Bloody Sunday, 1905

What was Bloody Sunday?

Bloody Sunday is the name of a massacre that happened in St Petersburg. Around 200 people were killed.

When was Bloody Sunday?

Bloody Sunday happened on Sunday, 22nd January, 1905 (9th January, Old Style).

Why did Bloody Sunday happen in 1905?

There were 5 key reasons for the protest:

• ❖ The protesters wanted a constitution which would protect the rights of the people.
• ❖ They marched to present a petition to Tsar Nicholas II complaining about working conditions.
• ❖ They wanted to be able to set up trade unions to protect the rights of workers.
• ❖ They wanted to only work eight hours a day.
• ❖ They wanted a minimum wage of one rouble per day.

What happened during Bloody Sunday?

The 5 key events of Bloody Sunday were:

• ❖ A large group of protesters, made up of workers and their families, gathered in St Petersburg led by Father Gapon.
• ❖ Soldiers blocked the protesters' route to the tsar's palace.
• ❖ Warning shots were fired.
• ❖ Mounted Cossacks attacked the protesters and then the soldiers fired at the crowd.
• ❖ 200 people died and 800 were wounded.

What was the importance of Bloody Sunday in Russia?

The Bloody Sunday massacre encouraged 4 key further protests:

• ❖ The Potemkin mutiny in June 1905.
• ❖ Peasant riots across Russia between 1905 and 1907.
• ❖ Strikes across Russia by workers.
• ❖ The creation of soviets, or workers' councils.

Why did Tsar Nicholas II survive the consequences of Bloody Sunday?

There are 6 key reasons Nicholas II survived Bloody Sunday:

• ❖ The army stayed loyal to him and crushed the demonstration.
• ❖ He issued the October Manifesto which won over the middle class and liberals as it appeared to give them power through the setting up of a State Duma, or parliament.
• ❖ Pyotr Stolypin, as Minister of the Interior and then the Prime Minister, used the army and police to crush all political opposition.
• ❖ Any person suspected of being a revolutionary was arrested and imprisoned.
• ❖ Newspapers and trade unions were closed.
• ❖ The opposition was split between different groups such as workers, sailors, peasants and minority nationalities that wanted different things.