Word: sebastopole
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Dates: during 1895-1895
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Alexander II made himself leader of the movement for the emancipation of the slaves. All that was now lacking was an impulse, which came through the defeat of the Russians in Crimea; the losses around Sebastopol; and the bankruptcy of the empire. Committees were appointed to decide upon reforms and on February 16, 1861, the decree was promulgated. It provided that the peasants were to have all the rights of free cultivators; nobles were to give each peasant between twenty and thirty acres of land, and the government was to remunerate the nobles. The peasants were to repay the government...