The Russian Revolution

Big Question:

To what extent did life improve during the Soviet Era? What conditions led to the American Revolution? The French Revolution? The Industrial Revolution? What types of leaders does it take to ensure the

revolution will last? What types of government does it take to ensure the

revolution will last?

1848: The Communist Manifesto

History can be understood through class struggles.

Society is splitting into the bourgeoisie (capitalist) and the Proletariat (workers)

”Formation of the proletariat into a class, overthrow of the bourgeoisie supremacy, conquest of political power by the proletariat”

Communism will remove the exploitation of workers and ally with the proletariat because they have similar aims

Czar Alexander III Censored public and private

documents

Teachers wrote detailed reports on students

Only Russian language spoken

1887: Lenin’s brother hangs1887: Lenin’s brother hangs

Bomb hidden in book to kill Tsar

Hangs at 21

Lenin now watched closely by Tsar’s secret police

1894: Nicholas II marries1894: Nicholas II marries Wanted an autocracy

Society was changing and this would no longer work.

Russia built up its industry

and became the fourth ranking producer of steel.

1895: Lenin Arrested Leader of the Bolsheviks He escaped to western

Europe to avoid arrest by the czarist government.

More about him later…

18961896

Nicholas II crowned Czar of Russia

Revolutionary Movement Industrial Growth = grueling working conditions,

miserably low wages, and child labor. Revolutionaries believed that the industrial class

would overthrow the Czar. Karl Marx Views. Marxist split into two group:

Mensheviks and Bolsheviks. Mensheviks-popular support. Bolsheviks thought that you could sacrifice everything for

radical change.

18961896

Alexi first boy born to Tsar Nicholas II and Tsarina Alexandra

Hemophilia

1905 -- Bloody Sunday1905 -- Bloody Sunday

January 22, 1905- 200,000 workers gathered with their families at the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg.

Guards kill upwards of 1,000 unarmed protesters

1905 -- Bloody Sunday1905 -- Bloody Sunday

This event causes a wave of strikes all over the country.

Nicholas approved the creation of the Duma, Russia’s first Parliament.

1914 — WWI1914 — WWI

Russia enters The Great War as an ally of France and enemy of Germany

Largest military on Earth

1915 — 1915 — Nicholas II moved his headquarters to the front

lines. His wife was left in control and ignores the

chief advisors and falls completely under the influence of Rasputin.

1916 Rasputin

Influence A “holy man” with magical powers. Made political decisions. The young aristocrats planned his

assassination.

Poisoned, shot, tied up, and eventually drowned in the Neva River

1917: March Revolution1917: March Revolution 1917, women workers led

a strike about shortages of bread and fuel.

Nicholas abdicates.

He and his family are assassinated by revolutionaries a year later.

Effects of the 1917 Revolution Effects of the 1917 Revolution Leaders of the Duma establish a provisional government.

A need to quit WWI because conditions worsen.

Peasants began to want land.

Social revolutionaries formed Soviets—local councils consisting of workers, peasants, and soldiers

Lenin returns from exile—thanks to Germany

1918: Bolshevik Revolution Bolsheviks give power to the

soviets. Lenin formed the Red Army made

of armed factory workers. They overturned the provisional

government in a few hours.

1918: Bolsheviks in Power1918: Bolsheviks in Power

Lenin ordered that all farmland be distributed among the peasants

Russia and Germany signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk surrendering WWI and giving a large chunk of territory to Germany.

St. Petersburg to Moscow

1920: Russian Civil War Ends Reds win. Whites lose

1922: U.S.S.R. established Union of Soviet Socialist

Republics Stalin is appointed General

Secretary Trotsky is appointed commisioner

of military affairs Lenin suffers second stroke and

retires from politics

1924: Lenin Dies Stalin will become his successor