It’s hard to imagine the United States without a large central government. Americans often forget that the Founders disagreed vehemently regarding the size/form/structure that our new governement should take. These disagreements first resulted in factions (Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists) and eventually led to the development of America’s first political parties.
I am not entirely sure about this one. But I believe that the "Emancipation Manifesto" signed by Czar Alexander II gave serfs land, or at least gave them the freedom to do what they wanted, like buying that said land.
No freedom of religion, or elections was yet to be had in Russia.
In 1905 Japan gained a lot of respect by other countries, including the Western superpowers as it defeated Russia in the 1905 Ruso-Japanese war and came out victorious; although the scale was small in conflict compared to what happened in a decade.
