The Russian Revolution and the Rise of Communism
Aligned to C3.D2.His.5 — C3 Framework for Social Studies State Standards.
What this lesson teaches
Crushing losses in World War I, food shortages, and centuries of harsh rule by the tsars pushed Russia to the breaking point in 1917. That year the tsar was forced from power, and months later the Bolsheviks, led by Vladimir Lenin, seized control and built the world's first communist state.
Worked example
In October 1917, Lenin's Bolsheviks stormed the Winter Palace in Petrograd and arrested the temporary government, launching the civil war that would create the Soviet Union.
Practice questions
- Name one hardship that made ordinary Russians turn against the tsar.
- Explain what the Bolsheviks promised the Russian people.
- Analyze why a communist revolution succeeded in Russia rather than in a wealthier industrial nation.
Watch the lesson
Every lesson comes with a video taught in English and Spanish — the same video the QR code in the printed workbook opens.
▶ Watch this lessonEn español
La Revolución rusa y el auge del comunismo
Las aplastantes derrotas en la Primera Guerra Mundial, la escasez de alimentos y siglos de duro dominio de los zares llevaron a Rusia al límite en 1917. Ese año el zar fue obligado a dejar el poder, y meses después los bolcheviques, liderados por Vladimir Lenin, tomaron el control y construyeron el primer Estado comunista del mundo.
Ejemplo: En octubre de 1917, los bolcheviques de Lenin asaltaron el Palacio de Invierno en Petrogrado y arrestaron al gobierno provisional, iniciando la guerra civil que crearía la Unión Soviética.
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