hired more SECRET POLICE and tried to weaken IMMIGRANT CULTURES by a policy called RUSSIFICATION. (1 language, 1 church, 1 school curriculum) He blamed REBELLIOUS ideas on EUROPEAN JEWS and started POGROMS (encouraging violent mobs to attack Jews) and many Jewish refugees moved to America.

13. Military losses versus JAPAN and WORKERS calling for a constitution led to a huge PROTEST at the TSAR’S palace in ST. PETERSBURG in 1905. TSAR NICHOLAS II fled the PALACE and the protesters were shot at by Russian troops.

15. Workers took over local governments and ASSASSINS were trying to kill GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS. NICHOLAS II agreed to FREEDOM OF SPEECH and ASSEMBLY and created a LAWMAKING body called the DUMA. The DUMA was elected by the people, but since the Duma was powerless, Russians continued to plan an OVERTHROW of the gov’t.