Final answer:
The tsarist government's response to student protests and worker strikes varied from oppressive crackdowns to forced concessions, such as the creation of the Duma, though with limited powers. Ultimately, the government could not withstand the revolutionary tide leading up to the February Revolution of 1917, resulting in Tsar Nicholas II's abdication and the end of Romanov rule.
Step-by-step explanation:
How the tsar and his government dealt with student protesters is deeply rooted in the historical context of pre-revolutionary Russia. Specifically, the tsarist government's reaction to the events of Bloody Sunday, where workers peacefully protesting at Tsar Nicholas II's Winter Palace were fired upon by military troops, leading to approximately one thousand casualties, can be seen as part of the government's broader approach to dissent.
Under Tsar Nicholas II, following Bloody Sunday, there was a brutal crackdown on protesters, with widespread strikes across the nation. The Tsar was eventually forced to create the Duma as a gesture toward a shared government, but its powers were significantly limited. Later, the backlash against the autocratic rule of the Tsar grew, culminating in the February Revolution of 1917, where the Tsar was forced to abdicate after the army joined the striking workers and the Duma demanded he step aside. The provisional government, led by Alexander Kerensky, was established under the auspices of the Duma, signaling the end of three hundred years of Romanov rule. These events illustrate the shifting power dynamics in Russia and the eventual inability of the Tsar to suppress the revolutionary fervor of the population.