Nicholas II & Autocracy
What type of government did Nicholas II strongly support?
Autocracy / absolute rule by the Tsar
Which group made up the majority of Russia’s population: peasants or factory workers?
Peasants
In what year did World War I begin?
1914
In what year did Romanov rule come to an end?
1917
What representative body was created after the 1905 Revolution?
The Duma
What major issue caused continued dissatisfaction among Russian peasants?
Lack of land / unequal land ownership
Give one major problem Russia experienced on the battlefield during WWI.
Heavy casualties, military defeats, poor supplies or poor leadership
In which Russian city did the February Revolution begin?
Petrograd
Why did Nicholas II’s treatment of the Duma weaken support for his rule?
He repeatedly limited its power and resisted meaningful political reform.
Give one problem experienced by industrial workers in Russia.
Low wages, long hours, poor working conditions, overcrowding or poverty
What major decision did Nicholas II make in 1915?
He took personal command of the Russian army.
What did many soldiers do when ordered to suppress protesters during the February Revolution?
They refused orders and/or joined the protesters
Who damaged the reputation of the royal family because of his influence over Alexandra?
Grigori Rasputin
What happened in 1905 that demonstrated growing opposition to the Tsar?
The 1905 Revolution
Why was Nicholas II taking command of the army a political mistake?
He became personally associated with Russia’s military defeats and failures.
What happened to Nicholas II during the February Revolution?
He abdicated the throne.
Explain one way Nicholas II’s leadership contributed to the fall of the Romanov dynasty.
Examples: refusal to reform, poor decisions, limiting the Duma, taking command of the army, allowing confidence in the monarchy to decline.
Why were Russia’s social and economic problems important in explaining the fall of the Romanovs?
They created long-term dissatisfaction and made the regime vulnerable before WWI began.
Give three ways WWI made conditions inside Russia worse.
Any three: inflation, food shortages, fuel shortages, transport problems, casualties, military defeats, declining morale, strikes
Why can WWI be described as the immediate catalyst for the fall of the Romanovs rather than the only cause?
Russia already had political, social and economic problems, but WWI intensified them until they resulted in revolution and the collapse of the monarchy.