Causes of the October Revolution The Fall of the Provisional Government and the Rise of the Bolsheviks Objective: To know the short term causes of the October Revolution and explain how they led the Bolsheviks to seize power in October To understand why the Bolsheviks became and appealing alternative to the Provisional Government. Wednesday 8th November 2011 Key Knowledge: Storming of the Winter Palace, Trotsky and The Military Revolutionary Committee and The Red Guards Key terms: short and medium term reasons and web of causation 5

Short, Medium and Long term causes What was the final straw?

October Revolution 1917 Late September 1917 (after the Kornilov Affair), major cities including Petrograd and Moscow were in Bolshevik hands. Trotsky set up the Military Revolutionary Committee (MRC) of the Petrograd Soviets, to actively plan seizing power. Mid October- Lenin returns from hiding in Finland to take control of the Bolsheviks preparations. He believed that they should seize power by force. This was agreed but no date fixed. Kerensky out of touch with the people. He ordered the Petrograd garrison to the front line against Germany. There was a munity and the soldiers declared themselves loyal to the Bolsheviks. 3 rd November- Trotsky announced the MRC had taken command of the Garrison. 6-7 th November Red Guards occupied government buildings throughout the city. Most citizens of Petrograd did not even notice a Kerensky fled the city. The rest of the P.G. Locked themselves in the Winter Palace and were guarded by a few 1000 soldiers, including young cadets and approx 200 women soldiers – gradually slipped away. Late evening 6 th November –guns opened fire on the palace. 2am 7 th November – Bolsheviks entered the Palace and arrested the Ministers inside.

Causes of the October Revolution CauseMedium Term/Short Term Cause Significance/ Importance Why Tsar Peasant Unrest WW1 -Military Mutiny Provisional Government Bolsheviks / Lenin July days/ Kornilov affair Medium Medium/ short Short

Question: Why did the Bolsheviks become an appealing alternative to the Provisional Government?

Homework – Due in tomorrow Create your own timeline of events up to and including the October Revolution

MAR 12 Formation of the Provisional Government and Petrograd Soviet 14 Order No.1 issued by the Soviet 16 Tsar abdicates. Provisional Government declared. APR 16 Lenin returns to Petrograd form Switzerland 17 April Thesis Published MAY 5 Non-Bolshevik Socialists become ministers in the Provisional Government JUN 15 First all Russian Congress of Soviets meets JUL 2 Major military offensive launched by Kerensky July Days. Lenin goes into hiding in Finland SEP 15 Attempted coup by general Kornilov 19 Bolsheviks win control of Moscow Soviet OCT 6 Bolsheviks win control of Petrograd Soviet 23 Lenin returns to Petrograd secretly and persuades Bolsheviks to seize power NOV 6-7 Bolsheviks take control of Petrograd and force out of the Provisional Government

Using your knowledge from this lesson and the commentary beside the source, what inferences can you make? Much-publicized photo showing the storming of the Winter Palace, October It is in fact from a Bolshevik re- enactment staged as a civic spectacle on the third anniversary of the action. The actual fighting at the Palace took place at night and there were no cameras present.

The October Revolution Objective: To understand why the Bolsheviks became an appealing alternative to the Provisional Government. To understand how they were able to seize power in October Wednesday 9 th November 2011 Key Knowledge: Pravda News Paper, Lenin – Peace, Bread, Land Key terms: 6

Diamond 9 Group Work: Each group has a pack. This includes the instructions. The group that works the hardest will have a chance to present theirs to the class. Most important Connects all Least important

Peace, Bread and Land PeaceBreadLand Who did it appeal to? Who apposed it?

Why were the Bolsheviks able to seize power? They had a strong political and economic centre in the Petrograd Soviet. They had their own armed forces, the ‘Red Guards’. They were organised and disciplined and had clear planned strategies. They were realistic, practical and clever in setting their short term goals. The Provisional Government was weak and ineffective. Lenin was an inspiring leader with vision, clarity and ability.

The role of the Pravda Newspaper Fact: Pravda means TRUTH. During the Russian Revolution Lenin began the newspaper Pravda, he used this to spread social democratic ways through the newspaper. The paper was published abroad and smuggled into Russia since the Russian imperialists might not have taken a liking to its social democratic ways, which criticized what they stood for. However, the paper was very popular with Russian peasants, and one can say that it would have spurred on the workers and peasants during the Russian Revolution. It emerged in Moscow in 1918 as the official party paper and the name Pravda (Truth).

Extension Work You are a journalist for Pravda and you have just witnessed the October Revolution. Write an article explaining the revolution you just witnessed. Tips – think which point of view you are portraying. - Make sure to use your own knowledge and empathetic understanding of the event.

Homework: Web of causation Causes of the October Revolution

Bolshevik Rule Objective: What changes did the Bolsheviks introduce when they seized power. Tuesday 15 th November 2011 Key Knowledge: Dissolving of the Constituent Assembly, Treaty of Brest Litovsk Key terms 6

plenary In your own point of view, do you think communism would improve Russia or weaken it? Write about how communism would affect the economic, social and political situation in Russia?

Bolshevik Rule Objectives: Key Knowledge: Key terms: : PEEL writing grid to explain economic, political and social changes introduced by the Bolsheviks (6 marks) Tuesday 15 th November 2011 Revision

Assessment for learning 6 marks 2.1 Write down three things about Bolsheviks & Communism that you see in the source and read the caption. 2.2 What can we learn from Source A about the Bolsheviks & Communism? 2.3 What two things do you know from your own knowledge about the Bolsheviks?