Name______

Russian Revolution Questions

Checking For Understanding

Answer the following questions with complete sentences. Use concepts from class and key terms listed at the end of each question. Underline or highlight each term used. (3 pts each)

  1. How did World War I help to bring about the Russian Revolution? (Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, Czar Nicholas II)
  1. Soldiers were devastated by the German military, shared resentment towards Czar Nicholas II.
  2. Soldiers were ill-equipped and lost 1.7 million people and the Czar did nothing to ease these problems of the Russian people
  3. In the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, Russia signed away huge amounts of RussianLand to Germany
  1. How was the social structure of Czarist Russia similar to pre-Revolutionary France? (Estate System, peasants, intellectuals, clergy, nobility, social classes)
  1. Just like the Estate System in France under Louis XVI, Russia was divided into social classes that people could not get out of.
  2. The Peasants were 90 percent of the population and paid the most taxes
  3. Intellectuals were educated who pushed for political change.
  4. The Clergy and Nobility were the upper 1 percent of the population and controlled all the land and wealth
  1. What did the Revolution of 1905 establish and why did it ultimately fail? (Duma, Bloody Sunday, October Manifesto)
  1. Protesting the Czarist Rule, workers organized in front of Kremlin and the Czar ordered them shot down. This was known as Bloody Sunday
  2. Russian workers went on a nation-wide strike, stopping the Russian Economy
  3. Czar Nicholas was forced to sign the October Manifesto which created a Duma or elected Parliament.
  4. The Czar still maintained absolute control therefore the Duma had no political power and the Revolution of 1905 failed.
  1. How did the revolutionary movement grow in Russia? (Proletariat, Bolsheviks, Communism)
  1. Unhappy workers called the proletariat began to organize strikes about working conditions and lack of political power.
  2. The believed in Communism which said that the proletariat would overthrow the Czar.
  3. The Bolsheviks were a growing radical political party that supported a complete communist Revolution.

For each question, circle the best answer. (1 pt. each)

  1. How did Russia’s participation in World War I affect its Empire
  2. A string of decisive military victories gained land from the central powers
  3. Russia’s sales of supplies to the western allies strengthened its economy
  4. The Czar adopted reforms necessary to win the support of the Russian People.
  5. Economic hardships brought on by the war resulted in the downfall of the Czar
  1. Lenin hoped that the Russian Revolution would
  2. Inspire the Russians to pursue the European war effort
  3. Incite similar socialist rebellions throughout Europe
  4. Persuade the combatants in Western Europe to sign an armistice
  5. Counter US military in Eastern Europe
  1. How did the secret police help Lenin gain control ofRussia?
  2. The infiltrated the Czar’s army
  3. The organized the redistribution of land
  4. They used terror tactics against the enemies of Bolshevism
  5. They negotiated peace with Germany
  1. After Nicholas II abdicated his throne in 1917, Alexander Kerensky did what?
  2. Assumed absolute control over the Russian people
  3. Set up a provisional government until elections could be held
  4. Instigated a Civil War which claimed the lives of 15 million people
  5. Allied with Lenin to complete the Communist Revolution
  1. Which of the following was NOT a part Lenin’s Economic Plan?
  2. Rebuild bridges, roads, and industries
  3. Allow small business to retain their profits
  4. Build massive fortifications along the Polish border
  5. The State would control all large industries and banking systems.

Fill in the Blank (1 pt each)

10. After the October Revolution of 1917, Russia fell into a 3 year __Civil War__.

11. After the Civil War, Russia became formally known as the _Union of Soviet Socialist Republic_____.

12. _Totalitarianism___ describes a government that takes total control over every aspect of public and private life.

13. Lenin preferred ____Leon Trotsky___ to be his successor.

14. However, _Joseph Stalin____ became the leader of the USSR.

15. Peasants had to give up their small plots of land for large state-owned farms. This was called__Collectivization_____.