Why was there a Revolution in Russia in 1917?



Russia: Reform and ReactionBy 1815, Russia was the largest, most populous nation in Europe. The Russian colossus had immense natural resources. Reformers hoped to free autocratic rule, economic backwardness, and social injustice. Another was that, for centuries, tsars (czars) had ruled with absolute power, while the majority of Russians were poor serfs.Alexander II became tsar in 1855 during the Crimean War. Events in his reign represent the pattern of reform and repression of previous tsars. The war, which ended in a Russian defeat, revealed the country’s backwardness and inefficient bureaucracy. People demanded changes, so Alexander II agreed to some reforms. He ordered the emancipation of the serfs. He also set up a system of local, elected assemblies called zemstvos. Then he introduced legal reforms, such as trial by jury. These reforms, however, failed to satisfy many Russians. Radicals pressed for even greater changes and more reforms. The tsar then backed away from reform and moved toward repression. This sparked anger from radicals and, in 1881, terrorists assassinated Alexander II. In response to his father’s death, Alexander III revived harsh, repressive policies. He also suppressed the cultures of non-Russian peoples, which led to their persecution. Official persecution encouraged pogroms, or violent mob attacks on Jewish people. Many left Russia and became refugees.Russia began to industrialize under Alexander III and his son Nicholas II. However, this just increased political and social problems because nobles and peasants feared the changes industrialization brought. News of military disasters added to the unrest. On Sunday, January 22, 1905, a peaceful protest calling for reforms turned deadly when the tsar’s troops killed and wounded hundreds of people. In the months that followed this “Bloody Sunday,” discontent exploded across Russia. Nicholas was forced to make sweeping reforms. He agreed to summon a Duma. He then appointed a new prime minister, Peter Stolypin. Stolypin soon realized Russia needed reform, not just repression. Unfortunately, the changes he introduced were too limited. By 1914, Russia was still an autocracy, but the nation was simmering with discontent.Answer the following questions on A SEPARATE SHEET OF PAPER in COMPLETE SENTENCES.What effect did the Crimean War have on Russia?What were zemstvos?What does the word radicals mean in this reading?What happened during Alexander II’s reign that led to his assassination? What occurred on January 22, 1905?What did Peter Stolypin realize when he became Prime Minister?Sources on Tsar Nicholas IISource 1: “The daily work of a monarch he found intolerably boring. He could not stand listening long or seriously to ministers’ reports, or reading them.” - Alexander Kerensky, leader of the provisional government.Source 2: “His ancestors did not pass on to his one quality which would have made him capable of governing an empire.” - Leon Trotsky, leader of the Bolshevik PartySource 3: “Nicholas II was not fit to run a village post office.” – Unknown cabinet memberSource 4: “He never had an opinion of his own… always agreeing with the judgment of the last person he spoke to.” – Grand Duke Alexander MikhailovichSource 5: Nicholas was “kind to those around him and deeply religious… He believed wholeheartedly in autocracy…. He genuinely wanted to bring happiness and prosperity to his people.” – excerpt from a modern textbookSource 6: “He has a quick mind and learns easily. In this respect he is far superior to his father.” – Sergei Witte, chief minister to Nicholas IISource 7: “There is no doubt that Nicholas was a kind, well-meaning person, with a deep affection for his family. He was devoted to his wife, Alexandra, his son, Alexis, and his four daughters. Family photographs were in every room of the palace, including the lavatory.” - excerpt from a modern textbookSource 8: “Nicholas would sooner spend time his family than deal with governmental affairs. [He] could be cruel and merciless. He would not stand for opposition. His answer was always the same – violence.” - excerpt from a modern textbookSource 9: “He kept saying… that he was wholly unfit to reign... And yet Nicky’s unfitness was by no means his fault. He had intelligence, he had faith and courage and he was wholly ignorant about governmental matters. Nicky had been trained as a soldier. He should have been taught statesmanship, and he was not.” – Grand Duchess Olga, the Tsar’s sisterSource 10: “Nicholas believed wholeheartedly in autocracy. He thought that democracy with elections and parliaments would lead to the collapse of Russia. Nicholas knew very little about the [Russian] people. He did not visit factories or villages, or go on tours. His information about what was going on came from a small number of people, who were quite happy to protect him from the realities of life in Russia..” - excerpt from a modern textbookSource 11: Nicholas was “even more poorly prepared than his father for the burdens of kingship. Nicholas had no knowledge of the world of men, of politics or government to help him make the weighty decisions that in the Russian system the Tsar alone must make.” – Russia in the Age of Modernization and Revolution, 1983Source 12: “Nicholas was not a stupid man… The problems Russia faced were very great… Nicholas II loved his country and served it loyally and to the best of his ability. He had not sought power… He was very kind, sensitive, generous… The situation would probably have destroyed any man who sat on the throne.” – From Nicholas II, Emperor of All the Russians, by Dominic Lieven, 1994Tsar Nicholas II - Was he a good ruler for Russia?Directions: Using the sources provided on Tsar Nicholas II, create a T-Chart and list the attributes he possessed that made him either a good or poor leader. Write the number of the source with each of the attributes listed.Good LeaderPoor LeaderIn your opinion, based on this chart, was Tsar Nicholas II a good or bad ruler for Russia? Why? (Answer in a COMPLETE PARAGRAPH ON A SEPARATE SHEET OF PAPER)Why was there a Revolution in Russia in 1917?Tsarist Russia Until 1917, Russia was ruled by a Tsar. Nicholas II had become Tsar in 1894. He was an autocrat (a ruler who has absolute control over the country). People who spoke out against the government were sent to prison. Rioters were attacked by the Cossacks (Russian soldiers). In 1905 there had been a revolution against the rule of the Tsar. In order to keep his position, Nicholas had been forced to accept a Duma (parliament) but nothing really changed, Nicholas kept power and if members of the Duma disagreed with him they were sent away. In 1914 Germany declared war on Russia and in 1915, Nicholas took control of the army. The Russians faced a series of defeats and Nicholas was blamed. While Nicholas was at the front fighting the war his wife Alexandra was left in charge of the country. She was very influenced by the holy man Rasputin. People resented the influence of Rasputin and he was murdered. The Romanoffs were very unpopular. By 1917 there were food and fuel shortages. High unemployment meant that huge numbers of people were living in poverty. People were munismKarl Marx (1818-1883) had said that industrialization had made the middle classes rich and powerful but had made the workers slaves. He said that the workers should rebel and take power away from the rich. He believd that nothing should be privately owned and that everything should be commonly owned. This theory is called communism. A group of people called the Bolsheviks believed that the royal family should be overthrown and communism introduced.The leader of the Bolsheviks was Vladimir Lenin but he had been forced to leave Russia to avoid being imprisoned. Lenin continued to be leader of the Bolsheviks while in exile – publishing communist leaflets and raising money for their cause. He also spoke against the war.The February RevolutionIn February 1917 people rioted on the streets of Russia. They were joined by soldiers and members of the Duma. Nicholas II was forced to abdicate and a new government called the provisional government took over. Many Bolsheviks, including Joseph Stalin believed that the Russian people would not accept a Socialist government and supported the provisional government led by Alexander Kerensky who became President of Russia. The workers, soldiers, and peasants elected their own councils called Soviets. The Soviets were as powerful as the government.The October RevolutionKerensky had not ended the war as the people had hoped but had planned a new offensive against the Germans. Soldiers began deserting and returning to their homes. Many of them used their weapons to take land from the rich. In April 1917, Lenin returned from exile. He was angry that Russia was still fighting in the war and that many Bolsheviks supported the provisional government. Joseph Stalin had to decide whether to oppose Lenin or whether to abandon his support for the provisional government. He chose to support Lenin and on 24th October the Bolsheviks seized the Winter Palace, the headquarters of the provisional government. In December 1917 Lenin signed the treaty of Brest-Litovsk which took Russia out of the war. In 1918, the Russian royal family were murdered by the Bolsheviks.Civil WarMany Russians did not support the Bolshevik government and tried to oppose the Bolsheviks. The Bolsheviks were known as the ‘reds’ those that opposed them were known as the ‘whites’. There was civil war between the reds and whites. Armies from Britain, France and America supported the whites but the Bolsheviks were more powerful and by 1922 the Bolsheviks were in charge of Russia.Answer the following questions on A SEPARATE SHEET OF PAPER in COMPLETE SENTENCES.Make a timeline of events that led to the two revolutions of 1917.How did the feelings of the people of Russia in 1917 help the February revolution to succeed?Why was Lenin unhappy with the results of the February revolution?What steps could Nicholas II have taken to avoid revolution in Russia?What occurred during the Russian Civil War?-208280196215RussiaBolshevikThis political cartoon was published in a London newspaper following the Russo-German Armistice of December 16, 1917. With this armistice, Russia, under the leadership of Vladimir Lenin, ended its involvement in World War I. Russia’s withdrawal from the war would later be formalized in the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk (March 3, 1918).Answer the following questions on A SEPARATE SHEET OF PAPER in COMPLETE SENTENCES.According to this political cartoon, with what had Germany bribed the Bolsheviks to hand over Russia?With what group does this political cartoon appear to be more sympathetic – Russians, Bolsheviks, or Germans? Why?Why do you suppose that Russia is represented as a woman, rather than by a figure of the Russian tsar? ................
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