Timeline of the February Revolution

Question 1

9th of January

Answer 1

150,000 workers demonstrated in Petrograd in commemoration of Bloody Sunday.

Question 2

18th February

Answer 2

Workers at Putilov Steel Works go on strike.

Question 3

21st February

Answer 3

Forced closure of Putilov Steel Works – thousands dismissed workers on streets. Workers from other factories go on strike in sympathy.

Question 4

23rd of February

Answer 4

Thousands of women marched on Petrograd to mark International Women’s Day – demanded equality and access to bread.

Question 5

24th of February

Answer 5

200k protest. There are no leaders, no revolutionary acts, but they demand the end of the war and the end of autocratic rule. Troops attempt to disperse the crowds and there is some fighting.

Question 6

25th of February

Answer 6

Virtually all Petrograd factories were closed. 300k protest (inc. office workers, teachers and students). Cossacks seem to support the protestors. (Hooligan movement telegram)

Question 7

26th of February

Answer 7

Crowds (300k) disobeyed Khabalov = bloodshed. Troops ordered to fire at crowds. This galvanised the people against the authorities.
Rodzianko telegram (cable) to tsar. ‘The situation is serious’.
Some soldiers mutiny overnight.
Tsar orders the dismissal of the Duma.

Question 8

27th of February

Answer 8

The Petrograd garrison mutinied. 160,000 men living in barracks designed for 20,000 men were waiting to be sent to the front.
They gave the people military capacity.

Question 9

27th of February

Answer 9

The Provisional Committee was formed of 12 duma members to restore order in Petrograd.
The Petrograd Soviet of Soldiers’, Sailors’ and Workers’ Deputies formed.

Question 10

28th of February

Answer 10

Tsar’s council of ministers resign and the proclamation of provisional government was made.

Question 11

1st of March

Answer 11

The Provisional Committee renamed themselves the Provisional Government.

Question 12

2nd of March

Answer 12

Delegation from Duma meets tsar in his train. Nicholas ceded to pressure from Rodzianko and the generals to abdicate in favour of his son.
He didn’t want Alexi to be tsar, due to poor health.
So he chose to pass the title onto his younger brother, Grand Duke Mikhail.

Question 13

3rd of March

Answer 13

Grand Duke Mikhail demanded the duma offer him a constitutional monarchy.
Mikhail then had to abdicate due to pressure from the crowds. The Petrograd crowds had left him no choice; they wanted nothing to do with a constitutional monarchy.