VCE History: Unit 3Life in the land of the Tsars

Life in the land of the Tsars

• The Romanov Dynasty, a series of rulers beginning with Michael Romanov, began in 1613.

• The old regime of tsarism reflected a political system of autocracy and a social hierarchy of privileges for the gentry and inequality for the industrial workers and peasants.

• But did this mean that revolution was inevitable?

Life in the land of the Tsars

• Russian psychology: ‘like a colony of bees…Russian society [would] cease to exist without the Tsar’ – August Von Haxthausen

• Laws of the Empire (issued in 1716 and again in 1832): ‘an autocratic and unlimited monarch… god himself demands his supreme power be obeyed’.

• Like many before him Nicholas believed Autocracy to be a ‘sacred trust’ and that it was his role to pass this on to his own son.

How stable was tsarist Russia?

Times of Trouble:False Dmitri’s!

Times of Trouble

Life in the land of the Tsars

Leader Changes ChallengesMichael of Russia (1613-1645) Elected as Tsar after the ‘Time

of Troubles’He (well his dad) restored order, changed peasantry to serfdom (slaves), obtained peace with Sweden and Poland.

Russia in chaosOccupying nationsLeg injuryYoung (17) and peaceful natureSome corrupt officialsNo male heir

Peter the Great(1682-1725)

Drive to ‘westernise’ Russia. Built capital city in St. Petersburg.Loved warfare – played with real people – and sailing. Increased military.

Battle for throne after Alexis death. Raised taxes, increased military with industry. Won battle with Sweden. Made Russia ‘respected’ nation.

Catherine the Great (1762-1796)

Influenced by enlightenment. Encouraged education, leading to development of ‘intelligentsia’ class.

Educated classes would one day lead ‘liberation’ of the Russian people.Was a German princess. Husband was killed. Faced a peasant revolt in 1773.

Life in the Land of the Tsars

Leader Changes ChallengeNicholas I(1825-1855)

Increased use of censorship and secret police.Decembrist (1825) revolt by military – threatened by conservative views, wanted a constitution. Nationalism led to racism against minorities. Prussian alliance.

Clash between ‘Westerners’ and ‘slavophiles’ who wanted to protect Russian culture.Opposition to autocratic rule emerges through writers, including Trotsky.

Alexander II (1855-1881) Issued Edict of Emancipation, abolishing serfdom for 40 million peasants. Gave freedom but not land. Established the Mir with controlled land redistribution, the Zemstvos with elected local councils

Crimean War against Turkish Empire revealed major problems.Assassinated by revolutionary group ‘The People’s Will’.This led to ‘the reaction’, a political repression.

Alexander III(1881-1894)

Short reign in a ‘reactionary period’ defending dynasty.

Activity – The Romanov’s

The Romanov’s

Reign Events Change Initiated Forced Implications

Michael I

Peter the GreatCatherine the GreatNicholas I

Alexander IINicholas II

Tsar Nicholas II

Questions on page 91)

2)

3)

4)

Influences

The Government The Bureacracy

The Police The Church

Visual Analysis

Social Structure

Questions

Questions on page 141)

2)

Questions

Questions on page 151)

2)

3)

Questions

Questions on page 20Key ConceptsAutocracy

Implementing Tsarism

Social Structures

Economic Backwardness

Key LeadersTsar Nicholas II

Sergei Witte

Questions

Questions on page 201)

2)

3)

4)

Extra readings and podcasts

• Nicholas and Alexandra: The Tragic, Compelling Story of the Last Tsar and his Family.

Massie, R• Nicholas and Alexandra: Their Own Story

Andrei Maylunas & Sergei Mironenko• Power and Privilege

David Christian• Who was Tsar Dmitrii?

Chester Dunning• A tale of False Dmitri

Stuff you missed in History class (search iTunes)• What happened to the Romanov’s

Stuff you missed in History class (search iTunes)