1. Russian Revolution

2. February Revolution
On Feb. 23rd 1917, working-class women gather in Petrograd to ask for “bread and peace”
Men join them and Nicholas II soon orders his troops to fire on them
The troops refuse and 80,000 of them join the protestors

3. The Duma and other political parties secretly say Nicholas II must go
Nicholas II abdicates; his brother Michael abdicates
The Duma becomes the provisional gov’t
Alexander Kerensky becomes temporary prime minister; keeps Russia in WW I

5. Arrival of Lenin Lenin had been living in exile in Switzerland
Germany helps him get to Petrograd by train
Arrives April 3rd, 1917
Lenin’s speeches are published, become known as “April Theses”

7. Lenin’s #1 goal: place Russia under Bolshevik control (Communist)
Anti-Provisional Gov’t
Tries to organize massive street demonstrations

8. October Revolution Bolsheviks gain more power over the summer of 1917
However, Kerensky is calling for new elections to take place on Nov.12th
Lenin knows it will be much harder to overthrow a gov’t that is legitimately elected

11. Lenin organizes a Bolshevik army
On October 24th, revolutionaries occupy key posts in Petrograd: telegraph offices, banks, railroad stations, bridges
By October 25th, the Winter Palace was the only gov’t building not taken

12. Kerensky flees morning of Oct. 25th
His officials stay, thinking he’ll bring back troops
The palace is surrounded, but revolutionaries refuse to fire on Russians
The officials are persuaded to give up and are arrested

14. Aftermath
Kerensky flees to Europe, then eventually becomes a professor of history in the U.S.
Lenin declares Decree of Peace (Russia will leave WW I)
Decree on Land (Land will be redistributed among peasants)
Russia was still on the Julian Calendar; November 7th everywhere else