AQA A-Level History 7042
1A The Age of the Crusades, c1071–1204
1B Spain in the Age of Discovery, 1469–1598
1C The Tudors: England, 1485–1603
1D Stuart Britain and the Crisis of Monarchy, 1603–1702
1E Russia in the Age of Absolutism and Enlightenment, 1682–1796
1F Industrialisation and the People: Britain, c1783–1885
1G Challenge and Transformation: Britain, c1851–1964
1H Tsarist and Communist Russia, 1855–1964
1J The British Empire, c1857–1967
1K The Making of a Superpower: USA, 1865–1975
1L The Quest for Political Stability: Germany, 1871–1991
2A Royal Authority and the Angevin Kings, 1154–1216
2B The Wars of the Roses, 1450–1499
2C The Reformation in Europe, c1500–1564
2D Religious Conflict and the Church in England, c1529–c1570
2E The English Revolution, 1625–1660
2F The Sun King: Louis XIV, France and Europe, 1643–1715
2G The Birth of the USA, 1760–1801
2H France in Revolution, 1774–1815
2J America: A Nation Divided, c1845–1877
2K International Relations and Global Conflict, c1890–1941
2L Italy and Fascism, c1900–1945
2M Wars and Welfare: Britain in Transition, 1906–1957
2N Revolution and Dictatorship: Russia, 1917–1953
2O Democracy and Nazism: Germany, 1918–1945
2P The Transformation of China, 1936–1997
2Q The American Dream: Reality and Illusion, 1945–1980
2R The Cold War, c1945–1991
2S The Making of Modern Britain, 1951–2007
2T The Crisis of Communism: The USSR and the Soviet Empire, 1953–2000
1H Tsarist and Communist Russia, 1855–1964
Autocracy and Serfdom in 1855
- 3 things to know
- Component 1
Overview
Recall questions on what autocracy meant in practice, the structure of Russian society and the restrictions serfdom placed on peasants.
What you need to know
Answer each one before you reveal it.
What were the key features of Russia's political system in 1855?
What was serfdom and what restrictions did it impose on peasants?
Questions from this subtopic
Each one with the model answer underneath.
- 1
What did autocracy mean in the Russian political system?
Model answer
The Tsar held absolute power, ruling by divine right without constitutional limits or a representative assembly.
- 2
What were the key features of Russia's political system in 1855?
Model answer
Centralised bureaucratic control, censorship, and the absence of elected national institutions.
- 3
Describe the structure of Russian society in 1855.
Model answer
It was rigidly hierarchical, with the nobility holding privileges, a small urban middle class, and the vast majority being enserfed peasants.
- 4
What was serfdom and what restrictions did it impose on peasants?
Model answer
Serfdom bound peasants to the land and their landlords, requiring labour services or payments and restricting their freedom of movement.
- 5
What characterised Russia's economy in 1855?
Model answer
It was predominantly agricultural, with limited industrial development, poor infrastructure, and reliance on serf labour.
- 6
What military weaknesses did the Crimean War expose in Russia?
Model answer
Outdated weapons, inadequate transport networks, and poor logistics.
Other ways to work this
The same content, four other ways.
What is inside Levo
Six ways to work the same material.
Every question in 1H Tsarist and Communist Russia, 1855–1964, on a schedule.
Attempt a question from memory, write the correct version, then attempt it again. Levo records the jump between your first attempt and your last, and brings each question back on the day you are due to forget it.
Or £46 a year, about £3.83 a month. Cancel anytime.