In December of 1825 in St. Petersburg members of a secret society of nobles and officers led a rebellion advocating for the establishment of a democratic government in Russia. The rebellion failed. Five of those who headed the conspiracy were executed while more than a hundred others were sent to labour camps in Siberia. Although they were unable to successfully change the way the country was run, the Decembrists did have an effect on the way future generations thought. As for the stories of those who were sent off to Siberia — paradoxically enough, this punishment ended up in some ways to be a blessing. Many of these people’s thoughts and ideas were given the chance to develop and their memory lives on today.