Lesson One - Russia before 1917
Describe the nature of Russian society and connect that to the rise of
Identify the key principles of Marxism
Describe the events of “Bloody Sunday” in 1905
Analyze Russia’s economic difficulties and evaluate their contribution to
Describe Rasputin’s role in government and how he contributed to the
demise of tsarism in Russia
Identify the Duma and Provisional Government and describe their limited
power in Russia’s “new” governmental organization
1. Quick responder quiz on Versailles.
2. Using map on page 33 of map text, go over concept of Mandates.
3. Hand out Russ Rev. unit outline. Emphasize that the readings are both
necessary and required for students to be able to contribute to class
discussion in this unit
4. “You Can’t Eat Democracy”… review political spectrum ideologies from
5. Hand out Marxism. Students highlight important information on the
6. Timeline on the white board. Divided into Political/Economic/Social,
construct a visual as a class that outlines the events leading to “Bloody
Sunday” in 1905.
7. Biography – “The Royal Family & Rasputin”. Images of the Romanovs and
the “Mad Monk”, compared to the truth about who he was and his
relationship with the royal court.
8. DVD segment on “Russia, Land of Tsar” – 15 minute chapter on Rasputin.
9. Quick responder questions on today’s lesson.
1. Mandates map and ink file
2. Versailles quiz questions
3. Unit outline
4. Marxism handout and ink file
5. Timeline structure and notes
6. PPT images of Rasputin
7. DVD “Russia, Land of the Tsars” – from Pen-Hi library
8. Russia responder questions
Lead up to 1905 Revolution
In the late 1800s, Russia lagged far behind the rest of Europe industrially.
- huge peasantry
- autocratic indifference
- disinterested gentry
Beginning in the 1890’s, industry grew at a phenomenal rate. Foreign
investment funneled into Russia, but the main problem was the existence of a
massive, uneducated peasant class. Peasants made up 75% of the population.
Causes of the 1905 Revolution:
- rise of the labour movement (many strikes took place)
- intellectuals were critical of the Tsarist Regime (Nicholas II)
- peasant unrest
- demands for an elected assembly
- terrorism (People’s Will)
- communists gain power (Bolsheviks, led by Lenin, &
- Russian loss to Japan in the Russo-Japanese War of 1905
Outcome of the 1905 Revolution
- Tsar promised more liberties and an elected assembly (Duma),
but in time dismissed most promises
- Tsar arrested more terrorists, more terrorism occurred, arrested
Causes of the Russian Revolution (1917)
a. losses in WWI – weak, poorly equipped army
b. high food prices/shortages
c. corrupt government
d. radical revolutionaries (Bolsheviks)
e. need for land by peasants