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Czar Alexander II is assassinated by the terrorist group ‘People’s Will’
Czar Alexander II was the ruler of Russia since 1855. People’s Will wanted to overthrow Czar Alexander II.
Czar Alexander II was assassinated by a left wing terrorist group called the People’s Will, while he was driving down the streets of St Petersburg, a member from the terrorist group People’s Will threw a bomb in his car and killed him. -
Nicholas II crowned Czar of Russia
Nicholas II inspired neither the fear nor the respect his father had commanded. He had only a few political ideas beyond protecting his power as Czar. He made moderate reformers mad by calling their goals “senseless dreams” Czar Nicholas II wanted all the power to himself and keep his citizens powerless. Many people did not like his ideas. -
Bloody Sunday in St. Petersburg begins the 1905 Russian Revolution
A group of St. Petersburg workers, wrote a long list of demands. They marched to the czar’s place to talk to him about their demands. The peaceful march was met by open fire from the czar’s troops. Around 130 protesters were killed, and this day became known as Bloody Sunday. Bloody Sunday and Japan crushing Russia on land and sea cause the 1905 Russian Revolution. -
World War I Begins
The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand caused Austria-Hungary to declare war on Serbia. Since Serbia was allied with France, Russia, and Great Britain,they all had to fight against Austria-Hungary and its allies Germany and Italy .Ties and treaties bound countries to assist each other in time of war. When the time came, they started choosing sides. The United States declared neutrality until German submarine warfare threatened American commercial shipping. -
The February Revolution Begins
The February Revolution began in Petrograd on February 23, 1917. Women factory workers were angry over the food shortages, so they protested having to stand in line for bread. They called in some men to join them too, and in mere days, nearly all the factory workers in Petrograd were on strike. They were joined by students and the middle class, even army troops decided to protest. -
Czar Nicholas II abdicates
The February Revolution brought an end to a 400 year monarchy. Czar Nicholas II abdicated the throne because he has lost control of his army, his government, and his people, so the power went to the Provisional Government. The Provisional Government tried to rule the entire nation, but most of its members were from the middle class. Working class Russians instead placed their loyalty in the Petrograd Soviet. -
Lenin returns from exile and arrives in Petrograd via a sealed train.
While in Switzerland, Lenin received the news that Russia’s monarchy has been crushed. He quickly contacted German officials to grant him permission to travel through Germany on his way to Russia. Germany and Russia were wartime enemies, but they were eager to grant Lenin’s request, since he openly opposed the war and would end Russia’s involvement in it if he came to power there. So therefore, the Germans offered him safe train passage and money to support his revolutionary activities. -
Bolshevik uprising fails in Petrograd
Following the failure of the offensive in June, the Bolsheviks made an attempt to seize power in Petrograd in July. Here, Lenin made a serious misjudgement which could have led to disaster for the Bolsheviks. Only small numbers of soldiers and sailors actively supported the Bolsheviks and the uprising was suppressed by loyal troops. A number of Bolshevik leaders were arrested and Lenin fled to Finland. -
The Bolshevik Party changes its name to the Communist Party
At this time, the Bolsheviks formed an army called the Red Army in order to battle the anti-Communist White Army. Since Red was the supposed color to represent socialist revolution, they wanted their army to be called the Red Army so everyone would know what they support. In March 1918, they changed their name to the Communist Party. -
The Capital of Russia, St.Petersburg, changes to Moscow.
Counterrevolution was one of the causes of Russia to move its capital. Petrograd has been politically active city with lots of monarchists, anarchists, socialists, etc. That was comparatively easy to take power in such a split city, hence it was easy to lose it as well. -
The U.S.S.R was established
The U.S.S.R (Also known as the Soviet Union) was a socialist state in Eurasia that existed from 1922 to 1991. Nominally a union of multiple equal national Soviet republics,It’s government and economy were highly centralized. It was governed by only one party, which was the Communist Party (Communism). Moscow (Formally St. Petersburg) was its capital.
