Communism and the Russian Revolution Key Terms

Communism

Economic and political system where property and industry are owned collectively and wealth is shared equally

Industrial working conditions in the 1800s

Long hours, low pay, unsafe factories, child labor, and poor living conditions for workers.

Karl Marx

German philosopher who developed communist theory and believed workers would overthrow capitalism

Friedrich Engels

German writer and partner of Marx who helped develop communist ideas

The Communist Manifesto

1848 pamphlet by Marx and Engels calling for workers to unite against capitalism

Proletariat

The working class in a capitalist society

Bourgeoisie

The wealthy business-owning class in a capitalist society

Inevitable worldwide revolution

Marx’s belief that workers everywhere would eventually overthrow capitalism

Religion is “the opiate of the masses”

Marx’s idea that religion distracted poor people from fighting injustice

Russia

Largest republic of the former Soviet Union

Soviet Union / USSR

Communist nation formed after the Russian Revolution

15 Republics of the USSR

The Soviet Union consisted of 15 republics that later became independent countries.

Red Square

Famous public square in Moscow and symbol of Soviet power.

Eastern Orthodoxy faith

Main Christian religion practiced in Russia

Cyrillic alphabet

Alphabet used in Russian and other Slavic languages

Julian calendar

Older calendar Russia used before switching to the Gregorian calendar

St. Petersburg

Major Russian city renamed Leningrad during the Soviet era

Leningrad

Soviet-era name for St. Petersburg

Alexander II

Russian tsar who freed the serfs in 1861.

Serfs

Peasants tied to land owned by nobles before emancipation

Nicholas II

Last Russian tsar whose weak leadership helped cause the revolution

Russo-Japanese War

War Russia lost to Japan, weakening the tsar’s authority

Russian Revolution of 1905

Protests and uprisings that forced Nicholas II to allow reforms

Bloody Sunday

Event where soldiers fired on peaceful protesters in 1905

Georgy Gapon

Priest who led the Bloody Sunday protest march

October Manifesto

Nicholas II’s promise of limited rights and a legislature

Duma

Russia’s elected legislature created after 1905

Alexei Nikolaevich

Son of Nicholas II and heir to the throne

Hemophilia

Disease that prevents blood from clotting normally

Grigori Rasputin

Mystic who gained influence over the royal family

Great War’s strain on Russia

World War I caused food shortages, military losses, and unrest.

March 15, 1917 – abdication

Date Nicholas II gave up the throne.

Vladimir Lenin

Bolshevik leader who led the communist revolution

April Theses

Lenin’s plan calling for “Peace, Land, and Bread.”

Lenin’s Promises

Promises to end the war, give land to peasants, and help workers

Leon Trotsky

Bolshevik leader who organized the Red Army.

Brains of the revolution

Nickname for Trotsky because of his intelligence and planning

Commissar of War

Trotsky’s position as leader of the Soviet military

March Revolution

 First revolution in 1917 that overthrew the tsar

November Revolution

Bolshevik takeover led by Lenin in 1917

Provisional Government

Temporary government formed after the tsar abdicated

Alexander Kerensky

Leader of the Provisional Government before the Bolsheviks took power

Bolsheviks

Radical Marxist group led by Lenin

Mensheviks

More moderate Marxist group that wanted gradual change

Treaty of Brest-Litovsk

Treaty that ended Russia’s involvement in World War I.

Assassination of the royal family

Execution of Nicholas II and his family by the Bolsheviks

Russian Civil War

War between communist Reds and anti-communist Whites

Reds

Bolsheviks and communist supporters during the Civil War.

Whites

Anti-communist opponents during the Civil War.

Impact/legacy of the war

Destruction and suffering that strengthened communist control

Red Terror

Bolshevik campaign of arrests and executions against enemies

Cheka

Soviet secret police that carried out the Red Terror

War Communism

Government control of industry and food during the Civil War

Soviet Union

Communist country created after the Civil War

Comrade

Communist term meaning friend or equal member of the movement

New Economic Policy (NEP)

Lenin’s plan allowing limited private business to rebuild the economy.

Lenin’s Testimony (Testament)

Lenin’s warning about Stalin’s growing power