Higher History: Russia

The Structure of Russian Society

Learning Intentions• This section of the course will cover:1. How feudalism and autocracy

worked in Tsarist Russia2. The role of the Tsar3. The role of the nobility4. The role of the serfs and peasants

Lesson starter:• Based on the last lesson, answer

the following:1. Russia had how many different

nationalities?2. Give 2 pieces of evidence that

Russia was large

Terminology• Before beginning this unit, there are

some terms you will have to become familiar with.

• Autocracy• Feudalism• Serf• Peasant

Match a circle to a squareSerf

Peasant

Autocracy

Feudalism

Government by a single person having unlimited power

People who are in effect owned by a Lord and have to work as required for him.

People who worked the land

A system used throughout Europe in the middle ages that involved the exchange of land for service of labour

Task 2:• Using the handout given, explain how

feudalism worked in Europe in the middle ages. I want a section on the role of

• The king• The nobles• The peasants

So that was feudalism in medieval Europe, how did it

work in Russia?• The next section of this lesson will

look at how feudalism worked in Russia specifically.

The Tsar• The role of the Tsar was

set out in the Fundamental Laws

• ‘The Emperor of all the Russias is an autocratic and unlimited monarch. God commands that this supreme power be obeyed, our of conscience as well as fear’

• Nicholas II • THINK- difficulties in

ruling ALONE?

So how did it work?• Tsars traditionally ruled

with help of Nobility (any idea what the Nobles did?)

• Stepped up under this Tsar, the Russian nobles were now ‘Lords’ and their sole role was to make sure taxes were paid by peasants.

• BUT- Nobles/Lords had no political power.

Nineteenth century Russia. • Russia involved in

the Napoleonic Wars

• So some Nobles appointed Nobles as ‘Ministers of War’.

The Serfs

• Peasantry over 80%. Serfs until 1861. • Serfs worked the lands of their Lords. • Control was absolute (could be bought

and sold even if it meant splitting up families)

• Task 3: The text on the next slide is from Catherine the Great in 1767. What does it tell us about the rights of the Serfs

• Why did the serfs not protest?

Catherine the Great• Should it so happen that serfs and

peasants should cease to give proper obedience to their landlords, and should make bold to submit unlawful petition complainign about their lords, then both those who make the complaints and those who right up the petitions shall be flogged and deported to Nerchinsk to penal servitude for life

Nobility• Why might the Nobles be worried

about these statistics?1. By the middle of the nineteenth

century, there were twelve Civil Servants for every thousand people

2. When a noble dies, his land was sub divided among his sons

So think…

1. Why would the Tsar want Russia to change?

2. Why would the Nobility want Russia to change?

3. Why would the Serfs want Russia to change?

Lesson 2: The Beginnings of Change: The growth of Russia’s

cities

Who lived in the cities?

• Business classes- 1.5%• Working classes- 4%• Generally the cities were backward! The

Tsar imposed penalties on Serf’s being used in the cities

• THINK- Why did he do this?• THINK- What negative impact could it

have?

Structure of society?

You have now completed the section which looks at the Structure of Tsarist Russia. In essay 1, the question will ask you to assess the security of the Tsarist state before 1905. What you have learned so far would be one part of this essay (because there’s bits we haven’t done yet). Spend 10 minutes notetaking on the Geography, Social Classes and Nature of Government sections.

Questions

1. Is Tsarist Russia appealing? If so, why? If not, why not?