Study Guides

Unit Summary

In this unit, pupils learn about Karl Marx's theories regarding communism and the conduct and impact of the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917. They examine the Russian Civil War and Russian society in the 1920s and 30s, allowing them to judge the extent to which communism changed Russia.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to explain how the Bolsheviks came to power in Russia and the immediate impact of their rise to power.

Key Notes

• The Bolsheviks were a revolutionary party led by Vladimir Lenin.
• The Provisional Government was toppled by the Bolshevik Party in October 1917.
• Lenin withdrew Russia from WW1 and by agreeing to the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk in 1918.
• The Bolsheviks shot Tsar Nicolas and limited opposition in Russia.

Vocabulary To Learn

• exile: exile involves being sent or kept away from your own country, usually for political reasons
• provisional: something is provisional if it is only temporary
• seized: something is seized if it is taken suddenly and by force
• secret police: a secret police force is used to make opposition to a government weaker, often using illegal and violent methods

Common Mistakes To Avoid

• The Bolsheviks revolutionary background meant that they were completely different to the tsar.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

More Lessons In This Unit

• Karl Marx and communism Study Guide
• Soviet Russia in the 1920s and 1930s Study Guide
• The extent to which communism changed Russia Study Guide
• The Russian Civil War, 1918-21 Study Guide
• Tsarist Russia Study Guide