Power handed down through tsarist dynasty
: monarchy
1900
Changes brought after
protests
representative government created to
work with the tsar - ineffective
1914 - 17
Russia fights in WW1 -
withdrew 1917
1917
Year of revolution and
upheaval
February revolution, Russia ruled
by the 'provisional government' until
October revolution - led by
Bolsheviks
Leader - Lenin. Bolsheviks take
power in Russia
During the Bolshevik struggle for
survival in the civil war Lenin faced
many opponents
Left wing revolutionary groups - objected to
Bolshevik seizure of power and subsequent
actions. Opposition groups included: Mensheviks
and Socialist Revolutionaries
Opponents to the right, landlords and
business men who found property
confiscated and other rights taken
away from them in the name of the
'Russian people'
Former tsarist generals, who
objected to Bolshevik actions such as
signing of Treaty of Brest-Litovsk,
making large concessions to
Germany in order to stop the German
invasion
Some members of national
groups within the former
Russian empire, seeking to
establish ' break away' states
Armies from 17 foreign
nations, including
Britain, USA, France
and Japan.
Key Terms
Constituent Assembly
The parliament elected
soon after Bolshevik
Revolution
The elections did not
produce a Bolshevik majority
so Lenin closed it down and
ruled by force
Mensheviks
The group of Social Democrats that did
not become part of Lenin's Bolshevik
group when the SDP divided in 1903
Formed a separate party in 1917
and did not take part in the October
Revolution. They were suppressed in 1922
Socialist Revolutionaries
Radical Party formed in the 1890's
and looking to the peasants as a
revolutionary force
Party split and Left SRs
collaborated with the Bolsheviks
in 1917
Party effectively suppresed by Bolsheviks by 1920
Former Russian Empire
Included Muslim territories, Asian, Ukraine, South, although
in theory, these places were given independence, however
by the time of Lenin's death they had all been incorporated
into the USSR ruled from Moscow by the communist party
Soviets
Russian word for council. Most
members elected by workers,
soldiers or sailors
Cheka
Power to
investigate, arrest,
interrogate, try to
execute any
opponents of the
regime
Created first Soviet labour
camps responsible for up to
200, 000 deaths