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Period: to
Timespan/Conclusion
There was an overall pattern of continuity during this timespan because there was a consistency in that there was a steady stream of reform and revolt sweeping the nation. It was a cycle, a rebellion would come up and be put down constantly. All the while, these rebellions slowly gained rights for the citizens and took them further and further from serfdom, despite the fact that at times they did not gain much ground, the serfs still managed to break free after upholding a pattern of revolt. -
First Rebellions- Bulavin
The Bulavin rebellion was a small revolt against the Russian noble class. A group (arguable some of the first to create this class) or class of cossacks killed a Russian noble and raided his home to protest the unfairness of the current imperial government in Russia. Serfs fleeing serfdom went into the region of Don, to join the cossack rebellion. This is change because it is the beginning of the peasant revolts though there are many to come. -
Conflict and Expansion into Sweden from 1720s to 1750s
The Russians, ever since they took a warm water port from Sweden in order to build their military, had been at odds with the Scandinavian nation and continually been at war. The Russians usually were able to sustain fewer damages than the Swedish, so they technically "won", however; both parties took significant losses and gained nothing of great importance. -
Conflict with Ottomans
The Russians have conflict with the Ottomans and take many cities, and a lot of land. They use Balkan and Austrian forces to aid them in the capture and defeat of the Ottoman terratory. In this way, Russia shows continuity, because it has been expanding, especially into Ottoman terratory, for some time now. -
Plague Riots
The plague riots were peasant rebellions against the leadership of Russia, and their mismanagement during a plague that was rampant at the time. While the Russian authorities did take measures to protect people from the epidemics, they were not helpful to the peasants so much as the nobles and often involved exiling or adbandoning peasants or destroying their contaminating property without any compensation. The peasants grew weary of this mistreatment. The military put down the rebels quickly. -
Partition of Poland- 1772, 1793, 1795
Poland is split three ways between Prussia, Austria, and Russia. The country is officially disbanded and its land and citizens given to the three forementioned countries over those three dates in the title. This is continuity, because Russia was continuing to be in close alliance with Austria, and also continuing its expansionist policies. -
Pugachev Rebellion
A former ranking member of the Russian Imperial Army, пюгочов (Pugachev), led a force of cossacks against the Russian government with the purpose of "ending serfdom". The cossacks saw initial success, but compromise was reached and the cossack's new government was not fully instituted. This is another continuity because it shows the growing intolerance of the harsh conditions on serfs by the peasants. -
Ottomans being chipped apart
The stream of rebellions grew stagnant, though not because of their achievments, as more are to come. Despite there being fewer rebellions, one thing remained the same, and that was Russian imperialism. In 1790-1806 the Russians launched to wars- the Russo-Persian war, taking the Ottoman terratory to the northeast, and the Russo-Turkish war, taking Ottoman land near the Balkans. -
French Invasions
The French invasion of Russian terratory began in 1812, though it soon ended in French defeat. The French invaded into unkown terrain during a bad time (climate wise). This shows continuity in that Russia is once again pulling through in their many military victories, and displaying their might to the western world. -
Decembrist Revolt
Some imperial officers, unhappy with succession to Nicolas I instead of Constantine, drafted an army of 3000 and marched in a square in St. Petersburg. The insurrectionists were swiftly dealt with and punished. This shows continuity in that more rebellions happened and the Russian government was not pleasing its citizens. -
November Uprising
A group of Polish nationalists attempted to break fast the chains of their imperialist masters. They were as many other reblleions, initially successful but swept away soon after the war began by the extremely more powerful Imperial Army. -
Crimean War
The Ottomans, British, and French attacked the Russian Imperial Army for control of the Crimean Peninsula. This shows change because the Russians were forced out of much of their expanded land. This is the end of the golden age of imperialist Russia. -
Zemstvoe Established
Zemstvoe were established as local governing units. This is a major change because without rebellion or revolt, the peasants finally are starting to gain power. They had always had to fight in order to get what they wanted preceding this. -
Socialist Party Creeps in
The socialist party is finally starting to creep in right as the new century begins. The peasants have much more freedom than when these rebellions began, which is a continuity given as they slowly built to get more freedom. Now imperialist Russia is almost completely gone and a government change approaches.