RUSSIAN REVOLUTION

1917 – 1922

9 Causes of Russian Revolution1. CZARIST RULE:

autocratic rulers who have total power, very little rights for the people

2. PEASANT UNREST: peasants were extremely poor and lacking proper nutrition, wanted more rights

References Citation (MLA)The Russian Revolution. Classroom Media. 1998. PowerMediaPlus.com. 17 January 2008. <http://www.powermediaplus.com>

3. PROBLEMS OF URBAN WORKERS: peasants working in factories worked long hours for low pay

4. DIVERSITY & NATIONALISM: ethnic minorities did not want cultures destroyed through Russification

5. BLOODY SUNDAY: Czar Nicholas II orders soldiers to fire on peaceful protestors and small revolts occur as a result

References Citation (MLA)The Russian Revolution. Classroom Media. 1998. PowerMediaPlus.com. 17 January 2008. <http://www.powermediaplus.com>

6. WORLD WAR I: Russian soldiers lacked adequate weapons/supplies and were losing the war

The Russian Revolution. CLEARVUE & SVE (1989). Retrieved January 17, 2008, from PowerMediaPlus.com: http://www.powermediaplus.com

7. MARCH REVOLUTION: workers began strikes and riots against the government forcing the czar to abdicate (give up ruling power)

8. FAILURE OF THE PROVISIONAL GOV’T: continues fighting in WWI and does not end the unrest among peasant workers, who demanded land

The Russian Revolution. CLEARVUE & SVE (1989). Retrieved January 17, 2008, from PowerMediaPlus.com: http://www.powermediaplus.com

9. BOLSHEVIK REVOLUTION: Soviets (local councils of workers, peasants, soldiers) are set up in cities to take over gov’t & guide the revolution, came to power with the promise of “Peace, Bread, Land”

The Russian Revolution. CLEARVUE & SVE (1989). Retrieved January 17, 2008, from PowerMediaPlus.com: http://www.powermediaplus.com

RUSSIA UNDER LENIN

• Lenin pulls Russia out of World War I by making a deal with Germany and giving them a large amount of land

• Russian Civil War (1918 – 1921). Lenin’s Red Army led by Leon Trotsky battled against different rival groups. Lenin’s forces win in 1921

The Russian Revolution. CLEARVUE & SVE (1989). Retrieved January 17, 2008, from PowerMediaPlus.com: http://www.powermediaplus.com

• Communist Party (classless society ruled by workers) ruled Russia and enforced its will through the military and secret police

• New Economic Policy (NEP) Government controlled banks, large industry and foreign trade.

• Russia renamed the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics

The Russian Revolution. CLEARVUE & SVE (1989). Retrieved January 17, 2008, from PowerMediaPlus.com: http://www.powermediaplus.com

U.S.S.R. UNDER STALIN

• Totalitarianism: a government that has total power to completely control every part of the lives of its people. Soviet Union became a totalitarian state

• Stalin increases the size and power of the secret police. The Great Purge begins, movement which eliminates anyone who threatens Stalin’s power

• Executions, imprisonment or exile were punishments if found guilty in Stalin’s court.

• Millions of people died as a result of Stalin’s punishments

• Five – Year Plans: goal to increase output of steel, coal, oil & electricity at the expense of consumer goods, creating food, clothing & housing shortages.

• Collective Farms: large farms owned by the state and operated by peasants as a group. Many peasants resisted government attempts to seize land.

• 5 to 10 million peasants died as a direct result of Stalin’s agricultural revolution