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The Great Northern War
The Great Northern War started on March 23, 1700 and ended in 1721. Peter the Great started the Great Northern War because he felt Russia was ready to attack Sweden. Russia had Poland and Denmark as allies in the war. Russia won this battle and they won land on the Baltic Sea. -
Decembrist Revolt
The Decembrist Revolt occured on December 14, 1825. The Decembrist Revolt was when a group of army officers and nobles tried to overthrow the government. Nicholas l stopped the revolt. He killed five of the revolt leaders and exiled hundreds more to Siberia. He also oredered book burnings and forced censorship. -
Czar Alexander ll Emancipates the Serfs
Alexander ll emancipated the serfs on March 3, 1861. The now free serfs gained some political rights and were allowed to keep their toolds and homes. On the other hand, they had to buy very expensive land insetead of it being given to them. Most of the free serfs were still very poor becasue of debt and high taxes. -
Assassination of Alexander ll
People tried to assassinate Alexander ll many times because they wanted greater land reform, but failed. On March 13, 1881 they finally succeeded. He was killed in St. Petersburg. Two bombs were thrown at Alexander ll on his way home from millitary roll call. He died in the second explosion. It turns out, that the first bomb failed and there was a third bomb in case the second one had failed. -
The Russo-Japanese War
The Russo-Japanese War took place from January 8, 1904 to September 5, 1904. It started because Russia and Japan were disagreeing about Korea and Manachuria. The war ended in a suprising loss for Russia. This added more economic hardships for Russia. -
Bloody Sunday
The Bloody Sunday Massacre occured on January 9, 1905. It occured in St. Petersburg. Father Georgi Gapon 50,000 to 100,000 people to the Winter Palace to peacefully petition. They wanted the right to vote and freedom of speech. They sang songs such as "God Save the Czar." Once the petitioners reached a certain distance from the palace troops fired. Many of these people were killed so it is considered a massacre. Nicholas ll was blamed for these deaths and was called "Bloody Nicholas." -
Revolution of 1905
The Revolution of 1905 started on January 22, 1905. It started because of the Bloody Sunday Massacre. People wanted Nicholas ll to change the form of government into a constitutional monarchy. The Russo-Japanese War also helped start the Revoloution of 1905. Many riots were started and people were stealing and burning people's houses. Nicholas ll gave in to their requests and set up a Duma. He also made smaller reforms, but his didn't solve the problems. -
World War 1 (Russian Involvement)
World War 1 started on June 28, 1914. On July 29, 1914 Russia joined the war. Russia moved its troops to the German and Austrian borders. They wanted to prevent Serbia from being destroyed. On the other hand, they wanted more land by ruling Constantinople and other land around the Black Sea. Germany didn't like Russia getting in the way of things, so they demanded that they stop, but war began between the two of them on August 1. In the end Russia beat Germany. -
The March Revolution
The Mach Revolution started on March 8, 1917. Many riots and strikes started to occur. People protested the war and the shortage of food. They kepts shouting, "Bread and Peace!" Troops were sent to maintain order, but they didn't fire at the crowd. Hundreds of troop members decided to join the protesters. They overthrew the carist officials. Not long after the event, Nicholas ll abdicated the throne. -
Czar Nicholas II Abdicates the Russian Throne
Nicholas ll abdicated his throne on March 15, 1917. This happened not long after the March Revolution. He gave up the throne because people were doubting him as a ruler. After he abdicated the throne the Duma set up a Provisional Government. It included free speech and religion. This made the country have written laws that the people had to follow instead of the czar telling them what to do.
