The Social Democrat Hunchakian Party and Armenian Revolutionary Federation ( also known as " Dashnak " ) , were two Armenian organizations of Armenian national movement active in the region . In 1894 , Sultan Abdul Hamid II began to target the Armenian people in a precursor of the Hamidian massacres . This persecution strengthened nationalistic sentiment among Armenians
Hamidian massacres
Hamidian massacres
1894 Sasun rebellion