Do This Now… Sit in assigned groups Then, discuss what political ideas were popularized in Russia as a result of the 1905 Revolution Be prepared to share with the class

What political future was right for Russia in 1917?

Aftermath of Revolution of 1905 Continued growth of discontented working class Vast majority of workers concentrated in St. Petersburg and Moscow Russian Peasants

Conservatism Continues: 1905-1917 Tsar paid no attention to the Duma; political parties suppressed Nicholas was personally a very weak man; he became increasingly remote as a ruler Numerous soviets thus began to appear Local political councils dedicated to further action Nicholas II Wedding

Alexandra: The Power Behind the Throne Even more blindly committed to autocracy than her husband She was under the influence of Rasputin Scandals surrounding Rasputin served to discredit the monarchy Alexandra Rasputin

World War I: “The Last Straw” War revealed the ineptitude and arrogance of the country’s aristocratic elite Peasants became casualties by the millions Average peasants had very little invested in the War Russian Peasant Soldiers in WWI

Russian Peasant Soldiers in WWI World War I (cont) Ill-trained, ineffective officers, poorly equipped (Russ. was not ready for ind. war) – the result was mass desertions and 2 million casualties by 1915 Result: Chaos and Disintegration of the Russian Army Battle of Tannenberg (August, 1914) – massive defeat at hands of Germany Russian Peasant Soldiers in WWI

The Collapse of the Imperial Government Nicholas left for the Front—September, 1915 Alexandra and Rasputin throw the government into chaos Alexandra and other high government officials accused of treason Depiction of Rasputin

The Collapse of the Imperial Government (cont) Rasputin assassinated in December of 1916 Complete mismanagement of the wartime economy Industrial production plummeted, inflation and starvation were rampant, and the cities were overflowing w/ refugees Cities became a hotbed for political activism, especially in St. Petersburg Rasputin Again

The March/February Revolution Origins: Food riots/strikes Duma declared itself a Provisional Government on March12 Tsar ordered soldiers to intervene; instead they joined the rebellion…the Tsar thus abdicated on March 17 Menshevik Alexander Kerensky headed the Provisional Government Very Popular Revolution Kerensky favored gradual socialist reform and saw the war effort as #1 priority Kerensky

The Petrograd Soviet Leftists in St. Petersburg formed the Petrograd Soviet, which they claimed to be the legit gov’t Germany was aware of the Russia situation Germany helped political exile, Vladimir Lenin return so he could lead Soviet

Soviet Political Ideology More radical and revolutionary than the Provisional Government Most influenced by Marxist socialism Committed to Class Struggle and Revolution Lenin

Lenin Steps into This Vacuum Lenin tremendously charismatic personality “Peace, Land, Bread” “All Power to the Soviets” He preached that the war was a capitalist/imperialist war that offered no rewards for the peasants/workers Empowers the extreme Bolsheviks against Kerensky’s Mensheviks Lenin Propaganda

The 1917 Choice Russians left with a choice for Russia’s political future: Democracy Peasant reform Gradual socialist government Immediate socialist change

What political future was right for Russia in 1917?

Overview of Today Today, we’ll be debating Russia’s future in 1917 Four groups will be arguing for potential political futures for the country Two groups will be role playing as citizens and interrogating the groups At the end, the citizens will vote for which option they want

Individual Group Assignments In your groups you will be provided with a set of directions and materials Read the directions and work as a group to complete your assigned tasks and responsibilities You have 35 minutes to complete all your assigned tasks

Do This Now… Sit in groups from previous class Take out class materials Option groups, reacquaint yourselves with your arguments and prepare to present Citizen groups, reacquaint yourselves with your questions and prepare to interrogate the option groups Be prepared to share with the class

Presentations and Questions Each of the four options will present After each group presents, citizens will interrogate Will repeat until finished

Closing Arguments To begin, one person will express his or her views on the subject, citing their evidence and reasoning as support. Then, a person from the other side will respond Before speaking, you must summarize what the person before you said, saying “I understand that you feel . But consider this .”

Decision Time! Citizens: Option Groups: You have 10 minutes Independently decide which option you think is best based on your role On a scratch piece of paper create a Top 5 List that explains your Top 5 reasons for supporting your selected option Option Groups: Flip note taker over and write an argument for which option you PERSONALLY believe to be right for Russia You have 10 minutes

What was the deciding factor for the choice of the Russian citizens? Discussion What was the deciding factor for the choice of the Russian citizens?

Beginning of the End Lenin formed the Military-Revolutionary Council and in May 1917 he urged the Pet. Soviet to pass Army Order # 1 This gave control of the army to the common soldiers; discipline thus collapsed, and Kerensky was undermined

The November/October Revolution Leon Trotsky gained the confidence of the army, which seizes power Lenin went on to consolidate his power in Jan. 1918 when he disbanded the Constituent Assembly All private property was abolished and divided among the peasantry Largest industrial enterprises nationalized Army seizing power Leon Trotsky

November Revolution (cont) Political Police organized: CHEKA Revolutionary army created with Trotsky in charge = “Red Army” Bolshevik Party renamed Communist Party in March of 1918 Red Army

Why Revolution? Lenin’s 1st task was to get Russia out of the war so he could concentrate on internal reform… The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk negotiated with the Germans, giving them much Russian territory, population, and resources Signing of Treaty