Dissent and Revolution, 1917
Key Terms
Structure and state of Russian society Reasons for discontent in Russia
Tsar- The man in charge of the country-
Tsar Nicholas II, part of thr Romanov Russian empire occupied one sixth of the worlds land
*Poverty and hardship- There was a severe lack of food in Moscow and, in 1917,
dynasty. surface and was seen as a great power. There was an Petrograd only received half of the grain required to feed its citizens. These
Autocracy- ruiling by one person in power. enormous diversity of climate, vegetation and pysical shortages contributed to social unrest. In January 1917, in commemoration of
Bloody Sunday, 140 000 workers went on strike in Petrograd. In February, rioting
Okhrana- Secret police under the Tsar
features. Difficult climate and terrain in many areas broke out in the city. In 1916. Food prices were 4 x higher.
meant that most of the population was concentrated *Economic collapse (WWI)- Growing inflation major problem. By 1917, 200%. Price
Duma- A body of government that Nicholas
ii created after 1905. Dissolved multiple in European Russia, west of thr ural mountains. of flour rose by 500%. January 1917 Petrograd only received 48% of its total
grain requirements. The army was also forced to reduce rations from 4,000 to
times. Russias population stood at 126 million people. 2,000 calories a day. Growth of the war economy meant more workers were
employed in factories in the cities. Between 1914 and 1917, Petrograd’s population
Dual authority- Where two bodies rule Population was noted for diversity. Each national
from 2.1 to 2.7 million. By mid-1915, the munitions crisis was so bad that Russian
together. E.g. PG and the Soviet. group had its own language, religion, culture and artillery units were limited to 3 shells per day. Russia’s transport struggle to cope
with the need to transport troops, munitions and food. - 85% of population lived in
Provisional Government- Prince Lvov, traditions. Tradtionally the governments response countryside. Only 5% of land able to be used for agriculture. poor food production.
Kerensky elected head of Pg after July was to insist on russification, whereby russian was not advanced farming techniques (substinence farming). Famine. Unpopular Tsarist
days. autocracy.
the official language. Russian society was shaped the
Petrograd Soviet- Elected local council, *Duma (parliament) wanted more power- autocracy/ divine right/ only parliament =
dominance of the orthodox church and the peasantry, duma. (have v little power) Tsar oppressed all opposition w secret police – Okhrana/
contained radical intellectuals, mensheviks
and Rs as well as a small number of who made up 80 percent of population. opposition would be imprisoned w no trial or exiled
Bolsheviks. *Growth of political opposition- opposition groups began to grow as a consequence of
the Tsars, refusal to reform and improve living conditions. People were protesting
July Days- A period of unrest in Petrograd and rioting more. Becoming more radical and angrier. Support of parties grew as
from July 3rd-7th. Shortages of fuel and raw people grew to dislike the Tsar or the regime.
materials forced 556 factories to close and Key Figures
*Weaknesses of Tsar- Wasn't strong leader - ignorant to his position. Reluctant to
100,000 jobs lost. It led to the rise of
become Tsar. When he first became Tsar in 1914 he said "what is going to happen
violent demonstrations- 20,000 armed sailors Nicholas II- The Tsar, part of the Romanov dynasty.
to me? I am not prepared to be Tsar"
of kronstadt appeared joined by the
workers, sailors and some Bolshevik soldiers. *Rasputin- Rasputin was not the czar and did not have the interests of the people
at hear nor the credentials to be a leader. The czar's family was supposed to have
Kornilov Coup- Aleksandr Kerensky- Made the Pm of the provisional control over Russia, but since Rasputin had taken control this became a sort of
deception to the people. Rasputin was manipulating the czar's family with the
government in July 1917. Part of the Kornilov affair.
influence he had over them.
Bolshevik- Radical far left marxicst faction, *Collapse of the army
that seized power in October 1917.
Leon Trotsky- Studied the work of Marx in exile, in 1902
escaped to London to meet Lenin, found St Petersburg
Lenin’s Decrees- promised peace,land and soviet in 1905, was in the USA in feb revolution, returned
bread. All power to the soviet. in May as a Bolshevik, chaired the PS and organised the
Military revolutionary Committee.
, The February/March Revolution of 1917
Course of the Revolution, 14th-28th Feb Issues of leadership – emergence of soviets The Petrograd Soviet
th
14 February- 100,000 workers from 58 factories on strike in
Petrograd.
The mass of workers, soldiers and peasants
regarded the provisional government as a self
22nd February- 200,000 workers were locked out of Putilov steel
works by management after pay talks collapsed. appointed committee of the wealthy, tainted by
their previous associations with tsardom. HQ in
23rd February- 90,000 workers on strike and 50 factories closed.
Workers joined march of women for international womens day. left wing of the Tauride palace and composed
Fell into chaos 240,000 on the streets. of radical socialist intellectuals, Mensheviks
Friday 24th February- 200,000 workers on strike, crowds and Social Revolutionaries.
overturned tsarist statues, waved red flags, wore red rosettes
and called for an end to tsardom.
25th February- 250,000 people on strike and Petrograd on
standstill. Major factories and most shops closed. No newspaper
or public transport.
26th February- Rodzianko, duma president, sent the tsar a
telegram warning him of the serious situation in Petrograd.
Nicholas ignored the warning and ordered the duma to dissolve
duma to dissolve the next day. The Provisional Government The Dual Authority
27th February- Tsar ordered Khabalov the commander of
Petrograd military district to restore order by military force. A
Grand duke milkhail relinquished political authority to Strengths Weaknesses
mutiny began in the Volynskii regiment. 66,000 soldiers mutinied a hastily convened provisional government under
and joined the protesters, arming them with 40,000 rifles. Duma Prince Lvov- a wealthy aristocrat and zemstva leader.
held a meeting despite the tsars orders and set up a provisional It would be temporary and that elections would be
committee to take over government. Revolutionaries set up a
held as soon as possible for a new constituent
Soviet which intended to take over the government.
assembly which would draw upon a new constitution
28th February- Nicholas ii left his military HQ and made his way
for Russia. The PG was accepted as legitimate by the
back to Petrograd. He sent a telegram to Rodzianko offering to
share power with the Duma. The leader replied “The measures you old tsarist civil service, army offices and the police.
propose are too late. The time for them has gone. There is no It set up itself in the Duma chamber in the right wing
return. of the Tauride palace in Petrograd and so
perpetuated its rule although never rejecting the idea
of elections at a later date.
Key Terms
Structure and state of Russian society Reasons for discontent in Russia
Tsar- The man in charge of the country-
Tsar Nicholas II, part of thr Romanov Russian empire occupied one sixth of the worlds land
*Poverty and hardship- There was a severe lack of food in Moscow and, in 1917,
dynasty. surface and was seen as a great power. There was an Petrograd only received half of the grain required to feed its citizens. These
Autocracy- ruiling by one person in power. enormous diversity of climate, vegetation and pysical shortages contributed to social unrest. In January 1917, in commemoration of
Bloody Sunday, 140 000 workers went on strike in Petrograd. In February, rioting
Okhrana- Secret police under the Tsar
features. Difficult climate and terrain in many areas broke out in the city. In 1916. Food prices were 4 x higher.
meant that most of the population was concentrated *Economic collapse (WWI)- Growing inflation major problem. By 1917, 200%. Price
Duma- A body of government that Nicholas
ii created after 1905. Dissolved multiple in European Russia, west of thr ural mountains. of flour rose by 500%. January 1917 Petrograd only received 48% of its total
grain requirements. The army was also forced to reduce rations from 4,000 to
times. Russias population stood at 126 million people. 2,000 calories a day. Growth of the war economy meant more workers were
employed in factories in the cities. Between 1914 and 1917, Petrograd’s population
Dual authority- Where two bodies rule Population was noted for diversity. Each national
from 2.1 to 2.7 million. By mid-1915, the munitions crisis was so bad that Russian
together. E.g. PG and the Soviet. group had its own language, religion, culture and artillery units were limited to 3 shells per day. Russia’s transport struggle to cope
with the need to transport troops, munitions and food. - 85% of population lived in
Provisional Government- Prince Lvov, traditions. Tradtionally the governments response countryside. Only 5% of land able to be used for agriculture. poor food production.
Kerensky elected head of Pg after July was to insist on russification, whereby russian was not advanced farming techniques (substinence farming). Famine. Unpopular Tsarist
days. autocracy.
the official language. Russian society was shaped the
Petrograd Soviet- Elected local council, *Duma (parliament) wanted more power- autocracy/ divine right/ only parliament =
dominance of the orthodox church and the peasantry, duma. (have v little power) Tsar oppressed all opposition w secret police – Okhrana/
contained radical intellectuals, mensheviks
and Rs as well as a small number of who made up 80 percent of population. opposition would be imprisoned w no trial or exiled
Bolsheviks. *Growth of political opposition- opposition groups began to grow as a consequence of
the Tsars, refusal to reform and improve living conditions. People were protesting
July Days- A period of unrest in Petrograd and rioting more. Becoming more radical and angrier. Support of parties grew as
from July 3rd-7th. Shortages of fuel and raw people grew to dislike the Tsar or the regime.
materials forced 556 factories to close and Key Figures
*Weaknesses of Tsar- Wasn't strong leader - ignorant to his position. Reluctant to
100,000 jobs lost. It led to the rise of
become Tsar. When he first became Tsar in 1914 he said "what is going to happen
violent demonstrations- 20,000 armed sailors Nicholas II- The Tsar, part of the Romanov dynasty.
to me? I am not prepared to be Tsar"
of kronstadt appeared joined by the
workers, sailors and some Bolshevik soldiers. *Rasputin- Rasputin was not the czar and did not have the interests of the people
at hear nor the credentials to be a leader. The czar's family was supposed to have
Kornilov Coup- Aleksandr Kerensky- Made the Pm of the provisional control over Russia, but since Rasputin had taken control this became a sort of
deception to the people. Rasputin was manipulating the czar's family with the
government in July 1917. Part of the Kornilov affair.
influence he had over them.
Bolshevik- Radical far left marxicst faction, *Collapse of the army
that seized power in October 1917.
Leon Trotsky- Studied the work of Marx in exile, in 1902
escaped to London to meet Lenin, found St Petersburg
Lenin’s Decrees- promised peace,land and soviet in 1905, was in the USA in feb revolution, returned
bread. All power to the soviet. in May as a Bolshevik, chaired the PS and organised the
Military revolutionary Committee.
, The February/March Revolution of 1917
Course of the Revolution, 14th-28th Feb Issues of leadership – emergence of soviets The Petrograd Soviet
th
14 February- 100,000 workers from 58 factories on strike in
Petrograd.
The mass of workers, soldiers and peasants
regarded the provisional government as a self
22nd February- 200,000 workers were locked out of Putilov steel
works by management after pay talks collapsed. appointed committee of the wealthy, tainted by
their previous associations with tsardom. HQ in
23rd February- 90,000 workers on strike and 50 factories closed.
Workers joined march of women for international womens day. left wing of the Tauride palace and composed
Fell into chaos 240,000 on the streets. of radical socialist intellectuals, Mensheviks
Friday 24th February- 200,000 workers on strike, crowds and Social Revolutionaries.
overturned tsarist statues, waved red flags, wore red rosettes
and called for an end to tsardom.
25th February- 250,000 people on strike and Petrograd on
standstill. Major factories and most shops closed. No newspaper
or public transport.
26th February- Rodzianko, duma president, sent the tsar a
telegram warning him of the serious situation in Petrograd.
Nicholas ignored the warning and ordered the duma to dissolve
duma to dissolve the next day. The Provisional Government The Dual Authority
27th February- Tsar ordered Khabalov the commander of
Petrograd military district to restore order by military force. A
Grand duke milkhail relinquished political authority to Strengths Weaknesses
mutiny began in the Volynskii regiment. 66,000 soldiers mutinied a hastily convened provisional government under
and joined the protesters, arming them with 40,000 rifles. Duma Prince Lvov- a wealthy aristocrat and zemstva leader.
held a meeting despite the tsars orders and set up a provisional It would be temporary and that elections would be
committee to take over government. Revolutionaries set up a
held as soon as possible for a new constituent
Soviet which intended to take over the government.
assembly which would draw upon a new constitution
28th February- Nicholas ii left his military HQ and made his way
for Russia. The PG was accepted as legitimate by the
back to Petrograd. He sent a telegram to Rodzianko offering to
share power with the Duma. The leader replied “The measures you old tsarist civil service, army offices and the police.
propose are too late. The time for them has gone. There is no It set up itself in the Duma chamber in the right wing
return. of the Tauride palace in Petrograd and so
perpetuated its rule although never rejecting the idea
of elections at a later date.
