Armenian National Congress (1917)

The congress consisted of 204 It was dominated by the Dashnak Party. The composition along party lines was as follows: • Dashnaks: 113 representatives • Populists: 43 representatives • Socialist Revolutionaries: 23 representatives • Social Democrats: 9 representatives • No party: 7 representatives • There was also a small number of representatives from Western Armenia, including Andranik Ozanian. == Functioning ==

Since a real government did not exist in the Yerevan province of Armenia, the Armenian National Congress served as a government for the province. According to Richard Hovannisian, the Congress was "the most comprehensive Eastern Armenian gathering since the Russian conquest of Transcaucasia". The Armenian National Congress supported the policies of the Russian Provisional Government concerning the war, and also suggested redrawing provincial boundaries along ethnic lines. The Congress was instrumental in the secularization of Armenian schools and the nationalization of secondary Armenian schools. ==Legacy==

Before dissolving, the Congress created a National Assembly of 35 members to act as a legislative body for Armenians under the Russian Republic. It also created an executive body of 15 members called the Armenian National Council, headed by Avetis Aharonian. This council eventually declared independence for the First Republic of Armenia led by Aram Manukian in May 1918. ==References==