Russian Revolution of 1917: Causes and Significance
I. Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
1.Who was the Tsar of Russia at the time of the 1917 Revolutions?
a) Alexander I
b) Nicholas I
c) Alexander II
d) Nicholas II
Answer: d) Nicholas II
2.The majority of the Russian population before 1917 comprised:
a) Industrial workers
b) Nobility
c) Peasants
d) Clergy
Answer: c) Peasants
3.The Russian defeat in the Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905) contributed to internal unrest and eventually the:
a) October Revolution
b) February Revolution
c) 1905 Revolution
d) Civil War
Answer: c) 1905 Revolution
4.What event on January 22, 1905, saw unarmed peaceful protestors shot at by Tsarist troops in St. Petersburg?
a) October Strike
b) Bloody Sunday
c) Winter Palace Siege
d) Kornilov Affair
Answer: b) Bloody Sunday
5.The legislative assembly created after the 1905 Revolution, which the Tsar often dismissed, was called the:
a) Soviet
b) Duma
c) Provisional Government
d) Zemstvo
Answer: b) Duma
6.Which major war significantly exacerbated Russia's economic and social problems, leading to the 1917 Revolutions?
a) Crimean War
b) Napoleonic Wars
c) World War I
d) Cold War
Answer: c) World War I
7.The February Revolution of 1917 resulted in the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II and the establishment of a:
a) Communist dictatorship
b) Provisional Government
c) Constitutional Monarchy
d) Military junta
Answer: b) Provisional Government
8.Who was the leader of the Bolshevik Party?
a) Leon Trotsky
b) Alexander Kerensky
c) Vladimir Lenin
d) Joseph Stalin
Answer: c) Vladimir Lenin
9.The slogan "Peace, Land, and Bread" was associated with which political group?
a) Mensheviks
b) Provisional Government
c) Bolsheviks
d) Socialist Revolutionaries
Answer: c) Bolsheviks
10.The October Revolution of 1917 saw the overthrow of the Provisional Government by the:
a) Mensheviks
b) Socialist Revolutionaries
c) Tsarist loyalists
d) Bolsheviks
Answer: d) Bolsheviks
11.What was the name of the treaty that formally took Russia out of World War I?
a) Treaty of Versailles
b) Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
c) Treaty of Trianon
d) Treaty of Paris
Answer: b) Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
11.The Russian Civil War (1918-1922) was fought primarily between the Bolshevik 'Reds' and the anti-Bolshevik 'Whites', who were supported by:
a) Germany
b) Japan and the United States
c) Britain, France, Japan, and the U.S.
d) China
Answer: c) Britain, France, Japan, and the U.S.
12.The Cheka was the Bolsheviks' secret police force, established to:
a) Administer the new economic policy
b) Suppress counter-revolutionary activities
c) Negotiate peace treaties
d) Manage industrial production
Answer: b) Suppress counter-revolutionary activities
13.The policy of "War Communism" during the Russian Civil War involved:
a) Free market principles
b) Private ownership of industry
c) Nationalization of industry, forced grain requisitioning
d) International trade agreements
Answer: c) Nationalization of industry, forced grain requisitioning
14.The New Economic Policy (NEP), introduced by Lenin in 1921, allowed for:
a) Complete state control of all economic activity
b) Limited private enterprise and market mechanisms
c) Full collectivization of agriculture
d) Immediate transition to a classless society
Answer: b) Limited private enterprise and market mechanisms
15.What was the ultimate outcome of the Russian Revolution by 1922?
a) Restoration of the monarchy
b) Establishment of the Russian Republic
c) Formation of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR)
d) Division of Russia into multiple independent states
Answer: c) Formation of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR)
16.The role of Tsarina Alexandra and her advisor, Rasputin, during World War I weakened the Tsar's authority because:
a) They encouraged democratic reforms
b) They were seen as corrupt and undermining the government
c) They led successful military campaigns
d) They advocated for peace with Germany
Answer: b) They were seen as corrupt and undermining the government
17.What was a 'Soviet' in the context of the 1917 Revolutions?
a) A government ministry
b) A workers' and soldiers' council
c) A new type of factory
d) A secret police unit
Answer: b) A workers' and soldiers' council
18.The provisional government, formed after the February Revolution, made the crucial mistake of:
a) Immediately withdrawing from WWI
b) Failing to address land reform and continuing the war
c) Reinstating the monarchy
d) Giving too much power to the Bolsheviks
Answer: b) Failing to address land reform and continuing the war
19.The Russian Revolution significantly influenced world history by:
a) Promoting democratic capitalism globally
b) Inspiring communist movements worldwide
c) Leading to the immediate end of colonialism
d) Establishing global free trade agreements
Answer: b) Inspiring communist movements worldwide
II. Fill in the Blanks
Before 1917, Russia was ruled by an autocratic monarch called the _______________.
The protest on January 22, 1905, that resulted in the killing of peaceful demonstrators is known as _______________.
The main reason for the Tsar's increasing unpopularity during World War I was the huge _______________ losses and economic hardships.
The February Revolution of 1917 led to the Tsar's _______________.
After the February Revolution, a dual power existed between the Provisional Government and the _______________.
Vladimir Lenin returned to Russia in April 1917 and published his _______________ outlining Bolshevik demands.
The Bolsheviks came to power in the _______________ Revolution of 1917.
The treaty of _______________-Litovsk withdrew Russia from World War I.
The Russian Civil War was fought between the Bolshevik Red Army and the anti-Bolshevik _______________ forces.
By 1922, the former Russian Empire was reorganized into the _______________.
Fill in the Blanks Answers:
Tsar
Bloody Sunday
military
abdication
Soviets
April Theses
October
Brest
White
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR)
III. Short Answer Questions (2-3 Marks Each)
1.What was the condition of the Russian peasantry before 1917?
Answer: The vast majority of the Russian population were peasants, living in poverty, burdened by high taxes, and often tied to the land through feudal-like arrangements (though serfdom was officially abolished in 1861). They faced land hunger and resented the nobility's vast estates.
2.Explain the significance of 'Bloody Sunday' (1905).
Answer: Bloody Sunday, where peaceful protestors were shot by Tsarist troops, shattered the myth of the Tsar as a benevolent father figure. It ignited widespread strikes and protests, serving as a dress rehearsal for the 1917 Revolutions and significantly undermining public trust in the monarchy.
3.How did Russia's involvement in World War I contribute to the 1917 Revolutions?
Answer: Russia's participation in WWI led to immense military defeats, millions of casualties, and severe economic hardship. Food and fuel shortages, rampant inflation, and a breakdown of the transport system caused widespread suffering and discontent, eroding public support for the Tsar.
4.What were the main outcomes of the February Revolution of 1917?
Answer: The February Revolution led to the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II, ending the Romanov dynasty and centuries of Tsarist rule. It resulted in the establishment of the Provisional Government, composed of liberal politicians, and the simultaneous emergence of Soviets (councils of workers and soldiers).
5.Who was Vladimir Lenin, and what was his key message upon returning to Russia in April 1917?
Answer: Vladimir Lenin was the leader of the Bolshevik Party, a revolutionary Marxist. Upon his return, his "April Theses" called for an end to the war, immediate land redistribution to the peasants, nationalization of banks, and "All Power to the Soviets," rejecting the Provisional Government.
6.What was the Bolsheviks' main slogan, and what did it promise?
Answer: The Bolsheviks' main slogan was "Peace, Land, and Bread." It promised an immediate end to Russia's participation in World War I ("Peace"), redistribution of land from landlords to peasants ("Land"), and relief from food shortages ("Bread"), directly addressing the most pressing needs of the populace.
7.Describe the concept of "dual power" that existed after the February Revolution.
Answer: "Dual power" refers to the existence of two competing authorities in Russia after the February Revolution: the official Provisional Government, which sought to establish liberal reforms, and the Petrograd Soviet (and other local Soviets), which represented the interests of workers, soldiers, and peasants, often undermining the Provisional Government's authority.
8.What was the significance of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk for the Bolsheviks?
Answer: The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk (1918) formally withdrew Russia from World War I. While it involved significant territorial and economic losses for Russia, it was crucial for the Bolsheviks to fulfill their promise of "Peace" and consolidate power by ending the devastating war, allowing them to focus on internal challenges.
9.Who were the 'Whites' during the Russian Civil War, and what were their aims?
Answer: The 'Whites' were a diverse anti-Bolshevik coalition during the Russian Civil War (1918-1922). Their aims varied but generally included restoring the monarchy, establishing a liberal-democratic government, or simply opposing Bolshevik rule. They received limited foreign support.
10.Mention two long-term impacts of the Russian Revolution on the 20th century.
Answer: Two long-term impacts were: 1) The establishment of the world's first Communist state (the USSR), which served as a model and inspiration for communist movements globally. 2) The beginning of the Cold War after World War II, as ideological conflict between communism and capitalism shaped international relations for decades.
IV. Long Answer Questions (5 Marks Each)
1.Analyze the primary social and economic causes that led to the Russian Revolution of 1917.
Answer:
The Russian Revolution of 1917 was fundamentally driven by deep-seated social and economic grievances that had simmered for decades. Socially, Imperial Russia was a highly stratified and unequal society. The vast majority (over 80%) were peasants, living in poverty, burdened by heavy taxes, and suffering from land hunger despite the abolition of serfdom in 1861. They resented the vast estates owned by the nobility, who enjoyed immense privileges and held significant power. The rapidly growing industrial working class in cities faced abysmal working conditions, low wages, long hours, and overcrowded, unsanitary housing, leading to frequent strikes and unrest. The autocratic Tsar, Nicholas II, and his government were unresponsive to these widespread grievances, further fueling discontent across all strata of the Third Estate. Economically, Russia was largely agrarian and industrially backward compared to Western European powers. The government's attempts at rapid industrialization often came at the expense of the peasantry and workers, leading to further exploitation. Poor harvests and the strains of World War I exacerbated food shortages and inflation, bringing the population to the brink of starvation and economic collapse. These pervasive social inequalities and severe economic hardships created a fertile ground for revolutionary sentiments to flourish.
2.Discuss how Russia's involvement in World War I acted as an immediate catalyst for the 1917 Revolutions, focusing on its impact on the military, economy, and public morale.
Answer:
Russia's participation in World War I proved to be the ultimate catalyst that pushed the Tsarist regime over the brink. The war exposed and exacerbated all of Russia's pre-existing weaknesses.
Military Impact: Russia suffered catastrophic military defeats (e.g., Battle of Tannenberg), leading to millions of casualties (dead, wounded, prisoners). The army was poorly equipped, supplied, and led. The Tsar's decision to take personal command of the army in 1915, despite his lack of military experience, made him directly responsible for the ongoing failures and further alienated him from the military high command and the public. Morale plummeted, and desertions became rampant.
Economic Impact: The war placed an unbearable strain on Russia's already struggling economy. Resources were diverted to the war effort, leading to severe shortages of food and fuel in cities. The inadequate railway system collapsed under the strain of transporting troops and supplies, disrupting vital civilian supplies. Inflation soared, making basic necessities unaffordable for many, leading to widespread hunger and poverty.
Impact on Public Morale: The continuous defeats, immense casualties, economic hardship, and the perceived incompetence and corruption of the government (especially the influence of Rasputin over Tsarina Alexandra) utterly eroded public confidence in the Tsarist regime. Mass protests, strikes, and mutinies became increasingly common. The Tsarist government's inability to effectively manage the war or address the domestic crisis ultimately led to the spontaneous February Revolution, which forced the Tsar's abdication, and subsequently paved the way for the Bolshevik takeover in October.
3.Evaluate the overall significance of the Russian Revolution of 1917, both for Russia itself and for its impact on global history.
Answer:
The Russian Revolution of 1917 was one of the most pivotal events of the 20th century, with profound and lasting significance for Russia and the world.
Significance for Russia:
End of Tsarist Autocracy: It permanently ended centuries of Tsarist rule, dismantling the Romanov dynasty and fundamentally transforming Russia's political system.
Establishment of the First Communist State: It led to the creation of the world's first socialist state, the Soviet Union (USSR), based on Marxist-Leninist ideology. This marked a radical departure from traditional political and economic systems, aiming for a classless society and state control of the economy.
Social and Economic Transformation: The Bolsheviks implemented drastic changes, including the nationalization of industries, collectivization of agriculture (though largely later under Stalin), and the redistribution of land. While aimed at equality, these policies often led to immense suffering and totalitarian control.
Civil War and Political Repression: The revolution was followed by a brutal civil war and a period of intense political repression (Red Terror), which laid the groundwork for Stalin's totalitarian regime.
Significance for Global History:
Inspiration for Communist Movements: The Russian Revolution provided a powerful model and inspiration for communist and anti-colonial movements worldwide, particularly in developing nations struggling against Western imperialism. It fostered the idea that a socialist revolution could succeed.
Bipolar World Order (Cold War): The establishment of the USSR as a major global power led to an ideological and geopolitical rivalry with capitalist Western nations, culminating in the Cold War (1947-1991). This defined international relations for nearly half a century.
Challenge to Capitalism: The Soviet experiment presented a direct ideological and economic challenge to capitalism, influencing economic policies and social reforms even in Western democracies.
Impact on Decolonization: Soviet support for anti-colonial movements had an impact on the decolonization process after World War II.
In summary, the Russian Revolution was a transformative event that ended an old empire, birthed a new political and economic system (Communism) that reshaped Russia's internal trajectory, and profoundly altered the global balance of power and ideological landscape for the entire 20th century.
