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 why tsarist rule in Russia came to an end in February 1917.

Key Notes

• Russia in the early 20th century was governed by an absolutist tsar.
• Russian society was largely rural with 85% of Russians living in the countryside.
• Russian society was unequal. The aristocracy and middle classes had far greater wealth than peasants and workers.
• Fighting was going badly on the Eastern Front, causing high levels of poverty in Russia.
• Strikes and riots broke out in early 1917, forcing the Tsar to abdicate and go into exile.

Vocabulary To Learn

• tsar: tsar is the Russian word for emperor
• Duma: the Duma was a Russian parliament set up in 1906
• absolute power: a ruler has absolute power if they can act as they wish without any restrictions
• abdicate: to abdicate means to give up the throne

Common Mistakes To Avoid

• Revolutions always involve the execution of the previous leaders of government.

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 Bolsheviks Study Guide
• The extent to which communism changed Russia Study Guide
• The Russian Civil War, 1918-21 Study Guide