# Pogroms and the May Laws (1881)

URL: https://history-russia.com/timeline/1881-pogroms-and-the-may-laws
Categories: main-event

After Alexander II's murder, a wave of pogroms swept southern Russia. The government's 'Temporary Laws' of May 1882 further restricted Jewish life. Hundreds of thousands of Jews emigrated, mainly to the United States. The pogroms triggered mass Jewish emigration and early Zionism.

## Why it matters
The pogroms triggered mass Jewish emigration and early Zionism.

Ruler at the time: [Alexander III](https://history-russia.com/rulers/alexander-iii)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia — Pogroms in the Russian Empire](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pogroms_in_the_Russian_Empire)
- [Wikipedia — May Laws](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/May_Laws)
- [Wikipedia — Russian Empire](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Empire)
- [Encyclopaedia Britannica topic lookup — Pogroms and the May Laws](https://www.britannica.com/search?query=Pogroms+and+the+May+Laws)
- [Wikipedia — Timeline of Russian history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_Russian_history)