1. The Russian Revolution of 1917

2. Bloody Sunday Jan. 1905 Workers protest peacefully in St. Petersburg
Tsarist troops fire into protesters without the Tsar’s knowledge
Approximately 1000 dead or injured
Widespread strikes ensue

3. Pre-WWI Tsar promises Constitution and Parliament
The Parliament, the Duma is formed and then disbanded after electing an anti-Tsarist government (1906)
Continued Worker Unrest
Russia’s entry into WWI (1914)

4. WWI and the February Revolution
Because of WWI, life was extremely difficult for the Russian people
In St. Petersburg, workers strike because of food shortages
Troops were sent to quell the rebellion

5. WWI and the February Revolution
Troops refused to shoot at protesters and the army rebelled against the Tsar.
Tsar Nicolas II abdicates the Russian throne
Interim government was headed by Social Revolutionary Alexander Kerensky

6. The October Revolution
Kerensky’s government was unable to deal with both WWI and problems at home
In what became known as the Kornilov Affair, Kerensky gave military control to Lavr Kornilov
Kornilov immediately tried to seize power from Kerensky

7. The October Revolution
Kerensky turned to the Bolsheviks, a Communist Party led by V.I. Lenin, for help.
The Bolsheviks’ Red Guards repelled Kornilov and became heroes
Lenin and the Bolsheviks then took over from Kerensky militarily and politically

8. WWI and the Legacy of the U.S.S.R.
Lenin withdrew the Russians from WWI by signing the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
Lenin won a civil war with Kornilov and others for power
Lenin strategically eliminated his rivals and formed a single-party Communist state

9. The Legacy of the U.S.S.R.
After Lenin’s death Josef Stalin assumed control of the U.S.S.R.
Stalin ruthlessly consolidated his personal power from the 1920s to the 1950s
The U.S.S.R. remained the second superpower until its collapse in 1991