OCR alevel history Russia and its rulers 1855-1964

• Russia in 1855


  Geographically large but economically underdeveloped compared to Western Europe<|>Ratio of village to town dwellers was around 11 to 1<|>85% of the population was illiterate
• Serfdom


  A form of slavery where people were tied to the land they worked
• Mikhail the first became the first official Tsar of the Romanov dynasty


  1613
• Tsar


  Head of the Russian Orthodox Church and in charge of the country
• Alexander II became Tsar of Russia


  1855
• Russia was in the final stages of the Crimean War when Alexander II became Tsar</b>
• Crimean War


  • War between Russia and British, French, and Turkish forces
  • Russia suffered several defeats despite 45% of GDP being spent on the military
• Emancipation


  The ending of serfdom and freeing of serfs
• Motives for emancipation


  • Ethical (Russia should abandon serfdom like the West)
  • Economic (serfdom prevented industrialization and economic growth)
  • Political (serfdom depended on the nobility who may resist change)
• Alexander II wanted to emancipate the serfs to curb tensions and stimulate the economy