RUSSIAN REVOLUTION

What is Animal Farm all about??

Who was Karl Marx? Born in Germany in 1818 Died in 1882 German political philosopher

and revolutionist Proposed that Capitalism

would lead to conflict between lower and middle classes

Who was Karl Marx? continued

Lived most of his life in exile and poverty His ideas were not widely recognized until

after his death Came from a Jewish family that converted

to Christianity to avoid persecution

What did Karl Marx write? Communist Manifesto

(1848) Wrote with political economist,

Friedrich Engel Central text of modern

Communism Das Kapital (1867)

What is Communism? Government control of agriculture

No private ownership of land All farming is done on government owned

“collective farms” Government control of industry

Labor unions protect government rather than workers

Only one political party is permitted to exist – The Communist Party

Who was Czar Nicholas II? Last czar of the Romanov dynasty that

ruled Russia for three centuries Took over the throne in November, 1894

Limited governmental experience No political ideas of his own

Married German princess, Alexandra Not popular with the Russian people

Who was Czar Nicholas II? continued

Nicholas and Alexandria had five children Four girls (Tatiana, Marie, Olga and Anastasia) One son (Alexei)

Nicholas was an ineffective leader Much social unrest was occurring Trouble was brewing for Nicholas and his

family

Alexei Romanov Nicholas and Alexandra’s only son Heir to the throne, born in 1904 Has a life-threatening disease, hemophilia Info about the disease was hidden from the

Russian people Alexandra sought medical help which didn’t work She invited mystic, Grigory Rasputin, to the

palace in hopes that he could help

Alexei Romanov continued

Grigory Rasputin A peasant pilgrim and mystic Russian people did not understand him He seemed to “heal” Alexei and Alexandra

completely trusted him Russian people questioned Rasputin’s intentions

and Alexandra’s loyalty to him He was killed by peasants who thought his death

would improve the conditions for the people of Russia

Grigory Rasputin continued

Cute, isn’t he??

Czar & Czarina: Rasputin’s puppets!

Murder of the Romanovs Nicholas was forced to abdicate his power

in 1917 He and his family were exiled to Siberia

and imprisoned there They were executed on July 16, 1918 The bodies of Anastasia and Alexis were

never found

The Romanov Family

The Romanov Family continued

Nicholas is shown second from the left. Next to him are his four daughters: Tatiana, Olga, Marie, and Anastasia. At right is his hemophiliac son, Alexis.

Life of the Common Man Serfs and peasants

did all the work Overtaxed Suffered from poverty

and inequality Had no basic rights

Life of the Ruling Class Czar was the absolute ruler Imperial government

controlled all the country’s wealth

Czar and family lived extravagantly at the expense of the common Russian peasant

Who was Vladimir Lenin? A Russian who became leader

of the Bolsheviks Promoted Karl Marx’s theory of

Communism for the Russian people

Dreamed of equality for all Russians

Became the first Premier after the revolution

Died in 1924 after a stroke and prolonged illness

What was “Bloody Sunday?” January 22, 1905 Masses of peasants

demonstrated at the Imperial Palace for more favorable working conditions

Hundreds of workers were killed and injured

The Bolshevik Party Formed in 1903 by

Lenin Later became the

Communist Party in 1918

What caused the Bolshevik Revolution? Inequalities in living conditions of the

common people and the ruling class Hunger and food shortages Housing shortages Problems due to political policies of the

Czar Imperial government overthrown on

November 17, 1917

Who was Leon Trotsky? He was the War Commissar in the

Communist Party He was exiled from the Soviet Union

in 1929 by Joseph Stalin because Stalin wanted complete power

Died in Mexico on August 20, 1940 Murdered with a pick ax Murdered by Stalin’s agents

because Stalin still saw him as a threat

Who was Joseph Stalin? Defeated Trotsky and

gained control of the Communist party after Lenin’s death

Became Soviet dictator in 1927

Stalin’s Five Year Plan Government takeover

of private businesses Small peasant farms

combined into government controlled “collective farms”

Political Purges What were they?

Elimination of all people and groups opposing Stalin’s policies

Who was responsible? Joseph Stalin

What was the K.G.B? The Russian Secret Police Formed in 1954 Purpose:

To control the people Preserve the power of the Communist

government

What was Pravda? Russian propagandist

newspaper The “mouthpiece” of

the government Still published today

What is the purpose of using Propaganda? To brainwash “the masses” To lessen discontent and dissention To allow leaders to exercise their power

and authority with a minimum of trouble

Political Propaganda Techniques Chants Songs, anthems Flags Symbols Heroes Creation of a common enemy

Russian National Symbols Hammer and sickle – represents peasants

and workers Star – represents the Communist party Coat of Arms with a rising sun – represents

sun rising on communism Red color – represents revolution

The Russian Flag

The Teheran Conference Where? Iran When? 1943 Who attended?

F.D. Roosevelt (USA) Winston Churchill

(England) Joseph Stalin (Russia)

Why? To consolidate the three

countries against Germany To agree on postwar

economics

George Orwell Real name: Eric Blair Born: 1903 in Bengal, India Officer of the Indian Imperial Police

(1922-27) Moved to Spain during the Spanish

Civil War Fought against Communist force as a

member of the Worker’s Party of Marxist Unification

During World War II he: Served as a sergeant in the Home

Guard Wrote and broadcast for the B.B.C. Wrote essays criticizing totalitarianism

George Orwell continued

Published Animal Farm in 1945 In 1949, published his most well-known

book, 1984 He suffered from tuberculosis all his life Died in London in 1950 from poor health

and exhaustion

Orwell’s Themes Individualism Anti-utopia Hatred of totalitarianism