1. RUSSIAN REVOLUTION

2. By the 20th Century A major crisis was due and had to happen
Russia was an unfair society and needed social, economic and political reform.
WHY????

3. Political
Czar Nicholas II – autocratic (had total control) and ineffective
Massive personal wealth
Backed by an army of 1 million and secret police
Political parties banned
Press was censored
Harsh punishments – exile to Siberia

4. BUT . . . Many Russians worshipped the Tsar and peasants
typically had a picture of the Tsar on a wall of their hut.

5. SOCIAL

6. Rural Life 80% were peasants – subsistence farmers 60%+ = illiterate
Life expectancy = 40
Land ownership rare – communes
Couldn’t leave commune without elders’ permission
Drought and crop failure common

7. Labor in the Cities
Russia had grown industrially but living and working conditions were horrendous
Average working day was 14 hours
Unions banned but some strikes took place
Potential for political activism

9. Bloody Sunday
,000 workers and families marched for better working conditions, more freedom and elected leaders.
Czar ordered generals to fire
on crowd
Several hundred killed.

10. WWI Russian army ineffective and losing to the Germans
Nicholas II goes to the front to inspire the troops (oops!)
All resources going to the war – people starving at home
War still goes badly

11. Overthrow People rioted against Czar
Troops refused to fire against rioters, but instead joined in!
Czar Nicholas II steps down
Revolution turns radical
Vladimir Lenin – leader of Bolsheviks (communists)

12. Lenin Lenin is returned to Russia by the Germans from exile.
Lenin calls for “Peace, Land, and Bread”
Bolsheviks stage a coup – fairly peaceful

13. Out of WWI Communists claim absolute control Make peace with Germany
Kill the Czar and his family
Communists rule in Russia
(U.S.S.R.) from

16. Rasputin A mystic who “healed” the czar’s son who had hemophilia
Huge influence over royal family
Was killed by royal supporters
Czar’s reputation still damaged