Russia And The Soviet Union, 1905-24
Overview
In January 1905 crowds walked to the Winter Palace carrying icons and portraits of the Tsar to beg him for help. Twelve years later the same city drove his dynasty out in under a week, and eight months after that a party with a few thousand members seized the state. Understanding how a regime that survived 1905 collapsed so completely in 1917, and how the Bolsheviks then held on through a civil war that killed millions, is one of the genuinely hard problems of modern history.
This note covers Tsarist Russia from the 1905 Revolution to Lenin's death in 1924. Because this is a Paper 2 source topic, it also teaches you how to read the extraordinary evidence this period produced: police reports, private letters from a Tsarina who did not understand what was happening outside her palace, Bolshevik posters, and memoirs written decades later by people with a great deal to justify.
Objectives
- Tsarist rule in Russia, 1905-14: reasons for discontent, the Potemkin Mutiny, Soviets, the 1905 Revolution, the October Manifesto, the dumas, opposition groups, Stolypin's reforms, the Lena Goldfield strike
- Opposition to Tsarist rule 1914-17: effects of the First World War, Rasputin, the February Revolution, the army mutiny, abdication, the Provisional Government
- Provisional Government and the Bolshevik Revolution: weaknesses of the Provisional Government, the Petrograd Soviet, Lenin and the April Theses, the July Days, the Kornilov Revolt, the Bolshevik takeover
- The Bolshevik consolidation of power and the Civil War: the 1917 Decrees, the Constituent Assembly, the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, the Civil War and reasons for Bolshevik victory
- War Communism and the New Economic Policy: reasons for and effects of War Communism, the Kronstadt Mutiny, reasons for and effects of the NEP, achievements of Lenin
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Lesson Note
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Lesson Evaluation
Congratulations on completing the lesson on Russia And The Soviet Union, 1905-24. Now that youve explored the key concepts and ideas, its time to put your knowledge to the test. This section offers a variety of practice questions designed to reinforce your understanding and help you gauge your grasp of the material.
You will encounter a mix of question types, including multiple-choice questions, short answer questions, and essay questions. Each question is thoughtfully crafted to assess different aspects of your knowledge and critical thinking skills.
Use this evaluation section as an opportunity to reinforce your understanding of the topic and to identify any areas where you may need additional study. Don't be discouraged by any challenges you encounter; instead, view them as opportunities for growth and improvement.
- What did the October Manifesto of 1905 promise? A) The abdication of Nicholas II B) An elected duma, civil liberties and legal political parties C) The redistribution of all noble land to the peasants D) Russian withdrawal from the war with Japan Answer: B
- Which event forced Kerensky to arm the Bolshevik Red Guards in 1917? A) The July Days B) The June offensive C) The Kornilov Revolt D) The Kronstadt Mutiny Answer: C
- What happened to the Constituent Assembly elected in November 1917? A) It governed Russia until 1922 B) The Bolsheviks won a majority in it C) It met for a single day in January 1918 and was dispersed by Red Guards D) It was dissolved by the Provisional Government Answer: C
- Which change did the New Economic Policy of 1921 introduce? A) The forcible requisitioning of grain from peasants B) A tax in kind, allowing peasants to sell any surplus, and the legalisation of small private trade C) The nationalisation of all land and the banning of private trade D) The collectivisation of agriculture into state farms Answer: B
- A historian is investigating what the Bolshevik government wanted peasants to believe during the Civil War. Which source would be most useful? A) A White general's private diary B) A Bolshevik recruitment poster of 1919 C) A modern textbook chapter on the Civil War D) A list of Red Army casualty figures Answer: B
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