Russian Revolutions 1917 – Long Answer Questions
Medium Level (Application & Explanation)
Q1. Explain how protests in Petrograd turned into the February Revolution in 1917.
Answer:
- People faced severe food shortages, inflation, and war losses.
- On International Women’s Day (March 8), women led bread riots and demanded peace.
- Protests spread quickly and became city-wide strikes by March 10.
- Soldiers mutinied and refused to fire at the people. This changed the balance.
- The Duma stepped in and formed a Provisional Government on March 12.
- Under this pressure, Tsar Nicholas II abdicated on March 15, ending the monarchy.
Q2. Describe the role of women in the February Revolution and why it mattered.
Answer:
- Women began protests on International Women’s Day, demanding bread and peace.
- They led the early bread riots and pushed for better living conditions.
- Women organized strikes and marched with workers and soldiers.
- Their actions drew more people into the streets and widened the uprising.
- Their role helped weaken Tsarist authority and speed up change.
- After 1917, their courage brought more focus to women’s rights and political participation.
Q3. Trace the key steps from protest to abdication between March 8 and March 15, 1917.
Answer:
- March 8: Women start protests on International Women’s Day for bread and peace.
- March 10: Protests grow into mass strikes across Petrograd.
- March 12: Soldiers join the protesters and mutiny spreads.
- The Duma creates the Provisional Government to restore order.
- March 15: Tsar Nicholas II abdicates the throne.
- The Romanov dynasty ends, and a new political phase begins.
Q4. What were the aims of the Provisional Government and why did it lose support?
Answer:
- It aimed to build a democratic system after the Tsar’s abdication.
- It promised civil liberties and wanted to stabilize the country.
- It chose to continue World War I, hoping to defend Russia’s position.
- But it failed to solve land distribution and food shortages.
- Continued military defeats made people angry and hopeless.
- Groups like the Bolsheviks gained support by opposing the war and demanding immediate reforms.
Q5. Explain how the October Revolution happened and why it was important.
Answer:
- Under Vladimir Lenin, the Bolsheviks planned a quick takeover.
- Leon Trotsky organized the operation and led the forces.
- On October 24–25, 1917, they stormed the Winter Palace, the seat of the Provisional Government.
- The Provisional Government was overthrown with little resistance.
- On October 26, a new Soviet government was declared with socialist goals.
- This brought a communist government to power, led to withdrawal from WWI, civil war, and finally the Soviet Union.
High Complexity (Analysis & Scenario-Based)
Q6. You are a worker in Petrograd in March 1917. Why would you join the protests and how would the soldiers’ mutiny affect your choice?
Answer:
- You face high prices, hunger, and long queues for food.
- The war brings more losses and suffering to your family.
- On March 8, you see women bravely demanding bread and peace.
- By March 10, the strikes are everywhere, making your voice feel stronger.
- The soldiers’ mutiny gives you confidence, as you fear less violence.
- You believe real change is possible, especially after the Duma forms the Provisional Government.
Q7. Analyze how the decision to continue World War I affected the Provisional Government’s fate.
Answer:
- Continuing the war kept the food crisis and inflation going.
- Military failures in June increased anger and discontent.
- Soldiers and workers lost faith in the government’s promises.
- The decision delayed land reforms and relief to peasants and workers.
- The Bolsheviks used this to say “end the war now,” gaining support.
- The war choice weakened the government and opened the way for October 1917.
Q8. “All power to the Soviets” was Lenin’s call in April 1917. Why did this appeal to people at that time?
Answer:
- People were tired of war, hunger, and broken promises.
- The Provisional Government seemed slow and indecisive.
- Lenin’s call promised immediate power to people’s councils (Soviets).
- It suggested quick action on bread, peace, and land.
- Workers and soldiers felt their voices would matter more.
- This clear message drew many to the Bolsheviks by October.
Q9. Compare the February and October Revolutions in terms of causes, leadership, and outcomes.
Answer:
- February began with bread riots and spread through strikes and mutinies.
- It was driven by hunger, inflation, and war losses; women played a key role.
- It ended with Tsar Nicholas II abdicating and a Provisional Government forming.
- October was organized by the Bolsheviks under Lenin and Trotsky.
- It focused on seizing state power, by storming the Winter Palace.
- The result was a Soviet government, withdrawal from WWI, and the road to the Soviet Union.
Q10. Suppose soldiers had not mutinied in March 1917. Would the Tsar still have fallen? Explain with reasons.
Answer:
- Without the mutiny, protests might have been easier to crush.
- The army’s loyalty was central to the Tsar’s survival.
- But the food crisis and war failures still created deep anger.
- Protests after March 8 were massive and hard to stop fully.
- The Duma could still have pushed for change due to public pressure.
- So, the fall might have been slower or different, but the crisis made the Tsar’s position weak anyway.