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Russian Revolution Flashcards
Free GCSE and A Level History Revision Cards
Cover the collapse of Tsarism, the February and October Revolutions, Lenin's April Theses, and the Russian Civil War with these free History flashcards for GCSE and A Level revision.
Question
What was the political system of Russia before 1917?
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Answer
An autocracy — Tsar Nicholas II had absolute power. There was no effective parliament, and political opposition was suppressed. The vast majority of the population were poor peasants.
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Question
What were the causes of the 1905 Revolution?
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Answer
Bloody Sunday (troops firing on peaceful petitioners), defeats in the Russo-Japanese War, widespread poverty, and worker/peasant discontent. Led to the October Manifesto and the creation of the Duma (parliament).
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Question
What was Bloody Sunday (1905)?
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Answer
On 22 January 1905, troops fired on peaceful workers marching to petition Tsar Nicholas II in St Petersburg. Hundreds were killed. It shattered belief in the "Little Father" (benevolent tsar) and triggered revolution.
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Question
How did World War I contribute to the collapse of Tsarism?
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Answer
Russia suffered catastrophic military losses (millions of casualties), economic collapse, food shortages, and military desertion. The Tsar's personal command of the army made him personally blamed for defeats.
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Question
What was the February Revolution (1917)?
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Answer
Bread riots and strikes in Petrograd in February 1917 escalated when troops refused to fire on protesters. Nicholas II abdicated on 2 March 1917, ending three centuries of Romanov rule.
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Question
What was the Provisional Government?
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Answer
A temporary government formed after Nicholas II's abdication, initially led by Kerensky. It continued the war effort and delayed key reforms until a permanent government was elected — fatal mistakes that enabled the Bolsheviks.
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Question
What were Soviets?
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Answer
Elected councils of workers and soldiers. The Petrograd Soviet held real power alongside the Provisional Government (dual power). Bolsheviks eventually gained control of key Soviets.
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Question
What were Lenin's April Theses?
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Answer
Lenin's programme on return from exile in April 1917: immediate end to the war, no support for the Provisional Government, land to the peasants, power to the Soviets. Summed up as "Peace, Land, Bread."
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Question
Who were the Bolsheviks?
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Answer
A revolutionary Marxist party led by Lenin, committed to overthrowing capitalism and establishing a socialist state run by workers and peasants. Organised and disciplined compared to rival socialist factions.
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Question
What was the October Revolution (1917)?
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Answer
On the night of 24–25 October 1917, Bolshevik Red Guards seized key locations in Petrograd (telephone exchanges, railway stations, the Winter Palace) and overthrew the Provisional Government.
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