Russian Revolution of 1917: Causes & Key Events

Russian Revolution (1917)

• It involved overthrowing the Tsar and replacing him with a Communist government under Vladimir Lenin.

Causes

Political Problems

• Tsar Nicholas II had total control, ignoring the people's needs.
• The Duma (Parliament) was weak and lacked real power.
• People desired freedom and democracy, which the Tsar denied.

Economic Problems

• Poor peasants had little land and money.
• Factory workers endured long hours for meager wages.
• Food shortages and high prices were prevalent.

Social Problems

• There was a large divide between the rich (nobles, Tsar) and the poor (peasants, workers).
• The Bolshevik Party (Communists), led by Lenin, promised "Peace, Land, and Bread".

World War I

• Russia faced severe losses in World War I (1914-1918).
• Millions died, and people at home were starving.
• Soldiers refused to fight, and people blamed the Tsar.

Key Events

February Revolution (March 1917)

• People protested for food, joined by soldiers.
• The Tsar abdicated.
• A Provisional Government took over but failed to solve core problems.

October Revolution (November 1917)

• Lenin and the Bolsheviks forcibly took control.
• The Provisional Government was ousted.
• Russia became a Communist country, later known as the Soviet Union (USSR).

Effects

Political Changes

• The monarchy ended.
• Communism began with Lenin as the leader.
• A civil war erupted between the Reds (Bolsheviks) and Whites (Tsar’s supporters).

Economic Changes

• Land was distributed to peasants.
• Factories and banks were government-controlled.
• The New Economic Policy (NEP) allowed small private businesses.

Social Changes

• Nobles lost power, and peasants gained land.
• Education improved, and industries grew.
• Religion was discouraged, and churches faced government control.

Industrial Revolution (1750-1900s)

• Transition from handmade goods to machine-made goods in factories, which led to faster production, new jobs, and urbanization.

Causes

Agricultural Revolution (Better Farming)

• New tools and methods (crop rotation, seed drill) were introduced.
• Food production increased, leading to population growth.

New Inventions & Machines

• The Steam Engine (James Watt) powered trains, boats, and machines.
• The Spinning Jenny (James Hargreaves) accelerated cloth production.
• The Power Loom (Edmund Cartwright) aided in weaving clothes in factories.

Natural Resources

• Coal and iron powered machines.
• Britain’s abundance of these resources propelled industrial growth.

More Factories & Jobs

• People migrated from villages to cities for factory jobs.
• Mass production lowered costs and increased speed.

Effects

Positive Effects

• More jobs in cities
• Faster and cheaper goods
• New inventions improved daily life
• Better transport (trains, steamboats)
• More trade and a growing economy

Negative Effects

• Bad working conditions (long hours, low pay)
• Child labor (kids worked in factories)
• Pollution from coal and factories
• Overcrowded cities with poor sanitation

Corrective Action

• Workers formed labor unions for better pay and hours.
• Laws limited child labor and improved safety.
• Public transport and sanitation improved in cities.