The Russian Revolution overthrew the Czar's government in 1917 and established communist rule. It happened due to a weak ruler, poor living conditions for workers and peasants, and Russia's poor performance in WWI. There were two revolutions - in February 1917, the Czar abdicated and a provisional government took over, and in October 1917 the Bolsheviks led by Lenin seized power. Lenin immediately pulled Russia out of WWI and proposed distributing land to peasants. He established communist party rule, forming the USSR, before Stalin took control after Lenin's death in 1924.

1. THE RUSSIAN
REVOLUTION

2. The Russian RevoluTionThe Russian RevoluTion

3. What is a Revolution?What is a Revolution?
 A completeA complete changechange in the way things arein the way things are
donedone (Agricultural Revolution, Industrial(Agricultural Revolution, Industrial
Revolution, Russian Revolution)Revolution, Russian Revolution)
 Sometimes peacefulSometimes peaceful
 Sometimes violentSometimes violent
 Russian Revolution = the overthrow of theRussian Revolution = the overthrow of the
Czar’s government and the establishmentCzar’s government and the establishment
of Communist Ruleof Communist Rule

4. Why did theWhy did the
RevolutionRevolution
happen?happen?

5.  A weak ruler.A weak ruler.
 Not in touch with hisNot in touch with his
subjects.subjects.
 Factory workers hadFactory workers had
to work long hours.to work long hours.
 Majority of theMajority of the
Russians were poorRussians were poor
peasants-notpeasants-not
enough food.enough food.
 WWI. Loss of trust.WWI. Loss of trust.
The Czar’s wife wasThe Czar’s wife was
German.German.
 Rasputin.Rasputin.
Czar Nicholas II

6. Rasputin

7. Bloody SundayBloody Sunday
January 1905January 1905
 Unarmed peasants,Unarmed peasants,
marched to themarched to the
Palace requestingPalace requesting
shorter work days,shorter work days,
minimum wage.minimum wage.
 Palace Guards firedPalace Guards fired
upon crowd killingupon crowd killing
hundreds, injuringhundreds, injuring
thousands (withoutthousands (without
orders)orders)

8. World War IWorld War I
 Russia unprepared for war
 Not enough supplies (food, weapons, clothing)
 Army poorly organized
 Soldiers didn’t understand why they were fighting
 Czar Nicholas II and his ministers provided poor
leadership and organization

11. Two Revolutions In OneTwo Revolutions In One
 February RevolutionFebruary Revolution
Czar abdicatesCzar abdicates
ProvisionalProvisional
government setgovernment set
up.up.
 October RevolutionOctober Revolution
The Bolsheviks led byThe Bolsheviks led by
Vladimir LeninVladimir Lenin
take over.take over.

13. The October RevolutionThe October Revolution
 The BolsheviksThe Bolsheviks
(Communists) led by(Communists) led by
Vladimir Lenin takeVladimir Lenin take
over.over.
 ““Tried to attract theTried to attract the
people with sloganspeople with slogans
like, “All Power tolike, “All Power to
the Soviets” andthe Soviets” and
“Peace, Land,“Peace, Land,
Bread”Bread”

14. What Did Lenin Do Upon ComingWhat Did Lenin Do Upon Coming
to Power?to Power?
 Immediately pullsImmediately pulls
Russia out of WWIRussia out of WWI
(what peasants(what peasants
wanted most waswanted most was
peace)peace)
 Proposed theProposed the
distribution of all landdistribution of all land
to peasants.to peasants.
 Lenin’s proposalsLenin’s proposals
adoptedadopted

16. End of RomanovsEnd of Romanovs
 Taken to Western SiberiaTaken to Western Siberia
 Lenin sent telegram authorizing theirLenin sent telegram authorizing their
executionexecution
 Taken to cellar at 1:30 a.m. withTaken to cellar at 1:30 a.m. with
family doctor and servantsfamily doctor and servants
 Nicholas and Alexandra fell firstNicholas and Alexandra fell first
under the hail of bulletsunder the hail of bullets
 Bullets bounced off the daughters,Bullets bounced off the daughters,
diamonds found in their corsetsdiamonds found in their corsets
 Those who survived the bullets wereThose who survived the bullets were
killed by bayonetskilled by bayonets
 Bodies loaded onto truck, stripped ofBodies loaded onto truck, stripped of
jewels, thrown into a minejewels, thrown into a mine
 Mine not deep enough to hide them,Mine not deep enough to hide them,
bodies dumped into a pit in a marshybodies dumped into a pit in a marshy
areaarea

18. Rule of Lenin 1920-1924Rule of Lenin 1920-1924
Bolshevik Party becomes the CommunistBolshevik Party becomes the Communist
PartyParty
Russia becomes the USSRRussia becomes the USSR

19. 19241924
After the death ofAfter the death of
LeninLenin
 Josef Stalin takesJosef Stalin takes
control.control.
 Becomes a dictator.Becomes a dictator.