1. Russian Revolution

2. Social Unrest Russia had many problems for many years
It was behind western Europe in progress
It had not really industrialized
While a strong middle class developed in the rest of Europe, 90% of Russians were serfs (bound to the land)
People were to resent the government

3. Russian Monarchy
Russian government was still a monarchy while most of western Europe had some democratic features
The aristocracy held a lot of power and lived in wealth while the serfs had nothing

4. Economic Problems Russia started to have many problems Food shortages
Fuel shortages

5. Rebellion
Starting in 1905, people began to protest and complain about the government
Each rebellion was put down by the military

6. WWI
Czar Nicolas II believed that war would unite the people against a common cause
This worked for awhile but Russia suffered many losses
Food and fuel shortages grew
People grew restless and began to look for other solutions

7. The Bolsheviks
A group of communists felt they had the answer – a Russia were everyone was equal – no really rich and no really poor
1917 the Bolsheviks led by Vladimir Lenin rose against the government and took control
Revolution broke out lasting until 1921 when Russia became the USSR (United Soviet Socialist Republic)

8. Impact The royal family was assassinated
Russia withdrew from WWI in 1917
US and other countries refused to recognize the communist Bolshevik government as Russia’s legal government