The Dumas
In 1905 Nicholas II faced a series of domestic problems that became known as the 1905 Revolution. This included Bloody Sunday, the Potemkin Mutiny and a series of strikes that led to the establishment of the St. Petersburg Soviet. Over the next few weeks over 50 of these soviets were formed all over Russia.
Sergi Witte, the new Chief Minister, advised Nicholas II to make concessions. He eventually agreed and published the October Manifesto. This granted freedom of conscience, speech, meeting and association. He also promised that in future people would not be imprisoned without trial. Finally he announced that no law would become operative without the approval of a new organization called the Duma.
As this was only a consultative body, many Russians felt that this reform did not go far enough. Leon Trotsky and other revolutionaries denounced the plan. In December, 1905, Trotsky and the rest of the executive committee of the St. Petersburg Soviet were arrested.
The First Duma was elected on the basis of indirect universal male suffrage. The peasants, the townsmen and the gentry all elected their own representatives. Delegates from all the provinces met in the provincial town and chose the members of the Duma.
The first meeting of the Duma took place in May 1906. Several changes in the composition of the Duma had been made since the publication of the October Manifesto. Tsar Nicholas II had also created a State Council, an upper chamber, of which he would nominate half its members. He also retained for himself the right to declare war, to control the Orthodox Church and to dissolve the Duma. The Tsar also had the power to appoint and dismiss ministers as part of the Fundamental Laws
The First Duma had a left majority consisting of Socialist-Revolutionaries, Mensheviks, Bolsheviks, Octobrists and Constitutional Democrat Party. At their first meeting, members of the Duma put forward a series of demands including the release of political prisoners, trade union rights and land reform. Nicholas II rejected all these proposals and dissolved the Duma.
Elections for the Second Duma took place in 1907. The Tsar's chief minister, Peter Stolypin, used his powers to exclude large numbers from voting. This reduced the influence of the left but when the Second Duma convened in February, 1907, it still included a large number of reformers. After three months of heated debate, Nicholas II closed down the Duma on the 16th June, 1907.
The Tsar's chief minister, Peter Stolypin, now made changes to the electoral law. This excluded national minorities and dramatically reduced the number of people who could vote in Poland, Siberia, the Caucasus and in Central Asia. The new electoral law also gave better representation to the nobility and gave greater power to the large landowners to the detriment of the peasants. Changes were also made to the voting in towns and now those owning their own homes elected over half the urban deputies. Roughly only 1 in 6 could vote now.
The Third Duma met on 14th November 1907. The former coalition of Socialist-Revolutionaries, Mensheviks, Bolsheviks, Octobrists and Constitutional Democrat Party, were now outnumbered by the reactionaries and the nationalists. Unlike the previous Dumas, this one ran its full-term of five years.
The Fourth Duma was elected under the same terms as the Third Duma. The reactionaries and the nationalists were still in the majority but there had been an increase in the number of radicals (Socialist-Revolutionaries, Mensheviks, Bolsheviks) elected.
The Fourth Duma continued the policy of the Third Duma. Soon after the outbreak of the First World War the Duma voted to support Nicholas II and his government. When the Bolshevik deputies voted against the government on this issue, they were arrested, had their property confiscated and were sent to Siberia.
Members of the Duma, including its leader, Michael Rodzianko, became increasingly critical of the way Nicholas II was managing the war. In 1916 Rodzianko tried to persuade the government to introduce reforms and to appoint a Duma government. In February, 1917, he sent a series of telegrams explaining the dangers of revolution.
After the Tsar's abdication in March, 1917, Michael Rodzianko, helped form the Provisional Government led by George Lvov. The Duma was closed down after the Bolshevik Revolution in October, 1917.
Questions:
- What was offered in the October manifesto?
- To what extent were the promises realised?
- Why were the first and second Dumas dissolved?
- Why did the third Duma survive for 5 years?
- Was Nicholas II ever genuine in his promises in the October manifesto?
- How did the actions of Stolypin and Nicholas II lead to an increase in political opposition?
- What was the Vyborg assembly?
- 'The introduction of the Dumas only caused more opposition to the Tsar' - How far do you agree with this statement (Write as a 2 sided essay answer).
| russia_dumas_and_stolypin.pptx |
Stolypins Agricultural Reforms
Read the attachment below on Stolypin's agricultural reforms and complete the table and activities
| 2_agriculture_policies.pdf |
Reading the sources below create a news report on Stolypin's death.
| 3_stolypin_killed.pdf |
The Lena Gold Field Strike & Massacre
Why was there widespread discontent in the years before 1914, especially the importance of the …..
The Lena Gold Field Strike & Massacre
It is 1912 in Russia, imagine you are a revolutionary group and you want to make people in Russia aware of the harrowing details of the recent strike and massacre.
Working in small groups, plan an information poster about the Lena Goldfield Strike and Massacre.
To start all look at the information about the strike/massacre using:
http://libcom.org/history/1912-lena-massacre
http://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/stalin/works/1913/02/x01.htm
http://www.prlib.ru/en-us/History/Pages/Item.aspx?itemid=876
Save your poster as Lena Goldfield Strike- Peter/ Paul/ Mary (ie. the names of the people in your group)
The Lena Gold Field Strike & Massacre
It is 1912 in Russia, imagine you are a revolutionary group and you want to make people in Russia aware of the harrowing details of the recent strike and massacre.
Working in small groups, plan an information poster about the Lena Goldfield Strike and Massacre.
To start all look at the information about the strike/massacre using:
http://libcom.org/history/1912-lena-massacre
http://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/stalin/works/1913/02/x01.htm
http://www.prlib.ru/en-us/History/Pages/Item.aspx?itemid=876
- Read the information and decide how you want to present it. What will the title be? Will you have a slogan? Dates/pictures? How much detailed information will you add to your poster. Why was this strike and massacre so significant?
Save your poster as Lena Goldfield Strike- Peter/ Paul/ Mary (ie. the names of the people in your group)
- Allow access for your teacher to your poster. Make a personal COPY of the group google drawing so you can save on your own drive in a HISTORY Folder for future use and revision.
|
Review: History Figures |
You will be allocated a influential person in this period of Russian History to investigate and create a poster profile in groups.
It needs to include:
It needs to include:
- Biographical information including class and education
- Key views on the role of government
- Association with political parties
- Connection to other key figures
- Personal life
- Role in public life
- Achievements and contribution to the Russian State
- Quotes and interesting facts
History Figures:
- Tsar Alexander II
- Tsar Alexander III
- Tsar Nicholas II
- Julius Martov
- Vladimir Lenin
- Leon Trotsky
- Sergei Witte
- Michael Rodzianko
- Father Gapon
- Rusputin
- Peter Stolypin