Essential Question: Why do politics often lead to war? Russian Revolution Essential Question: Why do politics often lead to war?

TEKS and Objectives We will… I will… (10D) identify the causes of the Russian Revolution (18B) identify the origins and characteristics of communism, including the influences of Karl Marx Analyze how the Russian Revolution impacted the people of Russia and the outcome of WWI

Causes of the Russian (Bolshevik) Revolution 1917 Russia in the Great War Problems of Rapid Industrialization Russo-Japanese War 1904-1905 Causes of the Russian (Bolshevik) Revolution 1917 Russian Revolution of 1905 Peasants Support of the Bolsheviks “Bloody Sunday” Massacre of 1905 Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels, and the Communist Manifesto (1848) Weak leadership from Nicholas II

Problems of Rapid Industrialization in Russia Factories owned by government or foreigners Harsh working conditions; Very little pay Strikes and demonstrations illegal; strikers shot by soldiers or secret police “The whole day we pour out our blood and sweat. Every minute we are exposed to danger.” Union leaflet 1898

Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905) Russia and Japan fighting over control of Korea First time Japan defeated a European power

Massacre of peaceful demonstrators “Bloody Sunday” Massacre of 1905 Massacre of peaceful demonstrators Petitioning tsar for better working conditions

Russian Revolution of 1905 Revolts followed “Bloody Sunday” Tsar agreed to have elections for a Duma (parliament) Tsar rigged the elections Revolutionaries failed to take over government

Russian failures in the First World War Russian forces successful at beginning of WWI Tsar took command of armed forces; poor commander Thousands of men deserted; mass riots against tsar

Tsar – absolute monarch Weak Leadership from Nicholas II Tsar – absolute monarch Used secret police to persecute opponents Censored the press

Rasputin and Scandal Tsarina Alexandra left in control of country during WWI Influenced by Rasputin Believed to have healed haemophilic son Undermined the royal family Murdered in 1916

Police report into country conditions 1905 Peasants Support Bolsheviks 90% of Russians were poor peasants Agriculture in desperate need of modernization Most power and wealth in hands of aristocracy Very often the peasants do not have enough allotment land. They cannot feed themselves, clothe themselves, heat their homes, keep their tools and livestock, secure seed for sowing and lastly pay their taxes. Police report into country conditions 1905

Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels, and the Communist Manifesto Claimed capitalism allowed bourgeoisie (factory owners) to exploit proletariat (workers) Predicted proletariat would violently overthrow bosses and take control of country Bolsheviks (group of communists) led by Lenin plotted to bring a revolution

The February Revolution 1917 Uprising sparked by food riots, poor working conditions, and failure in WWI Russian army joined revolutionaries Tsar forced to abdicate (resign) and a Provisional (temporary) Government was set up Lenin took control of provisional government in order to turn Russian into a communist country

The execution of Tsar Nicholas II July 1918 Tsar and family arrested and sent to Siberia Communists worried Tsar might be rescued by supporters Tsar Nicholas, Tsarina Alexandra, and their five children were shot and bayoneted

Lenin’s Legacy Defeated all opponents Established a strong communist government Russia and surrounding countries became the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) in 1924 But, Lenin failed to provide a clear successor on his death. This led to four years of bitter struggle…