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Industrialization and the problems it caused Russia
The number of factories grew greatly between 1863-1900. A Russian minister got foreign investors and raised taxes to help grow Russian industries, specifically steel. The people of Russia were not pleased with how quickly industrialization spread. The problems that it brought for Russia were poor working conditions, low wages and child labor. Workers organized strikes because of the way they were treated. -
Russo-Japanese War
In the late 1800's, Russia and Japan fought over control for Korea and Manchuria. A bunch of agreements were signed but Russia kept breaking them. Japan got revenge by attaching the Russians at Port Arthur in Manchuria in 1904. -
Creation of the Trans-Siberian Railway
Britain and France helped to make the worlds longest continuous rail line possible. This rail line was called the Trans-Siberian Railway. The work on it began in 1891 and wasn't completed until 1916. It gave more access for trade around ports. -
Czar Nicholas Rule
Czar Nicholas had absolute authority in Russia. In order to rid the country of revolutionaries he used harshed measures. He also imposed strict censorship codes. His secret police tended to secondary schools and universities to make sure everyone got a proper education and also a report card. He made Russian the official language and didn't except minorities and he also persecuted Jews. He organized violence acts against the Jews in various parts of Russia. -
Revolutionary Movements Grow
The Marxist Revolutionaries were based on the overall goal that the workers would overthrow the Czar. Then once this happened the workers would form a dictatorship of the Proletariat, which means these workers would rule the country. -
Russian Marxists split
The Russian Marxist;s split into two groups over wants. One group was called the Bolsheviks and they were radical in their beliefs. They were a small group but willing to sacrifice everything for chance. The leader of this group was Vladimir Ilyich and he adopted the name Lenin. The other group were known as the Mensheviks and they wanted a large following to gain support. -
Bloody Sunday
Approximately 200,000 workers went to the Czar in St. Petersburg. They were petitioning for better working conditions, more personal freedom and an elected national legislation. The Czar ordered soldiers to fire on the crowd. Many people were wounded and that's why it is referred to as Bloody Sunday. It started a series of stricts and violent acts across the country. In October of 1905, the Czar promised freedom. He approved the Parliment in 1906 called the Duma. -
World War I
The Czar got Russia into World War I, despite being unprepared to handle the costs involved. Their troops weren't properly equipped due to poor funds and resources and they were no match for the Germans. The Germans had machine guns which allowed them to advance against Russia. Four million Russian Soldiers were either killed or taken hostage within a year of fighting. This event showed how weak the Czar was as a leader and how they had poor military leadership. -
The Bolshevik Revolution
Lenin and the Bolsheviks gained control of the Petrograd Soviet as well as in many other cities in Russia. Lenin's slogan was, "Peace, Land and Bread- All Power to the Soviets." Many people began to follow him and approved. The Bolshevik Red Guards, stormed into the Winter Palace and took over the government control. This group of people were successful in taking over and Lenin said that all farmland be distributed amoungst the peasants. They signed a truce with Germany to stop fighting. -
Czar Steps Down
The March Revolution were a bunch of protestors exploding over the Czar's rule. Revolutionaries executed him and his family. Because of this the rule of the Romanovs family collapsed. The March Revolution was successful in making the Czar step down. A temporary government was established and Kerensky headed it up. -
Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
Russia and Germany signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk in which many of the Russian territories were signed over to Germany and it's allies. The unfair terms of the agreement led the Russians to be angered. -
Lenin Restores Order
Lenin gains control with a small scale version of capitalism under his New Economic Policy. The NEP allowed peasants to sell their extra crops, which allowed them to make more money and be more in control. The government still had control of major industries, banks and communication, but more small factories and businesses were allowed to take control of their individual property. He also organized Russia into several self governing republics under the central government. -
USSR
Russia was renamed the Union of Soviet Socialist Reublics and it's what started the Bolshevik Revolution. The Bolsheviks renamed their party the communist party. -
Stalin
Lenin had established a dictatorship of the communist party. He suffered a stroke in 1922 and Joseph Stalin started to head up the party. He was a ruthless leader between 1922-1927. In 1928, Stalin was in total command of the communist party. He was a dangerous leader, but he held all of the absolute power.
