-
Czar Alexander III
When Czar Alexander III gained control over Russia and stripped everyone of their ethnic backgrounds. Russia became the official language and prohibited the use of other languages. The absolute control Alexander had over Russia and the Russian culture push into different ethnic groups led people to see the czar as a dictator. -
Russia Industrializes
Czar Nicholas pushed for industrialization,factories doubled within a few decades and soon Russia became the fourth main producer of steel. With the increase of factories came the increase of problems such as child labor and cruel working conditions with little pay and higher taxes. This caused laborers began to organize strikes and many revolutionary groups were formed. -
Revolutionary Movements Grow
After the industrializing of Russia, revolutionary groups started to form. Groups based off of Karl Marx's ideas were the Mensheviks, who wanted a broad base for a revolution while the Bolsheviks, led by Vladimir Lenin believed in small revolutions willing to giving up everything. Each of these groups gained support form the people, more so the Bolsheviks, yet every supporter wanted a revolution. -
Russo-Japanese War
Russia and Japan fought over Korea and Manchuria. Peace treaties were signed but Russia broke them leading to Japan attacking several Russian locations. When the people heard of Russia's many losses and how they were still fighting Japan subsequently led to a revolt in the middle of Russia fighting against Japan. -
Bloody Sunday:
200,000 workers approached the czar's palace in St. Petersburg with a petition for better working conditions. Czar Nicholas II's soldiers fired into the crowd killing several hundred and wounding 1,000. This caused a large uprising in riots and the creation of the Russia Parliament, Duma. -
The March Revolution
Women textile workers led a strike in Petrograd against autocracy and WWI. Soldiers that were ordered to fire on them soon joined the strike. The strike led to a large uprising which in turn led to Czar Nicholas II leaving his throne and got rid of a czarist regime. -
Provisional Government Forms
Leaders of the Russian parliament, the Duma, created the Provisional Government after Czar Nicholas II gave up his throne. Led by Alexander Kerensky, the Provisional Government kept Russia in WWI. As the war continues, as the conditions in Russia worsened, workers grew more radical and Soviets were formed. -
The Bolshevik Revolution
Lenin returned to Russia and led the Bolsheviks gaining widespread support from the people. In November of 1917, the Bolsheviks stormed the Provisional Government's palace in Petrograd. The revolt was successful leading to the collapse of the provisional government and Bolsheviks rise to power. -
Russian Civil War
The newly established Bolshevik government signed a treaty with Germany for fitting a portion of Russia's land over. Soon the White Army formed who did not support the Bolshevik rule and the killing of the Czar and his family. The civil war caused around 14 million deaths due to the war and famines that followed, and the Bolshevik victory showed that the Bolsheviks could acquire and maintain power. -
Communist Party
In order to stop nationalism to maintain unity, Lenin set up several self-governing republics called the USSR. The party then was renamed Communist based on Karl Marx's book. However the government became a dictatorship with Lenin ruling gaining absolute control over every Russian citizens life.
