I really enjoyed learning about the Russian Revolution. For summer reading in 7th grade, I read The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion, and the Fall of Imperial Russia by Candace Fleming. I remember being quite interested in their history, however, I was left curious about the aftermath of the death of the royal family. This project provided me with answers about post-tzarist Russia. I was able to follow the revolution from beginning to end as thoroughly as I wanted to. Below are the main events of the Russian Revolution in chronological order.

Nicholas II’s Early Rule (STAGE 1)

Following his late father’s rule (1881-1894), Nicholas Romanov II and his wife Alexandra, a German princess, began their Russian Rule in 1894. It was abundantly clear to citizens of the Russian Empire from the beginning of their rule that Nicholas II was neither prepared nor inclined to rule. Throughout his early rule, Nikolai sought to solidify czarist absolutism, yet never took action to actualize said objective. In a time of economic development, Russia experienced a great divide between rich and poor, between the wealthy nobility/ruling class and the working class/peasants. The lower class resented the upper class, as the minuscule group of wealthy individuals owned all of the lands and had complete control of the government. Not to mention, many did not trust the czar as they believed that his wife, born of German descent was disloyal to Russia.

Tensions reached a high in October 1905, when the Czar reluctantly published a manifesto granting basic rights to the lower classes. This document pleased neither the poor nor the rich. The working class wanted more rights, and the nobility became angry that the lower class received some of their cherished power.

The Russian Empire Enters WW1 (STAGE 1-2)

Czar Nicholas II declared war against Germany and Austria-Hungary in July 1914. Russia was remarkably unprepared for the murderous war ahead, despite the empire’s size and the Czar’s insistence that he was a remarkable military strategist. This assertion later resulted in Nikolai appointing himself Commander in Chief, causing the military to collapse even further. Russia simply did not have the materials to produce enough ammunition to protect the empire’s 1.3 million untrained soldiers during the war. Additionally, Russia poured all of its economic resources into manufacturing ammunition for the war. 

By September 1914 the Empire was plagued with food shortages, and the Russian Empire was in a rapid economic decline. By 1915 Russia had lost over one million soldiers and the country’s weak infrastructure was unable to supply the remaining troops with much-needed materials. The failing state of the military caused many to begin to lose confidence in the monarch. The starving lower classes held the Czar responsible for their circumstances and the crumbling empire more broadly. 

The February Revolution (STAGE 2)

The first revolt against Russian Rule, provoked by military collapse and immense food shortages across the region began on February 22, 1917 (Gregorian calendar). It ended on March 2 when Czar Nicolas II abdicated the throne, putting an end to the 300-year Romanov rule, and Czarist rule as a whole in the matter of a week.

The revolution commenced with metal workers in Petrograd (today’s St. Petersburg) protesting for higher pay. The next day women of the working class joined in protest of their scarce salaries, and food rationing as a result of the first world war that was rapidly developing. Within a few days, upwards of 200,000 working-class people, including the remaining army, stormed the streets of Russia’s second-largest city. The goal of the protest quickly shifted from food rationing and better pay to the resignation of the Czar and the end of the war.  Czar Nicholas II sent troops to the streets of Petrograd in an attempt to dull the increasingly violent riots but was unsuccessful almost immediately. The troops refused to suppress the riots and joined the protestors. 

Without support from the Russian people and the army, Czar Nicholas II abdicated for himself and his son, Alexei Romanov, on March 2, 1917, under the advisory of ministers and army chiefs. His brother, Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich of Russia, refused to take over the crown, ending Czarist rule in Russia. 

The Provisional Government is Formed (STAGE 2)

Intended to organize the elections of the Russian Constituent Assembly, the Provisional Government was announced on March 2, 1917, directly following Czar Nicholas II’s abdication of the Russian throne. The temporary government was led by Gregory Lvov and liberal politicians from parliament and lasted about eight months. 

For the first few weeks, the general public was hopeful for the new rule, in support of the Provisional Government, but that support quickly diminished. Russia continued to face the same detrimental issues that previously led to the Czar’s downfall. Additionally, Russian citizens questioned the path that the new government would take regarding the war. Many believed that Russia should remove itself from the war, to give the country time to recover economically and provide time to rebuild the government. Others believed that Russia should continue to fight in the war, despite the increasing conflict and corruption that Russia was facing. Ultimately, the Provisional Government decided to stay in the war which would later prove fatal to the structure of the country. 

The October (Bolshevik) Revolution (STAGE 3)

The October Revolution, also known as the Bolshevik Revolution and The Great October Socialist Revolution, began on November 7, 1917. The Bolshevik Revolution, led by Vladimir Lenin and the entirety of the Bolshevik party was the second and final revolt of the Russian Revolution and ultimately led to the beginning of the Russian communist republic, mainly led by Russian nobles. 

Lenin rose to power and fame amongst the working class in April 1917, when he spoke to the greater public supporting Karl Marx’s idea that the working class should be in charge of creating change. He based his platform on three words that strongly appealed to the suffering citizens; “peace, bread, land”. He, along with another Bolshevik leader Leon Trotsky, spread the word about the Bolshevik party quickly. Lenin didn’t believe that the Provisional Government could make any effective change, so he insisted that violence, protest, and revolt were the only way to truly create change.

In October 1917 the Bolshevik party staged a coup across the capital of Petrograd. They took over government buildings, banks, and other infrastructure, murdering hundreds of thousands along the way. Soon after, the party formed a new communist government with Lenin in charge.

The Bolshevik Rule (STAGE 4)

Following the Russian Revolution, and with Vladimir Lenin at the forefront of the now communist Russian government, Russia quickly withdrew from World War 1. From 1918-to 1920, Russia went into civil war between the Red Army (Bolsheviks) and the White Army (anti-Bolsheviks). The two years of civil war were those of many fatalities, destruction, and great economic unrest. 

While the end of the Russian Revolution resulted in immense urban development, it has been argued among historians that life after the Revolution was not much better than life before it. Post-war Russia struggled on an international level. Many countries tried to isolate Soviet Russia as much as possible, for fear that their dangerous new communist society would provoke violence globally. From a leadership perspective, Russia’s government post-revolution was not extremely different from pre-revolution. Lenin ruled as a dictator, similar to the Romanovs that preceded him. Both Lenin and the Romanovs handled their power similarly, promising good but using their power for evil. When Vladimir Lenin died in 1924, Joseph Stalin became the second leader of the Soviet Union for the rest of his life, continuing this circular leadership.