The beginning of the Revolutionary period Russia -- 1905 The beginning of the Revolutionary period

Czar Nicholas II – the Romanovs In 1894, Nicholas II became the Czar following the death of his father Alexander III. Under Alexander III, the people of Russia had suffered; they were hopeful that Nicholas II would help them. At his coronation ceremony, the crowd was so large that a stampede began and 1,300 people were crushed to death. Nicholas II and his wife, Alexandra (grand-daughter of Queen Victoria of England), continued to the ceremony and ball as if nothing had happened. The people now knew he was not sensitive to their needs.

Nicholas as a Leader Nicholas II was a very weak, indecisive ruler. He maintained all his father’s advisors He followed his wife’s direction in many things He was more interested in his family than in government

State of Russia in 1900 Industrialization was creating a new social class Agriculture was in a state of chaos People were starving

1905 January 22, 1905 – a peaceful protest led by Russian Orthodox priest, Father Gapon, 150,000 people took to the cold and snow covered streets of St Petersburg to protest about their lifestyle. "Oh Sire, we working men and inhabitants of St. Petersburg, our wives, our children and our parents, helpless and aged women and men, have come to You our ruler, in search of justice and protection. We are beggars, we are oppressed and overburdened with work, we are insulted, we are not looked on as human beings but as slaves. The moment has come for us when death would be better than the prolongation of our intolerable sufferings. We are seeking here our last salvation. Do not refuse to help Your people. Destroy the wall between Yourself and Your people."

The Winter Palace

A dinner table in the Winter Palace

Ceiling of Catherine Palace

Receiving room at Catherine Palace

Clothing example (this is made of paper) and furnace

Receiving Hall -- Palace

Bloody Sunday As the large crowd marched through St. Petersburg towards the winter palace, someone fired into the crowd. Hundreds of people were killed News of the killings spread. Strikes occurred throughout the country—400,000 people Peasants attacked their landlords—the czar’s uncle was assassinated in February Transportation ground to a halt Sailors mutinied Russia lost the Russo-Japanese war

Continuing By the summer, the demands had become far more political. Protestors called for freedom of speech to be guaranteed; they demanded an elected parliament [duma) they demanded the right to form political parties. The Finns and Poles demanded their right to national independence. 

And more In October 1905, a general strike, involving all types of people, took place in Moscow and quickly spread to other cities. On October 26th, the St Petersburg Soviet of Workers' Deputies was formed. Leon Trotsky was a leader This working class unity and strength quickly spread to other industrial cities. NICHOLAS AGREED TO REFORMS – THE OCTOBER MANIFESTO – SIGNED ON OCTOEBER 17, 1905 PROMISED CIVIL LIBERTIES FREEDOM OF SPEECH FREEDOM OF ASSEMBLY NO LAWS TO BE INTRODUCED WITHOUT THE AGREEMENT OF THE DUMA

AND THEN… By December, troops had arrived back in European Russian from the Russo-Japanese War Nicholas used loyal troops to put down the St Petersburg Soviet and to crush those on strike in Moscow. Loyal troops were also sent into the countryside to restore law and order. In December these actions showed where the government really stood.