RUSSIAN REVOLUTION
CAUSES OF THE RUSSIAN
REVOLUTION
• Political – involvement in WWI and a lack
of confidence in the czar
• Economic – financial problems brought on
by the war, food shortages, inflation
• Social – inequality of social classes,
workers strikes
GROUPS INVOLVED
• Czar – used the military and bureaucracy
to hold up his regime. He was an
autocratic ruler out of touch with the
people
• Duma – legislative body that wanted a
government without the czar (they asked
him to step down) so they implemented a
provisional government
Cont.
• Bolsheviks – dedicated to a violent
revolution. They wanted to destroy the
capitalist system and implement socialism
• White Forces – anti-communists made up
of groups loyal to the czar, anti-Leninist
socialists, and Allies fighting the
communist take over
IMPORTANT LEADERS AND
THEIR INFLUENCE
• Czar Nicholas – a weak autocratic leader
who used the military for control.
Stumbled through a series of military
and economic disasters. Allowed his
wife (influenced by Rasputin) to make
decisions while he was fighting the war
• Alexander Kerensky – head of the Duma.
Decided to remain in the war which was a
costly mistake.
Cont.
• V.I. Lenin – leader of the Bolsheviks. Led
the political take over of Russia from
the provisional government by the Red
Forces
• Leon Trotsky – Commissioner of War for
the Red Forces. Reinstated the draft and
rigid discipline. Largely responsible for the
success of the Red Forces
TIMELINE OF KEY EVENTS
• March 8, 1917 – women’s march in Petrograd
• March 10, 1917 – strikes shut down all the factories in
Petrograd
• March 12, 1917 – Duma established a provisional
government
• November 6, 1917 – Bolsheviks seized the Winter
Palace causing the collapse of the government
• March 3, 1918 – Lenin signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
ending Russia’s involvement in WWI
• July 16, 1918 – Royal family murdered by the soviets
• 1921 – Communists in total control of Russia
HOW MUCH DID RUSSIA
CHANGE AFTER THE
REVOLUTION?
• A LOT!
Russia was transformed into a communist
state
The people of Russia were oppressed by the
government.
Lenin executed thousands of people
Russia became hostile toward Allies and a
threat to democracy