The Collapse of Tsarist Autocracy

• Starvation and desperation produced a workers' revolution in the winter of the 1917 in Petrograd.
• 150,000 workers demonstrated in Petrograd on 9 January 1917 which was the 12 year anniversary of Bloody Sunday.
• 100,000 workers from 58 factories went on strike on 14 February 1917 and the Duma demanded the Tsar to abdicate.
• News was delivered on 19 February 1917 that rationing would begin in March which caused panic buying and violence.
• 20,000 workers from Putilov went on strike from 22 February 1917.
• The International Women's Day march on 23 February 1917 was swelled by other events such as 200,000 people calling for bread and reform.
• Demonstrations grew more menacing on 24-25 February 1917 because there were increasing calls to overthrow the Tsar.
• Nicholas II ordered the use of troops on 26 February 1917 and ordered to close the Duma.
• The Petrograd garrison joined protestors on 27 February 1917 and the Petrograd Soviet was created.
• Nicholas II left his military headquarters to head to Petrograd on 28 February 1917 but his ministers were arrested under the newly established Provisional Committee.
• The Petrograd Soviet issued Order No 1 on 28 February 1917 which proclaimed Soviet authority.
• The Duma and Petrograd Soviet agreed to support the creation of the Provisional Government on 1 March 1917.
• After encouragement from his ministers and generals, the Tsar abdicated in favour of his brother, Grand Duke Mikhail on 2 March 1917
• The Provisional Government and Petrograd Soviet were left in charge after Mikhail refused the throne on 3 March 1917 and the Tsar and his family were placed under house arrest.
• The Tsar and his family were murdered by the Bolsheviks in July 1918.
• Russia was left with two sets of authorities after the Tsar's abdication as both the Provisional Government and Petrograd Soviet were in charge.
• The Soviet temporarily agreed to the Provisional Government's authority because of the creation of a constituent assembly.
• The arrangement of the constituent assembly was also known as the Dual Power Agreement.
• Prince Lvov became Prime Minister of the Provisional Government which mainly compromised of Octobrists and Kadets.
• Kerensky was the only socialist of the Provisional Government and he previously sat on the Petrograd Soviet.
• The Petrograd Soviet was composed of radicals that acted as a "guardian" of rights.
• The Provisional Government and the Soviet accepted civil liberties and created amnesties for political prisoners.
• The Provisional Government and the Soviet abolished capital punishment and appointed independent judges to the judiciary.
• The Provisional Government and Soviet often conflicted because of views on different issues such as the war.
• The Provisional Government continued to fight in The Great War which led to mass demonstrations.
• Countryside peasants seized land during the war and food supplies were chaotic in cities.
• Real wages fell in cities and prices rose as a result.
• There was little support left for the Provisional Government by the summer of the 1917.
• John Gooding said the overthrow of Tsarism was "largely the work of unorganised masses in cities".