Russian Revolution 1917 Russian flag before the Communist

Russian Revolution 1917 Russian flag before the Communist Revolution Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) flag

Russian Reform • ROMANOV Dynasty • Most Russians were Serfs • 1825: 100 years of turmoil after Czar Alexander I died • Russia was agricultural – 80 % were serfs who were bound to the Nobles • Czar had unlimited power – but didn’t undo serfdom • Decembrists: Army officers who led revolt in December 1825 Czar Alexander I – wanted a written constitution for Russia that allowed some of the rights of Western Europe

Czar Nicholas I (1830 s) • RUSSIFICATION – Russian Orthodox Church – Culture • Russian Foreign Policy – Pan-Slavism – Continue expansion – lost the Crimean War • Refused to free Serfs – crushed 500 uprisings with landlords help – limited education – censored books – set up a secret police – leaders executed or sent to Siberia forced labor

Czar Alexander II (1855) • son of Nicholas I • Emancipation Edict – Freed the Serfs – but the peasants didn’t own land. • Peasants were part of a MIR – peasant community – owned, worked, and paid for land together – impossible to leave b/c others would have to pay extra share of taxes • Zemstvos: local gov’ts • Taxes and limited land led to peasant riots in late 1800 s

• Populists – aka: NARODNIKI – young students who taught peasants to read – spread idea of revolution – Many were arrested and sent to Siberia – A student threw a bomb at and killed Alexander II • The People’s Will

Czar Alexander III • Ended Liberal reforms – “senseless dreams” • “power and right of autocracy” • revived Russification – – Autocracy Russian Orthodox Church Nationalism Jewish Pogroms • Liberals did not quit – Social Democratic Labor Party – new class of urbanites • “Bloody Sunday” – triggered Revolut. of 1905

Czar Nicholas II (1894) • October Manifesto – Individual liberties – DUMA: parliament • Encouraged the growth of industries • ordered tariffs to protect products from foreign competition • Trans-Siberian Railway – connect European Russia with Russian ports on the Pacific – Completed in 1904 – longest in the world • Coal output 1/20 of the US • HUGE gap between rich and poor • Russia in the early stage of their Industrial Revolution

Russia in World War I • Exposed weaknesses – Industry – Infrastructure • Spring 1917 – lost faith in Nicholas II • DUMA dissolved • Army backed DUMA • March 1917: Nicholas II abdicates • Romanov Dynasty ends – All Romanov’s were killed • RASPUTIN

Lenin and the Bolsheviks • Petrograd Soviet Workers’ & Soldiers’ Deputies – Soviets = councils • Mensheviks: socialists • Bolsheviks: radical socialists – – – Vladimir I. LENIN Middle class lawyer Brother killed by czar police “peace, land, & bread” Anti-imperialism • October Revolution – aka: the Bolshevik Revolution • became the Communist Party • Bolsheviks called Russia the: – Union of Soviet Socialist Republics • USSR • Soviet Union

Peace and Civil War • March 1917: USSR withdraws fm WWI • forced to cede territory • Civil War erupts (3 yrs) – Vs. Mensheviks & – right-wing groups • Communist = REDs • Rightwingers = WHITEs – – Supporters o/t Czar aided by Allied Powers 1921: REDs prevail 1922: USSR is named

Lenin Restores Order • New Economic Policy (NEP) – farmers could sell surplus for profit • based on writings of Karl Marx – “Class Struggle” – COMMUNISM • Gov’t controls all aspects of the economy – Wanted a worldwide revolution of the proletariat • Dies in 1924 after a series of strokes – body was embalmed and put out for public display