Tsar Nicholas abdication

According to Source A, which of the following issues caused discontent among industrial workers in Petrograd?

Source A Petrograd at the beginning of 1917 The industrial workers are very discontented because of the impossibility of obtaining goods, the endless queuing, the poor housing and the lack of fuel. 

• High wages

• Poor housing and lack of fuel

• Abundance of goods

• Reduced working hours

Source A

Petrograd at the beginning of 1917 The industrial workers are very discontented because of the impossibility of obtaining goods, the endless queuing, the poor housing and the lack of fuel. 

Based on Source A, why might industrial workers have engaged in riots?

• To demand better jobs

• To protest against the monarchy

• Due to hunger and a lack of basic goods

• For higher wages

Source B

On 12 March 1917 Rodzianko, the President of the Duma, telegraphed the Tsar:

The situation is getting worse.  Something has to be done immediately.  Tomorrow is too late.  The last hour has struck.  The future of the country and the royal family is being decided. 

The Tsar read it and said:

Again, that fat-bellied Rodzianko has written me a load of nonsense, which I won’t even bother to answer. 

On 15 March the Duma forced Nicholas to abdicate. 

In Source B, what did Rodzianko imply about the urgency of the situation in his message to the Tsar?

• The royal family was safe.

• The country’s future required immediate action.

• The economic conditions were improving.

• The Tsar’s leadership was secure.

Source B

On 12 March 1917 Rodzianko, the President of the Duma, telegraphed the Tsar:

The situation is getting worse.  Something has to be done immediately.  Tomorrow is too late.  The last hour has struck.  The future of the country and the royal family is being decided. 

The Tsar read it and said:

Again, that fat-bellied Rodzianko has written me a load of nonsense, which I won’t even bother to answer. 

On 15 March the Duma forced Nicholas to abdicate. 

If you were a member of the Duma on 12 March 1917, how might you have used Rodzianko’s warning to persuade others to act?

• By emphasizing the Tsar’s indifference to the crisis

• By highlighting Rodzianko’s loyalty to the monarchy

• By ignoring the warning as exaggerated

• By advocating for immediate negotiations with workers

Source B

On 12 March 1917 Rodzianko, the President of the Duma, telegraphed the Tsar:

The situation is getting worse.  Something has to be done immediately.  Tomorrow is too late.  The last hour has struck.  The future of the country and the royal family is being decided. 

The Tsar read it and said:

Again, that fat-bellied Rodzianko has written me a load of nonsense, which I won’t even bother to answer. 

On 15 March the Duma forced Nicholas to abdicate. 

What does the Tsar's response to Rodzianko’s message in Source B reveal about his leadership style?

• Decisive and action-oriented

• Indifferent and dismissive

• Compassionate and proactive

• Strategic and cautious

ource A

Petrograd at the beginning of 1917

The industrial workers are very discontented because of the impossibility of obtaining goods, the endless queuing, the poor housing and the lack of fuel. 

All these conditions have created a desperate situation in which savage hunger riots are likely to break out. 

from a Tsarist police report (early 1917)

Source B

On 12 March 1917 Rodzianko, the President of the Duma, telegraphed the Tsar:

The situation is getting worse.  Something has to be done immediately.  Tomorrow is too late.  The last hour has struck.  The future of the country and the royal family is being decided. 

The Tsar read it and said:

Again, that fat-bellied Rodzianko has written me a load of nonsense, which I won’t even bother to answer. 

On 15 March the Duma forced Nicholas to abdicate. 

Analyze the link between the conditions in Source A and the Duma’s decision to force Nicholas to abdicate in Source B.

• Poor housing led to political reform.

• Worker dissatisfaction created pressure on leadership.

• Lack of goods inspired confidence in the monarchy.

• The Duma acted without influence from societal unrest.

If you were tasked with creating a reform plan to prevent riots in Petrograd, what actions from Source A and B would you prioritize?

• Ignore industrial workers and focus on agriculture

• Centralize the monarchy's power further

• Increase the price of goods to stabilize the economy

• Address fuel shortages and improve worker housing

How effective do you think Tsar Nicholas’s response to Rodzianko’s telegram was in managing the situation?

• Very effective; it maintained his authority.

• Partially effective; it bought time for reforms.

• Ineffective; it showed disregard for urgent advice.

• Ineffective; it escalated public and political unrest.