The Russian Revolution

By 22atherrien

  • Reign of Czar Alexander III (1881-1894

    Reign of Czar Alexander III (1881-1894
    • Clung to autocracy
    • 1 religion, 1 man rule, 1 race
    • Anyone who questioned his rule, worshiped religions outside the Russian Orthodox Church, or spoke a foreign language was labeled as dangerous
    • Imposed strict censorship codes -Eventually he targeted minorities like the Jews By imposing these strict rules he angered the people, bringing them closer to a revolt. He starts the lead-up to the revolutions.
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    Russian Revolution

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    Part I: Lead-up to 1917

  • Reign of Czar Nicholas II (1894-1917)

    Reign of Czar Nicholas II (1894-1917)
    • Continued autocracy
    • Raised taxes to help industry
    • Ignored working class Rapid industrialization caused problems for the working class, such as low wages and poor working conditions. Because he ignored the workers, many revolutionary groups formed. Also related to: Russo-Japanese war, Bloody Sunday, Duma, Russia in WWI.

  • Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905)

    Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905)
    • Russia and Japan had made treaties over control of Korea and Manchuria, but Russia broke them
    • Japan retaliates on 1904
    • Russia loses many battles and the war News of losses sparked revolts in Russia. Proof of weakness. Blamed on Czar Nicholas II.

  • Establishment of the Duma

    Establishment of the Duma
    • Russia's first parliament
    • Was never given much power
    • Mostly moderates that wanted a constitutional monarchy
    • Since Czar didn't want to share power, he dissolved it after ten weeks By taking away freedom that he promised, he angered his people.

  • Bloody Sunday

    Bloody Sunday
    • 200,000 workers and families approached the Winter Palace carrying a petition for more rights and freedom
    • Czar Nicholas II ordered soldiers to shoot at unarmed workers This even provoked many strikes and revolts around the country.

  • Russia's Participation in WW1

    Russia's Participation in WW1
    • Russia was unprepared for WWI
    • Czar Nicholas II helps with war strategy
    • Showed how weak the Russian Czar's rule and his military was The army was unprepared, and in the end most soldiers revolted. The economy also suffered, so the workers and peasants were angry too. Czar Nicholas II was blamed for loss.

  • Death of Rasputin

    Death of Rasputin
    • Rasputin said he was a "holy man"
    • Seemed to ease Alexis' (Czar Nicholas II's son) hemophilia
    • Gained political power for himself and friends. Opposed reform.
    • Murdered in 1916 by a group of nobles fearing his rise in power Rasputin led to slowing down reform, most likely angering the peasants. Even the nobles were mad at him.

  • Abdication of Czar Nicholas II/establishment of Provisional Government

    Abdication of Czar Nicholas II/establishment of Provisional Government
    • Riots flared around Russia over fuel and food
    • Czar forced to abdicate, executed a year later
    • Leaders of Duma created a provisional (temporary) government
    • Local councils called soviets had more power than government
    • Government decided to continue in WWI, this angered lower classes more The abdication of Czar Nicholas II left Russia without a strong government. The Provisional Government failed to support Russia well enough and led to more anger in the lower classes.

  • Bolshevik Revolution

    Bolshevik Revolution
    • Provisional government isn't working the way it was expected to, and it becomes unpopular
    • Armed Factory workers invaded the palace. Called the Bolshevik Red Guards
    • Stopped war with Germany, angered Russians due to embarrassing terms
    • Distributed land and let proletariat take charge of factories With the Bolsheviks in power the USSR, a socialist country could form since the government is now socialist, and the Bolsheviks were planning on creating a socialist country.
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    Part II: Bolshevik Revolution

  • Civil War

    Civil War
    • Red army (bolshevik) vs. White army (opposition)
    • White army made of multiple groups, barely worked together
    • White army lost The Bolshevik revolution is complete, so they are now able to implement their agenda and create the USSR.
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    Part III: USSR

  • Establishment of USSR

    Establishment of USSR
    • Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
    • Bolshevik party renamed to Communist party
    • Created a dictatorship of the Communist party The creation of the USSR unified the different soviets from the area, although it also tried to separate them.

  • Lenin's death

    Lenin's death
    • Lenin suffered stroke in 1922, caused political unrest
    • 2 competitors, Leon Trotsky and Joseph Stalin
    • Stalin was cold and hard, name meant man of steel. Lenin thought he was dangerous
    • Stalin gained complete control over Communist party. He became the dictator Lenin's death allowed Stalin to take power before Leon Trotsky could have, changing the form of socialism that Russia experienced.

  • Stalin's rise to power

    Stalin's rise to power
    • Lenin said that Stalin had gained power, but he might not be able to handle it properly
    • Stalin forced Leon Trotsky into exile in 1929 Stalin's harsh version of socialism shaped the USSR later. If Leon Trotsky, a more moderate person, had gained power the USSR would have been different.

  • Leon Trotsky's Exile

    Leon Trotsky's Exile
    • He was a threat to Stalin, so Stalin exiled him to a remote part of the USSR, and later Mexico
    • Left Stalin with complete control Leon Trotsky possibly could have come back and gained power, but since he was exiled to Mexico and eventually assassinated he wasn't able to do that.