The February Revolution

Question 1

why did the February 1917 Revolution occur?

Answer 1

due to a mixture of long term discontent with the government and short-term triggers, such as food shortages and demoralisation of the army

Question 2

what was the effect that food shortages had in Petrograd?

Answer 2

• increase social tensions: strikes in bakeries –> added to the food shortage crisis
• peasants held onto their grain : hoping to get higher prices for it

Question 3

what were the 2 triggers of the February revolution

Answer 3

• the International Women’s Day march
• munity in the army

Question 4

what were the 4 short term causes of the February revolution

Answer 4

• mood of protest in 1917
• bread shortages
• Tsar’s absence from Petrograd
• contempt for Tsarina

Question 5

what were the 4 long term causes of the February revolution

Answer 5

• Tsar’s poor leadership skills in WW1
• Peasant + workers discontent
• Political opposition to the tsar’s rule

Question 6

when was the Putilov Steelworks strike

Answer 6

18 February

Question 7

what was the reason for the Putilov Steelworks strike and what was the consequences

Answer 7

• demand of higher wages
  Consequences: mood of strikers grew more challenging as owners declared lockout - refused to let workers into factory and stopped paying them

Question 8

when was the march in memory of Bloody Sunday(1905) happen, and how many workers marched it

Answer 8

9 January 1917
150,000 workers

Question 9

what happened at the Bloody Sunday march

Answer 9

tsars soldiers had opened fire on a peaceful demonstration and killed many

Question 10

when did the demonstration in support of the Duma happen, and how many workers marched it

Answer 10

14 February 1917
~80,000

Question 11

what was the reason for the demonstration in support of the Duma

Answer 11

people were in support of the Duma and demanding that it influence the tsar

Question 12

why was the weather during late February important

Answer 12

weather became unusually warm –> encourages people to join street protests

Question 13

when was the International Women’s Day protest

Answer 13

23 February

Question 14

what did the women do on International Women’s Day

Answer 14

• women joined striking workers in anti-government demonstrations
• crowds grew larger than when gov. announced bread rationing

Question 15

what problem did the police face from 23 - 25 February

Answer 15

250,000 people demonstrated in Petrograd - crowds became too big for police to control

Question 16

how did the tsar absence from Petrograd lead to the loss of his throne?

Answer 16

• unaware of crisis building in Petrograd
• move to the army head quarters at Mogliev - 22nd Feb
• from Mogliev, tsar sent order to police and army in Petrograd to end unrest immediately - 25 Feb

Question 17

what happened on the 26 February and how did it impact other regiments?

Answer 17

• 26 Feb: soldiers opened fire on protesters and killed 40
• caused soldiers in other regiments to begin questioning orders
• that evening, soldiers of Pavlosky Guards Regiment refused to obey commands from officers
• mutiny quickly suppressed

Question 18

what happened on the 27 Febraury

Answer 18

• the same regiment that had short 40 protesters decided they no longer obey orders to use force against crowds
• other regiments joined - began to give weapons to crowds
• many solders involved were *young conscripts and more experienced soldiers who were tired of war and being sent to the front

Question 19

what happened on 28 February

Answer 19

A military report to the tsar declared that Petrograd was out of control

Question 20

what did the duma ask tsar Nicholas to do and why was this his last chance to save his throne

Answer 20

to create a new cabinet involving new Duma deputies and different parties represented in the duma
- last chance to save his throne by sharing some of his power

Question 21

did tsar nicholas agree to the dumas request

Answer 21

NO
- refused an ordered Duma to dissolve
- most government ministers left Petrograd

Question 22

which group of the Duma refused to follow Nicholas’s orders and what did they do instead?

Answer 22

the liberals
- continued on meeting
- formed a group called the Duma Committee and went on to set up the Provisional Government

Question 23

what were the 2 options the military had in terms of suppressing the revolution:

Answer 23

1. use soldiers from outside revolutionary Petrograd to crush revolution
2. work with Duma to find a political solution

Question 24

what did the military commanders decide to do regarding trying the stop revolt in Petrograd

Answer 24

Political Situation: work with the members of the Duma to find a political (non-violent) solution

Question 25

why did the military commanders choose not to send more soldiers to crush the growing revolt?

Answer 25

• fear soldiers could no longer be trusted
• suppressing the revolution by forcewas too risky of the fear of army mutiny throughout the Russian Empire

Question 26

what was carried out as option 2 was put into action?

Answer 26

• Army leaders + Duma leaders met tsar in Pskov
• suggested in order to save Russia: Tsar must voluntarily abdicate
• tsar agreed

Question 27

why did Tsar Nicholas not hand over power to his son, Tsarevich Alexsei

Answer 27

• he was a haemophiliac - disease where blood doesn’t clot after bruise or cut
• concerned for his health

Question 28

who did the tsar intend to hand his power to and did they accept?

Answer 28

Grand Duke Michael- brother
declined Romanov rule
- 300 yrs of Romanov rule was over

Question 29

after the tsar abdication what was the impact it had on revolutionary parties?

Answer 29

• leaders of the revolutionary parties, where most living in exile* of the February revolution - Lenin, Bolshevik leader, in Switzerland
• in Petrograd: revolutionaries scrambled to try take control of this unplanned revolution