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Section Four: Unrest In Russia I. Russian Czars, monarchs, ruled with absolute power. They believed in autocracy, or government by one ruler with unlimited power A. The Russian Empire was huge and made up of many different ethnic groups 1. Agricultural, majority people peasants. Some still Serfs or peasants who were tied to the land a. serfs poor no basic human rights b. Serfs owed payments of good and labor to lords II. Russian Czars resisted reform A. the Decembrist Revolt 1825 followed the death of Alexander I. Nicholas I crushed the Rebellion; but it began a revolutionary movement in Russia B. 1855 Alexander II became czar; industrialize and modernized Russia to be competitive; issued reforms: 1. 1861 he freed Russia’s serfs 2. a new judicial system; allowed some local self- government C. Revolutionary movements continued despite the reforms 1881 Czar Alexander II was assassinated III. Alexander III was a reactionary, or a person who wants to go back to the way things were in the past A. ended the reforms and began a policy of repression B. Pogroms, violent mob attacks against Jews many people wrongly blamed Jews for the assassination of the Czar. The government did nothing to stop the pogroms IV. War and Revolution A. Russo-Japanese war; Russia lost to Japan in 1904 which caused more unrest in Russia |