2. 300 th anniversary of the Romanov dynasty took place in 1913 to mass cheering. Outbreak of war led to an increase in patriotism. The Duma met in 1914, a week after the start of WWI 1915: Duma representatives, unhappy with the war effort formed the ‘Progressive Bloc’ demanding a National Government to take charge of the war effort. The Tsar suspended the Duma and left Petrograd to take personal control of the troops. He left his wife in charge.

3. Nov 1916: The Duma reopened, Progressive Bloc still prominent. Economic and social conditions in Russia had deteriorated dramatically- real wages plummeted, food prices rocketed, little fuel. Also anger at being left with the Tsarina and Rasputin. 9 January 1917: 150,000 workers took to the streets of Petrograd to celebrate the anniversary of Bloody Sunday (troops massacred a demonstration during the 1905 revolution). 18 February 1917: strike at Putilov Steel Works 19 February 1917: Bread rationing introduced. 23 February 1917: marchers celebrating International Women’s Day and workers from the Putilov plant combined to protest about poor conditions.

4. 23 rd February 1917: General Strike- workers fired on by troops. Rodzianko (Duma president) urged the Tsar to change his attitude towards governing. 26 th February 1917: Duma defied the Tsar’s orders to disband. About half of the Petrograd Garrison joined the protestors. Turning point in revolution. 27 th February 1916: Petrograd Soviet (workers’ council fighting for workers’ rights) formed alongside the Provisional Duma Committee. 1 March 1917: Soviet Order No. 1 passed, giving the Petrograd Soviet total control over the whole of the Russian military. 2 March 1917: under pressure from close advisers and family members, Nicholas II decided to abdicate.

5. a)Why did Nicholas II fall? On lined/ plain paper create a timeline of the events from the outbreak of the First World War in 1914. b)Which reasons are economic, due to Nicholas’s mistakes, a growing liberal opposition, the impact of the First World War or a combination of them? Find a way of showing them on your timeline. The information can be found in various locations. Pick whichever resource or combination of resources will help you most. a)Which of these reasons do you think is most significant for the fall of Tsarism?