Infograph Activity

A.• Read Pg 441-444• Take notes• What led to the Bolshevik Revolution (Russian

Revolution).”

Infograph Activity B• Working with your

partners you will create a graphic organizer

• Bolshevik Revolution• Use your notes

Rise of Soviet Union

FALL OF RUSSIAN EMPIRE

Topic Questions

• What were the major issues that led to the Russian/ Bolshevik Revolution?

• Do you think the Russian Revolution helped address those issues?

Romanov Tsar of Russia

House of Romanov, Last Imperial Dynasty of Russia (1613-1917)

Tsar Nicholas II The last Tsar (King/Emperor)

of Russia

• Slow to Industrialization – Unlike its neighboring empires, Russia was slow to industrialize. By the 20th

century, great majority of Russians still worked in farms as peasants. – Feudalism was very much enact in the Russian empire

• Poverty– Failure of capitalism led to economic problems– Peasants and industrial workers lived in extreme poverty– Only a few have power and live luxurious lives: Nobles, priests, and the royal

family • Autocratic rule

– The Tsar held absolute power – The Tsar and the Russian officials used the secret police to maintain order of

their subjects through fear and coercion – Oppressed revolutionaries and reformers wanted to change the government

• Nationality problem– Russian empire included multi-ethnic empire– Non-Russian cultures were tolerated in the empire but not respected

Revolution of 1905• Mass political unrest took place all over the

empire-- worker strikes, peasant unrest, and military mutinies

• The Duma, a legislative body was created.• The Russian Constitution was created.– 1906 Russia became a Constitutional Monarchy– Limited Constitutional Monarchy

World War I• Russia enters the War to protect Bosnia and Serbia.• Initially, the Russian people were happy to fight for their

empire and their Czar.• Traditional duties of the Czar compelled Nicholas II to lead the

Russian army.

• Russians fought the Germans in the Eastern Front. – Poorly Equipped– Poor Transportation– Poor Commanding– Russians suffered the

highest casualties

World War I (At Home)• Tsarina Alexandra was put in charge at home– German born (who were the Russians fighting in war?)

• Poverty and war shortages (food and fuel)– How much money did the Iraq and Afghanistan cost?

• Gregory Rasputin– Con-man– Self proclaimed holy man– drunkard – Womanizer – Assassinated

A New Russia• March (Feb) Revolution – Unhappy Russians took

to the streets in protest (later joined by the army)– Unhappy with the increase of food prices and rationing – Unhappy with the War– Unhappy with the Tsar’s leadership

• Tsar Nicholas II was forced to return home, where he abdicated his position in 1917– He and his family were put under house-arrest

• Temporary Provisional Government was put into place – It was led by Alexander Kerensky– It decided to continue the unpopular war

A New Russia• Soviets “Councils”– Small government bodies made up of

representatives from workers and soldiers– Many Soviets challenged the authority of the

provisional government– Mostly made up socialists and radicals

• One of the Soviets that would become the dominant force was called the Bolsheviks – Revolutionary Marxist Group

• November (Oct) Revolution—Bolsheviks takeover the government

Review: Karl Marx • Philosopher “Father of Communism” • Anti-Capitalism– Capitalism made people greedy, devalued human capacity,

created social and economic inequality, and was one of the key causes of imperialism

• Industrial working class would rise and overthrow capitalism

• Marxists like the Bolsheviks wanted to create a classless society

Vladimir Lenin

• Leader of the Bolsheviks• He believed that revolution

was necessary to end capitalism

• He promised to end the war – He promised “Peace, land,

bread”– Popularity and membership of

the party grew • October Revolution – Under his leadership the

Bolsheviks overthrew the provisional government

– They renamed themselves the Communists

Vladimir Lenin

• Red Police “Cheka” – Secret police was created and used to destroy opposition– “Red Terror”

• War Communism– government had complete economic control – Droughts and famine – 5 million died

• New Economic Policy (NEP)— Government allowed controlled capitalism

Russian Civil War

• Red Army: well trained Bolshevik army

• White army : anti-Bolshevik army – Old Imperial Generals– Poland, Estonia, Latvia– Mensheviks– Support from Britain,

France, & US

Assassination of the Royal Family

Legend of Anastasia Romanov

Soviet Union• Bolsheviks change their name to Communists• Communists became the sole dominant party – Communism – Socialism in which one political party has complete

power

• Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR)– Soviet Union

Who was next in line?

Leon Trotsky • Marxist Revolutionary• Top ranking Bolshevik• Commissar of War and

the founder and first leader of the Red Army

• Organized Oct Revolution

• One of the founding father of the Soviet Union–Hero of Soviet Union

Joseph Stalin• Part of Politburo:

committee that made laws• Rivals with Trotsky• Held position as the

General Secretary–Appointed officials

• 1929: eliminated Bolsheviks (opponents)– Exiled and assassinated Trotsky

• Five Year Plan– Transformed Soviet Union in to

an industrial society• Collectivization – policy in which the Soviet Union

destroyed private farms and took control of all the previous farm lands.

– Government collected crops and cattle from the farmers

– Many farmers resisted by destroying their own crops and cattle

– 10 million peasants died due to famine 1932-1933

• Holodomor “Hunger extermination” – man-made famine in the USSR 1932 and 1933– Stopped transportation of food– killed an estimated 2.5–7.5 million in Ukraine

alone

Result:• Great Purge 1936 -1938–Mass removal of

communist and government members –Anybody who could pose

political threat were removed (Generals and Central Party Members)–Civilians –8 million men and women

were arrested–Many were sent to forced

labor camps called Gulags

Animal Farm