1. The Russian Revolution:
EQ: What caused the Russian Revolution and how did it change the course of European history?

2. Russia Before the Revolution: (1917)
Only Autocratic (one all powerful ruler) left in Europe
No type of representative political institutions
Russo-Japanese War (1904) – defeat led to pol. instability
Most of the population lived in extreme poverty

3. Failed Revolutions:
There were several attempts to topple the Tsars (Kings)
-Alexander II-Assassinated in 1881
-Alexander III dies in (Meningitis or poison)
-1905-Result of Bloody Sunday (Duma Established)

4. Alexandra:
The Duma, which was made up of elected officials was ignored by Tsar Nicolas.
Instead he listened most to his wife Alexandra
She falsely advised him that there was no need to worry about a revolution
She hated the peasants and the nobles

5. Gregor Rasputin: He was treating the Tsar’s son for hemophilia
He claimed to be a medicine/religious man
Unfortunately, he had many illicit affairs and was a raging drug addict
This served to discredit the monarchy

6. The Impact of WW1:
When WW1 broke out, Russia was ill prepared for the war
Their losses were terrible
Tsar Nicolas went to the front to lead his troops, but he did just as poorly as his generals
At home, Alexandra and Rasputin are so corrupt, they are accused of treason
Most Russians lost complete faith in the Tsar

7. The March Revolution (1917): The Mensheviks
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
the Menshevik Alexander Kerensky headed the Provisional Government, along w/ Prince Lvov

8. Vladimir Lenin: His Early Years -Exiled to Siberia in 1897
Committed to Class Struggle and Revolution
“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
Bolshevik party membership exploded

9. Soviet (Bolshevik) Ideology:
More radical and revolutionary than the Provisional Government
Most influenced by Marxist socialism
Emulated western socialism

10. The November Revolution (1917): The Bolsheviks
Lenin and the Bolsheviks overthrew the Provisional Government via civil war
Lenin leads the new government
All private property was abolished and divided among the peasantry
Largest industrial enterprises nationalized

11. Creating the Soviet Union:
Lenin and the Bolsheviks take over their neighbors
Political Police organized: CHEKA
Revolutionary army created with Trotsky in charge = “Red Army”
Bolshevik Party renamed Communist Party in March of 1918
1920: Bolsheviks defeat the Mensheviks

12. Cause and Effect Chart: Russian Revolution (Drop this Slide by 2/10)
Event:
Effect: