1917 February Revolution

• Unplanned revolution
• Royal family + economy forced the Tsar to abdicate
• The provisional Government took over with the Petrograd soviet and run the country in dual power
• Causes of the 1917 February Revolution

  1. Winter = freezing conditions
  2. Queues for essential foods - bread, tea etc
  3. Fuel in short supply
  4. Demonstrations - destroyed reputation of monarchy + police
  5. Military failures
  6. Desertion rate in the army was high
  7. Rasputin scandal
  8. Tsarinas German heritage + mishandling of the Government
  9. Poor working conditions
• 14th Feb

  Strikes break out across Petrograd because of food prices, shortages and low wages
• 22nd Feb

  20,000 Steel workers from Putilov Factory joined the strike because of food shortages
• 23rd Feb

  Women joined the workers from Putilov and others

  International womens day

  100,000 on the street now

  attacked bakeries for bread
• 24th Feb

  200,000 now on strike
• 25th Feb

  250,000 workers on strike

  public transport shut down

  protestors killed in clashes with police

  Army commander threatened to use force to stop riots
• 26th Feb

  Duma wanted the Tsar to return to Petrograd and stop the strike

  The Tsar shut down the Duma

  Army commander attacked protest leaders

  Volinsky regiment mutinied + refused to open fire

  Duma then declared itself 'the provisional government'

  Soldiers and workers went to Tauride Palace and formed a soviet

  Tsar said he would share power on 28th but the duma refused this
• What did the Duma declare itself ?

  The provisional government
• Who was the new Duma led by?

  Kerensky
• What was the soviet called that the workers formed?


  The Petrograd soviet
• What was the Petrograd Soviets first order?


  Told soldiers and sailors to obey their officers + Provisional government

  Only if their orders agreed with the rules of the soviet
• 1st March

  Tsar returned to Petrograd

  His train was stopped away from Petrograd by striking railway workers
• 2nd March

  Duma and military leaders forced the Tsar to abdicate by saying they would no longer support him

  Romanov dynasty ended

  Tsar's brother refused to take over and Alexei was too weak
• After the revolution what 2 organisations ran the country?

  Provisional Government

  Petrograd Soviet
• What changes did the Provisional Government make?

  1. freedom of speech and press
  2. freedom of religion
  3. ended secret police force
  4. freed political prisoners
• Who was the Provisional Government set up by?

  old members of the Duma
• What is meant by 'PROVISIONAL'

  Members would resign once democratic elections could take place
• What did the PG and the soviet run the country in?

  Dual Power
• What was the Petrograd Soviet made up of?

  workers

  peasants

  soldiers

  and contained Bolsheviks and Menshiviks
• What did workers, peasants and soldiers want?

  Workers - help jobs and low pay

  Peasants - control of land

  Soldiers - pressurise government to end WW1
• What was the Petrograd Soviet's FIRST order?

  To have influence over the military
• Where was the Petrograd Soviet and Provisional Government situated?

  In the same building