World History Flashcards

Alexander III

A Russian czar who ruled before Nicholas II. He believed in strict autocracy and used force to keep control, limiting freedom.

Autocracy

A government where one ruler has total power (like a czar). People have little to no say.

Bloody Sunday (1905)

Peaceful protesters marched to the czar, but soldiers shot and killed many, causing anger and loss of trust in the government.

Bolsheviks

A radical group led by Vladimir Lenin. They wanted a quick revolution and communist government.

Civil War (Russian Civil War)

A war between the Reds (Bolsheviks) and the Whites (opponents) after the revolution. Bolsheviks won.

Czarina Alexandra

Wife of Nicholas II. She was unpopular and relied heavily on Grigori Rasputin, which made people distrust the government.

Duma

Russia’s parliament, created after 1905, but it had very little real power.

Karl Marx

A philosopher who created communism, the idea that workers should own everything and there should be no classes.

Lenin

Leader of the Bolsheviks. He led the revolution and created the first communist government in Russia.

March Revolution (1917)

People protested due to food shortages and war problems. Nicholas II stepped down, ending czar rule.

Mensheviks

A more moderate group than the Bolsheviks. They wanted gradual change, not immediate revolution.

New Economic Policy (NEP)

Lenin’s plan to bring back some capitalism to fix the economy after the civil war.

Nicholas II

The last czar of Russia. He was a weak leader who made bad decisions, especially during World War I.

November Revolution (1917)

Also called the Bolshevik Revolution. Lenin and the Bolsheviks took control of the government.

Pogrom

Violent attacks against Jewish communities in Russia.

Provisional Government

Temporary government after Nicholas II stepped down. It failed to solve major problems.

Rasputin

A mystic who influenced the royal family. People believed he had too much power, hurting trust in the monarchy.

Romanov Dynasty

The royal family that ruled Russia for over 300 years until 1917.

Russo-Japanese War (1904–1905)

Russia lost badly, showing weakness and causing unrest at home.

Soviet

A workers’ council that gained power during the revolution.

Stalin

A leader after Lenin who turned the USSR into a dictatorship.

Treaty of Brest-Litovsk

Russia made peace with Germany in 1918 and left World War I, losing land.

Trotsky

A Bolshevik leader who helped win the Civil War by leading the Red Army.

USSR (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics)

The communist country created after the revolution (later called the Soviet Union).

Role of WWI

World War I caused food shortages, military losses, and anger, which helped trigger the revolution.