Russian Revolution
1917-1924
PG 68
Obj 3/26/14: SW determine the cause and effect of
political revolutions in Europe.
Intro: Copy the following terms and definitions.
Czar: Russian emperor
Autocracy: Absolute rule by a single appointed ruler
Socialism: A system that advocates the state's ownership of land,
industry and capital. Communism is a branch of socialism.
Marxist: Following the teachings of Karl Marx
Civil war: A war between citizens of the same country.
Communism: An economic and political system in which
property and goods are owned by the government and
products are shared by all.
Dictator: A ruler with total power over a country, typically one
who has obtained power by force.
Russification: spread of Russian culture
Why Were the People Revolting?
85% of people were peasants
Under the last Czar’s leadership- Nicholas II
Causes:
1) Lost Russo-Japanese War
2) Bloody Sunday 1905 - St. Petersburg
-Army opened fire on peaceful protesters asking for
better working conditions
3) Lost 2 mill Russians in WWI
-not ready for battle, lacked supplies
Causes of the Russian Revolution
2 Revolutions
March 1917
• Czar loses power
• Workers rise up
• Led by Alexander
Kerensky
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November 1917Bolshevik Revolution
Led by Vladimir Lenin
He was a
Socialist/Marxist
His people were called
Bolsheviks
Lenin had Nicolas II
family executed
Peace, Land, and Bread
• A promise by Lenin to the people
Peace= withdrew from WWI and gave up some
land
Land and Bread= Lenin divided up farms and
factories –upset the wealthy (Kulaks)
• This led to a civil war
Peace, Land, and Bread
Analyze the Cartoon
1. Who is the
person in the
cartoon?
2. What is he
doing?
Russian Civil War 1918-1921
• Bolshevik Red Army vs. White Army
• Fighting, famine, disease led to 10-15 million
deaths
• Red army, led by Lenin, won civil war
• The Bolshevik Party becomes the Communist
Party
– Bolshevik means “of the majority”
Communist Party
Countries of the world now (red) or previously
(orange) which were led by communist (MarxistLeninist) governments
Communist Party Beliefs
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Central banking system
Government controlled education
Government controlled labor
Government ownership of transportation and
communication vehicles
Government ownership of agricultural means and
factories
Total abolition of private property
Property rights confiscation
Heavy income tax on everyone
Elimination of rights of inheritance
Regional planning
USSR
• Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
– AKA Soviet Union
• A nation of Eurasia from 1922-1991
• Was world’s most powerful Communist country
• Made up of 15 republics – controlled by central
government
• Russification=spread of Russian culture
The Sound of Stalin
REVIEW Video
Animal Farm
• Animal Farm is an allegorical novel by George
Orwell
• Satire on the corrupting influence of power
• The book reflects events leading up to the
Russian Revolution of 1917 and then on into
the Stalin era in the Soviet Union.
Synopsis
A successful
farmyard
revolution by the
resident animals
vs. the farmer
goes horribly
wrong when
corrupt pigs hijack
it for their
personal gain.
Animal Farm Comparison