1.

Background Context: Broader European Influences (Pre-1900s)

1. Explain why Bismarck was appointed Minister President of Prussia in 1862.

2. Explain why the Zollverein was created.

2. The Causes and Events Leading to the 1905 Revolution (c. 1900–1905)
1. Why was the Tsarist regime disliked so much by 1905?

2. Why, in January 1905, was there a march on the Winter Palace?

3. Why was Bloody Sunday important in causing the 1905 Revolution?

4. Explain why ‘Bloody Sunday’ weakened the Tsarist regime in 1905.

5. Explain why Tsar Nicholas II issued the October Manifesto.

6. Why did the Revolution of 1905 fail to overthrow the Tsar?

3. Post-1905 Reforms and the Survival of the Tsarist Regime (1906–1914)

1. Explain why the Tsarist regime was able to survive the 1905 Revolution.

2. Why did the October Manifesto of 1905 produce little change in Russia by 1914?

3. Why did the Duma achieve little before 1914?

4. Why were political reforms introduced in Russia after the 1905 Revolution?

5. Why were Stolypin’s reforms opposed?

6. Why was Stolypin unpopular?

7. Why was opposition to the Tsar ineffective in the period from 1906 to 1914?

8. Why, between 1905 and 1914, was the Tsarist regime able to survive the opposition to it?

4. Impact of World War I on Russia (1914–1917)

1. Why did World War One damage the Russian economy?

2. Why did the Tsar become increasingly unpopular after 1914?

3. Why did the Tsar lose support between 1914 and 1917?

4. Why did opposition to the Tsar grow after 1914?

5. Why was Rasputin murdered?

5. The February Revolution and the Provisional Government (1917)
1. Why was the Provisional Government formed in 1917?

2. Explain why the Provisional Government kept Russia in the First World War.

3. Why did the Provisional Government face so much opposition?

4. Why did the decision to continue fighting in the First World War in 1917 damage the Provisional
Government?

5. Why did Kornilov attempt a coup in 1917?

6. Why did the Kornilov revolt fail?

7. Why was the Kornilov affair important in bringing about the downfall of the Provisional
Government?

8. Why did the Provisional Government become so unpopular?

9. Why was the Provisional Government unable to solve Russia’s problems in 1917?

10. Why was the Provisional Government overthrown?

11. Why did Kerensky become the leader of the Provisional Government?

6. The October Revolution and Bolshevik Takeover (1917)

1. Why did Lenin issue his April Theses?

2. Why did Bolshevik ideas have increasing appeal to the Russian people during 1917?

3. Why did Lenin promise ‘Peace, Bread and Land’?

4. Explain why Lenin’s leadership was important to Bolshevik success in October 1917.

5. Why was Lenin’s leadership so important to the success of the Bolsheviks in October 1917?

6. Explain why Trotsky was important for Bolshevik success in October 1917.

7. Why was Trotsky’s role in the October 1917 Revolution important?

7. The Bolshevik Consolidation of Power and Civil War (1918–1921)

1. Explain why the Russian Civil War broke out in 1918.

2. Explain why control of Petrograd and Moscow was important for Bolshevik victory in the
Russian Civil War.

3. Explain why Bolshevik government used terror.

4. Explain why the New Economic Policy was introduced in 1921.

1. Background Context: Broader European Influences (Pre-1900s)

1. ‘Austrian opposition was the main obstacle to German unification in the period 1815–50.’ How far do
you agree with this view?

2. ‘Prussia’s actions caused the Franco-Prussian War.’ How far do you agree?

2. The Causes and Events Leading to the 1905 Revolution (c. 1900–1905)

1. ‘Russia’s defeat in the Russo-Japanese War was the main cause of the 1905 Revolution.’ How far do
you agree?

2. ‘Political issues caused the 1905 Revolution.’ How far do you agree?

3. How far was the 1905 Revolution caused by economic discontent?

4. ‘Too many people were hungry.’ How far does this explain the outbreak of the 1905 Revolution?

5. ‘Political incompetence, rather than poor social and economic conditions, led to the 1905 Revolution.’
How far do you agree?

6. ‘The 1905 Revolution failed.’ How far do you agree with this view?

3. Post-1905 Reforms and the Survival of the Tsarist Regime (1906–1914)

1. ‘In the period to 1914, the main reason the Tsarist regime survived was the weakness of the opposition.’
How far do you agree?

2. How far did the Tsarist regime deal with opposition between 1900 and 1914?

3. Assess the view that the Tsar was able to strengthen his regime between 1905 and 1914.

4. ‘The government’s reforms of 1905 to 1914 largely achieved their aims.’ How far do you agree?

5. ‘The social and economic policies of the Tsarist government between 1905 and 1914 brought few
benefits to the Russian people.’ How far do you agree?

6. ‘The survival of the Tsarist regime between 1905 and 1914 was dependent on a weak and divided
opposition.’ How far do you agree?

7. ‘The strengths of Romanov rule outweighed the weaknesses between 1906 and 1914.’ How far do you
agree?

8. How successful were the social and economic policies of the Tsar’s government from 1894 to 1914?

9. To what extent was the Russian economy modernised in the period from 1894 to 1914?

10. To what extent was the Russian economy transformed between 1894 and 1914?

11. ‘A period of major reforms.’ Discuss this view of Russia in the period from 1900 to 1914.

12. ‘The Tsar provided Russia with good government between 1906 and 1914.’ How far do you agree?

13. How secure was the Tsar’s hold on power between 1906 and 1914?

14. How effectively did the Tsar deal with the problems facing Russia in the period from 1906 to 1914?

15. ‘Between 1906–14, the Tsarist regime had overcome the opposition to it.’ How far do you agree with
this statement?
 16. ‘A weak regime with few supporters.’ Discuss this view of the Tsar’s government in 1914.

4. Impact of World War I on Russia (1914–1917)

1. How far were the military setbacks suffered by Russia between 1914 and 1916 responsible for the
downfall of the Tsar?

2. How far do you agree that popular discontent was the main reason for the Tsar’s abdication?

3. ‘Poor leadership by the Tsar was the main cause of the Revolution in February 1917.’ How far do you
agree?

4. To what extent did Nicholas II bring about his own downfall in 1917?

5. ‘The collapse of Tsarism was caused by its failure to keep the support of the industrial workers.’ How
far do you agree?

5. The February Revolution and the Provisional Government (1917)

1. How far was the February Revolution of 1917 caused by the Tsar’s lack of commitment to reform?

2. ‘Failure to achieve peace caused the fall of the Provisional Government in October 1917.’ How far do
you agree with this view?

3. ‘The Provisional Government stood no chance of survival.’ How far do you agree?

4. How far was Kerensky responsible for the collapse of the Provisional Government?

5. ‘The Provisional Government lost the support of the army.’ How far does this explain its overthrow?

6. ‘Kerensky’s government lacked popular support.’ How far does this explain Bolshevik success in the
Revolution of October 1917?

6. The October Revolution and Bolshevik Takeover (1917)

1. To what extent was Bolshevik success in October 1917 caused by the errors of the Provisional
Government?

2. To what extent were Lenin’s ideas the principal reason for the success of the Bolsheviks in 1917?

3. ‘The poor state of the Russian economy was the main reason for Bolshevik success in October 1917.’
How far do you agree?

4. ‘A great revolutionary leader.’ Assess this view of Lenin.

7. The Bolshevik Consolidation of Power and Civil War (1918–1921)

1. ‘Trotsky was key to Bolsheviks winning the Russian Civil War.’ How valid is this view?

2. ‘The main cause of the Bolshevik victory in the Russian Civil War was the disunity of their enemies.’
How far do you agree?

3. ‘Agreeing to the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk was a misjudgement by the Bolsheviks.’ How far do you agree?

4. To what extent was War Communism a failure?