The Czar reacted to the Revolution 0f 1905 by promising to form Dumas which were representative assemblies, to work towards reform.
On January 22, 1905, a group of workers led by the radical priest Georgy Apollonovich Gapon had marched to czar Nicholas II winter palace in St. Petersburg to make their demands.
Imperial forces opened fire killing and wounding hundreds. Strikes and riots broke out throughout the country in outraged response to the massacre to which Nicholas responded by promising to form the Dumas.
