Russian Revolution Class Notes

Period 6 Regan Sonny An Lesson from History You only have power over people so long as you dont take everything away from them. But, when youve robbed a man of everything, hes no longer in your power he is free again.

Dictatorship 101 Give them (the people) false hope.

The Russian Revolution of 1917 In the 1800s, Russia was the largest empire in the world o 60 different nationalities in Russia Russia, an agricultural country in an industrial age o Peasant life and serfdom Limited skills Uneducated Landless Poor 1861, Alexander II abolishes slavery o Factory workers Limited skills Uneducated Landless Poor

The Romanovs Tsar Nicholas II (weak ruler, insecure) and Tsarina Alexandra o Often gives power to military or wife 4 daughters, 1 son (Alexi) o Alexi had hemophilia, the royal disease Queen Victoria and Prince Albert (first cousin) has 9 children

The Fall of Tsarist Russia 1904 1905 Russo-Japanese War Russia, former serfs suffer through food shortages Strikes all across Russia o Met by Russian military 1|Page

Russian Revolution Class Notes

Period 6 Regan Sonny An March to Winter Palace, 1905 Bloody Sunday o Non-violent o Wanted freedom of speech

World War I Rasputin o Invited by Tsarist Alexandra o Alexi felt better; calming effect near Rasputin o Blamed for crisis in Russia Fed cyanide cake and wine no effect Was shot wakes up, calls assailant bad boy and tries to strangle him Shot again and thrown into river still alive, clawed at surface, later dies

1917 March Revolution Led by female textile workers o Men and military join Tsar abdicates

Alexander Kerensky Lead Provisional Government (temporary) o 8 hour workdays o Rights of union to negotiate and strike o Freedom of speech, press, assembly and religion o Laws against racial discrimination o Abolish censorship and secret police o Legalize all political parties o Free political prisoners o Free public education til age 12 o Promised land to peasants o Set a date for free elections, allowing men and women to vote and create a democratic constitution Wont happen until we win the war.

What if the Provisional Government won instead of the Communists? Marxism in Russia Mensheviks, wait 2|Page

Russian Revolution Class Notes

Period 6 Regan Sonny An Bolsheviks, change now o Led by Vladimir Lenin of The Communists Leon Trotsky, Lenins right-hand man, in charge of military

True Communism (Marxism) Revolution Brief socialist phase Communism

Historical Communism Revolution Lenin and Bolsheviks lead socialist phase

Provisional Government (pre-Lenin) Social reforms were put on hold Peasants and workers still hungry Will stay in WWI despite public growing resentment

Peace, Land, and Bread The Russian Revolution of 1917 (The Bolshevik Revolution) Took control of The Aurora (military battleship) Provisional Government steps down

1917 1st Communist Government Established 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. No free elections outlawed other parties Cheka, the ruthless secret police/spies Counter-revolutionaries sent to Siberia, jailed or executed Major industries nationalized Church stripped of power No freedom of speech, press, assembly, and religion 1918, signs Treaty of Brest-Litovsk with Germany

Russian Civil War (1918-1920) Reds vs. Whites vs. Greens o Reds = Communists, very unified o Whites = Everyone else, unorganized but aided by foreign support o Greens = Ukrainians, wanted independence

1922 Union of Soviet Socialist Republic (USSR)

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Russian Revolution Class Notes

Period 6 Regan Sonny An Lenin gives quarter of land to Germany Fanya Copland, would-be assassin of Lenin

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