Themes Paper
Study Guide
Russia and Its Rulers
1855 - 1964
History A-Level
Exam Board: OCR
Anish Shah
,Table of Contents:
Themes Paper Mark Scheme and Exam Technique ............................................................... 4
Breadth Study ........................................................................................................................... 5
The Nature of Government .................................................................................................. 5
Changes to Local Government ..................................................................................................................... 5
Changes to Central Government .................................................................................................................. 7
Ideology ......................................................................................................................................................... 9
Role of the Army ......................................................................................................................................... 11
Role of the Secret Police ............................................................................................................................. 13
Opposition ................................................................................................................................................... 14
The Impact of Dictatorial Regime on the Economy and Society of the Russian Empire
and the USSR ...................................................................................................................... 19
Urban Housing Policies ............................................................................................................................. 19
Rural Housing Policies............................................................................................................................... 20
Urban Working Conditions ........................................................................................................................ 21
Rural Working Conditions, Agricultural Reform, and Production Levels .............................................. 22
Access to Food ............................................................................................................................................ 24
New Technology.......................................................................................................................................... 26
Finance and Investment ............................................................................................................................. 27
Transport Policies ....................................................................................................................................... 28
Industrialisation and Production Levels.................................................................................................... 29
Population and Social Structure ................................................................................................................ 31
Education .................................................................................................................................................... 33
Censorship and Judicial Reform................................................................................................................ 36
Political Freedoms ...................................................................................................................................... 38
Religious Freedoms .................................................................................................................................... 40
Impact of War and Revolution on the Development of the Russian Empire and the
USSR ................................................................................................................................... 42
The Crimean War, 1853 – 1856 ................................................................................................................. 42
The Russo-Turkish War, 1877 - 1878 ........................................................................................................ 43
The Russo-Japanese War, 1904 – 1905 ..................................................................................................... 44
The 1905 Revolution ................................................................................................................................... 45
The February Revolution, 1917 ................................................................................................................. 47
World War I, 1914 – 1918 .......................................................................................................................... 48
The Russian Revolution, October 1917 ..................................................................................................... 50
The Russian Civil War................................................................................................................................ 51
World War II, 1939 – 1945 ......................................................................................................................... 53
The Cold War .............................................................................................................................................. 54
Russia: Empire, Nationalities, and Satellite States ........................................................... 55
Background and Definitions ...................................................................................................................... 55
Political Freedoms – Government, Constitution, Independence .............................................................. 56
Economic Freedoms – Policy, Access to Food, Access to Land ............................................................... 58
Social Freedoms – Culture, Religion, Representation .............................................................................. 60
Depth Study ............................................................................................................................. 62
Alexander II’s Domestic Reforms ...................................................................................... 62
Reasons and Aims for Emancipation and other Domestic Reforms ........................................................ 62
Nature of and Changes to Central and Local Government ...................................................................... 62
Living and Working Conditions ................................................................................................................. 63
Judicial Reform .......................................................................................................................................... 65
2
, Military Reform .......................................................................................................................................... 65
Education Reform ....................................................................................................................................... 66
Industrial Change ....................................................................................................................................... 67
Agricultural Change ................................................................................................................................... 68
Treatment of Nationalities and Minorities ................................................................................................ 69
The Provisional Government ............................................................................................. 70
Nature of the Government .......................................................................................................................... 70
Challenges to Government including the Continuing War ...................................................................... 72
Economic and Social Conditions, Rural and Urban Conditions .............................................................. 74
Opposition from National Minorities ......................................................................................................... 76
Key Events During the Provisional Government’s Rule ........................................................................... 77
Khrushchev in Power 1956 – 1964 .................................................................................... 79
Khrushchev’s Government ......................................................................................................................... 79
De-Stalinisation .......................................................................................................................................... 80
Repression and Enforcement ..................................................................................................................... 81
Economic and Social Policies .................................................................................................................... 83
Foreign Policy ............................................................................................................................................. 85
Khrushchev’s Fall ...................................................................................................................................... 86
Depth Study Summary Tables – Key Debates........................................................................ 87
Alex II Key Debates .................................................................................................................................... 87
Khrushchev Key Debates ............................................................................................................................ 91
Thematic Summary Tables ..................................................................................................... 94
3
, Themes Paper Mark Scheme and Exam Technique
Q1. Source Interpretation on Alexander II, Provisional Government or Khrushchev –
Depth Study (30 Marks)
Evaluate the interpretations in both of the two passages and explain which one you think is
more convincing about… ‘statement’.
Q2/3. Thematic Question Across the WHOLE Period – Breadth Study (25 Marks) (x2)
Question regarding all the rulers, and regarding any theme
4
Study Guide
Russia and Its Rulers
1855 - 1964
History A-Level
Exam Board: OCR
Anish Shah
,Table of Contents:
Themes Paper Mark Scheme and Exam Technique ............................................................... 4
Breadth Study ........................................................................................................................... 5
The Nature of Government .................................................................................................. 5
Changes to Local Government ..................................................................................................................... 5
Changes to Central Government .................................................................................................................. 7
Ideology ......................................................................................................................................................... 9
Role of the Army ......................................................................................................................................... 11
Role of the Secret Police ............................................................................................................................. 13
Opposition ................................................................................................................................................... 14
The Impact of Dictatorial Regime on the Economy and Society of the Russian Empire
and the USSR ...................................................................................................................... 19
Urban Housing Policies ............................................................................................................................. 19
Rural Housing Policies............................................................................................................................... 20
Urban Working Conditions ........................................................................................................................ 21
Rural Working Conditions, Agricultural Reform, and Production Levels .............................................. 22
Access to Food ............................................................................................................................................ 24
New Technology.......................................................................................................................................... 26
Finance and Investment ............................................................................................................................. 27
Transport Policies ....................................................................................................................................... 28
Industrialisation and Production Levels.................................................................................................... 29
Population and Social Structure ................................................................................................................ 31
Education .................................................................................................................................................... 33
Censorship and Judicial Reform................................................................................................................ 36
Political Freedoms ...................................................................................................................................... 38
Religious Freedoms .................................................................................................................................... 40
Impact of War and Revolution on the Development of the Russian Empire and the
USSR ................................................................................................................................... 42
The Crimean War, 1853 – 1856 ................................................................................................................. 42
The Russo-Turkish War, 1877 - 1878 ........................................................................................................ 43
The Russo-Japanese War, 1904 – 1905 ..................................................................................................... 44
The 1905 Revolution ................................................................................................................................... 45
The February Revolution, 1917 ................................................................................................................. 47
World War I, 1914 – 1918 .......................................................................................................................... 48
The Russian Revolution, October 1917 ..................................................................................................... 50
The Russian Civil War................................................................................................................................ 51
World War II, 1939 – 1945 ......................................................................................................................... 53
The Cold War .............................................................................................................................................. 54
Russia: Empire, Nationalities, and Satellite States ........................................................... 55
Background and Definitions ...................................................................................................................... 55
Political Freedoms – Government, Constitution, Independence .............................................................. 56
Economic Freedoms – Policy, Access to Food, Access to Land ............................................................... 58
Social Freedoms – Culture, Religion, Representation .............................................................................. 60
Depth Study ............................................................................................................................. 62
Alexander II’s Domestic Reforms ...................................................................................... 62
Reasons and Aims for Emancipation and other Domestic Reforms ........................................................ 62
Nature of and Changes to Central and Local Government ...................................................................... 62
Living and Working Conditions ................................................................................................................. 63
Judicial Reform .......................................................................................................................................... 65
2
, Military Reform .......................................................................................................................................... 65
Education Reform ....................................................................................................................................... 66
Industrial Change ....................................................................................................................................... 67
Agricultural Change ................................................................................................................................... 68
Treatment of Nationalities and Minorities ................................................................................................ 69
The Provisional Government ............................................................................................. 70
Nature of the Government .......................................................................................................................... 70
Challenges to Government including the Continuing War ...................................................................... 72
Economic and Social Conditions, Rural and Urban Conditions .............................................................. 74
Opposition from National Minorities ......................................................................................................... 76
Key Events During the Provisional Government’s Rule ........................................................................... 77
Khrushchev in Power 1956 – 1964 .................................................................................... 79
Khrushchev’s Government ......................................................................................................................... 79
De-Stalinisation .......................................................................................................................................... 80
Repression and Enforcement ..................................................................................................................... 81
Economic and Social Policies .................................................................................................................... 83
Foreign Policy ............................................................................................................................................. 85
Khrushchev’s Fall ...................................................................................................................................... 86
Depth Study Summary Tables – Key Debates........................................................................ 87
Alex II Key Debates .................................................................................................................................... 87
Khrushchev Key Debates ............................................................................................................................ 91
Thematic Summary Tables ..................................................................................................... 94
3
, Themes Paper Mark Scheme and Exam Technique
Q1. Source Interpretation on Alexander II, Provisional Government or Khrushchev –
Depth Study (30 Marks)
Evaluate the interpretations in both of the two passages and explain which one you think is
more convincing about… ‘statement’.
Q2/3. Thematic Question Across the WHOLE Period – Breadth Study (25 Marks) (x2)
Question regarding all the rulers, and regarding any theme
4
