VLADIMIR LENIN

Russian Communist President

LENIN

• Vladimir Lenin was born April 22, 1870

• Birthplace: Simbirsk, Russia

• One of six children

Poppa• Vladimir’s father• Russian nobleman• Son of a serf who

rose to power as inspector of schools

• Highly educated• Believed that there

should be free public education

Momma

• Vladimir’s mother• Daughter of land

owning physician• Believed in education

and how it can improve your life

• Supported sons and their revolutionary ideas

Big Bro• Lenin’s older brother,

Alexander• He influenced a lot of

Vladimir’s beliefs• He was involved in

trying to kill the Czar in 1887 (Alexander III)

• Was hanged for the plot and this affected Vladimir greatly…he wanted to avenge his brother’s death

LENIN’S BELIEFS

• Renounced religion and the political system his family lived under

• Followed in the revolutionary ideas of his older brother and wanted a better Russia…one without a royal family

EDUCATION• Was very bright in school, but was alienated by

his peers because of his intelligence• Lenin went to law school at Kazan University• He was expelled due to attending a peaceful

protest• He studied on his own and passed law exam in

1891• He used his education and powers of public

speaking to recruit others to the cause

MARRIAGE

• Married in 1898• Nadezhda Krupskaya• She was well

educated• Believed in Lenin’s

ideas and wanted a change in the government too

• Joined his Bolsheviks

Road to Revolution• 1893 as a lawyer,

Lenin created underground movement with 6 groups that researched life in Russia for people and wrote pamphlets

• Created Bolshevik group that wanted a revolution (sudden change) and to get rid of the czar/monarchy

Brrrrr…It’s Cold in Here!!• Lenin wanted to start

a paper about the revolution, but was arrested

• He spent 15 months in prison in Siberia

• When he was released he went to Switzerland, wrote a paper and rose to power for the Social Democratic Party

Rise to Power• 1917 = Steelworkers

strike and Romanovs killed so government officials lead country

• With Germany’s help, Lenin came back to Russia preaching “Bread Not War”

• At age 47, Lenin became president of Society of People’s Commissars or the Communist Party

• Vladimir Lenin - The Communist Party - Vladimir Lenin Videos - Biography.com (3:27)

His Russian Policies• Defeated Germany in

WWI with the allies and took back land

• Redistributed land and made some collective farms (food for everyone)

• Created factories, mines, banks, and utilities for all

• Shutdown the Russian Orthodox Church because the GOVERNMENT = God

His Death

• May 1922 Lenin suffered strokes

• He tried to remain in power and pick his successor…didn’t happen

• January 21, 1924 Lenin died of a massive stroke

• Fight over who comes into power next:Josef Stalin or Leon TrotskyVladimir Lenin - Death -

Vladimir Lenin Videos - Biography.com (3:59)

The Truth about Lenin

• The Truth about Lenin and the 1917 Russian Revolution – YouTube (10:56)