The Russian Revolution
Revolutions toppled the tsar and brought the Bolsheviks to power.
About this topic
In 1917 Russia experienced two revolutions that ended the rule of the tsars. Tsar Nicholas II ruled as an autocrat over a poor, mostly peasant country, and defeat and hardship in World War I, food shortages and anger at the royal family, influenced by Rasputin, led to strikes and mutinies. In the February Revolution, Nicholas abdicated and a Provisional Government took power but continued the unpopular war.
Vladimir Lenin and the Bolsheviks, a radical Marxist party, promised peace, land and bread, and seized power in the October Revolution (November 1917) with the help of Leon Trotsky and soviets, councils of workers and soldiers. A civil war between the Red Army and the White Army, backed by foreign powers, followed until 1921, and the royal family was executed in 1918. Lenin made peace at Brest-Litovsk and introduced the New Economic Policy to allow some private business.
In 1922 the Soviet Union (USSR) was formed. After Lenin died in 1924, Joseph Stalin took control, built a totalitarian state with five-year plans for rapid industrialization, collectivized farms, and conducted purges and gulags, causing millions of deaths. Communism, based on Karl Marx's ideas of a classless society, spread and defined the Cold War. Misconception: Marx's theory and what the USSR practised were not the same.
Key ideas
- February and October 1917
- Lenin and Trotsky
- USSR founded 1922
Quick check
Use cases: where The Russian Revolution helps
- Homework: review the key idea behind The Russian Revolution before you start a problem set.
- Exam revision: use the quick check to test whether you can recall The Russian Revolution without notes.
- Visual learning: play with the interactive lab to see how The Russian Revolution changes when you adjust its inputs.
- Teaching a friend: explain The Russian Revolution in your own words, then compare your version with the key ideas.
Studying the past helps explain today’s politics, borders, cultures and institutions.
Frequently asked questions
What is The Russian Revolution?
Revolutions toppled the tsar and brought the Bolsheviks to power.
What will I learn in The Russian Revolution?
February and October 1917. Lenin and Trotsky. USSR founded 1922.
Is The Russian Revolution part of World History?
Yes. It is one of 80 World History topics on LearnViz HighSchoolEdu, with 3 key ideas, a live animation and a quick check.
Does the The Russian Revolution lab work on a phone or tablet?
Yes. The animation resizes to fit your screen and supports touch, so you can drag, tap and slide with your finger.
How should I study The Russian Revolution?
Read the summary and key ideas first, play with the interactive lab to see the idea in motion, then answer the quick check. If you get a question wrong, go back to the key idea it tests.
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