History revision

Question 1

What was the Tsar’s attitude to ruling Russia?

Answer 1

Autocratic; believed in divine right; resisted reform.

Question 2

What was the Okhrana?

Answer 2

The Tsar’s secret police used to crush opposition.

Question 3

Name two causes of the 1905 Revolution.

Answer 3

Russo-Japanese War, Bloody Sunday.

Question 4

What was Bloody Sunday?

Answer 4

Peaceful protestors shot by troops in 1905 outside the Winter Palace.

Question 5

What was the October Manifesto?

Answer 5

Promised civil rights and a Duma after the 1905 unrest.

Question 6

Why did the 1905 Revolution fail?

Answer 6

Army remained loyal, opposition not united, concessions divided protesters.

Question 7

How did the Tsar survive the 1905 Revolution?

Answer 7

October Manifesto, army support, repression of radicals.

Question 8

What were Stolypin’s reforms?

Answer 8

Land reforms for peasants; attempted to modernise agriculture.

Question 9

What were the long-term causes of the February 1917 Revolution?

Answer 9

Autocracy, poor conditions, political repression, failure of reform.

Question 10

What were the short-term causes of the February 1917 Revolution?

Answer 10

WWI failures, food shortages, strikes, loss of army support.

Question 11

Who took power after Nicholas II abdicated?

Answer 11

The Provisional Government.

Question 12

What was dual power?

Answer 12

Shared rule between the Provisional Government and the Petrograd Soviet.

Question 13

Why was dual power a problem?

Answer 13

PG had no control over the army or workers; Soviets had real influence.

Question 14

What were Lenin’s April Theses?

Answer 14

Promised “Peace, Land, Bread” and “All Power to the Soviets”.

Question 15

What was the July Days?

Answer 15

Failed uprising by Bolsheviks; leaders arrested.

Question 16

What was the Kornilov Revolt?

Answer 16

General Kornilov attempted a coup; PG relied on Bolsheviks for defence.

Question 17

Why did the Bolsheviks succeed in October 1917?

Answer 17

Weak PG, Trotsky’s leadership, Lenin’s slogans, Red Guard control of key buildings.

Question 18

What was the Decree on Land?

Answer 18

Gave land to peasants.

Question 19

What was the Decree on Peace?

Answer 19

Called for an end to Russia’s involvement in WWI.

Question 20

What was the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk?

Answer 20

Peace with Germany; gave up huge amounts of land/resources.

Question 21

Why did the Bolsheviks win the Civil War?

Answer 21

Trotsky’s leadership, unity, control of industry, geography.

Question 22

Who were the White armies?

Answer 22

Anti-Bolsheviks: monarchists, liberals, foreign armies.

Question 23

What was War Communism?

Answer 23

Nationalisation of industry, grain requisitioning, rationing.

Question 24

What was the Red Terror?

Answer 24

Cheka repression of political opponents during the Civil War.

Question 25

Why was the NEP introduced in 1921?

Answer 25

Economic collapse, peasant unrest, Kronstadt mutiny.

Question 26

What were the features of the NEP?

Answer 26

Private trade allowed, small businesses reopened, tax in kind replaced grain requisition.

Question 27

How did Stalin defeat Trotsky?

Answer 27

Controlled party appointments, alliances, made Trotsky look disloyal.

Question 28

What were show trials?

Answer 28

Public trials of Stalin’s enemies with forced confessions.

Question 29

What was the NKVD?

Answer 29

Stalin’s secret police who ran purges and labour camps.

Question 30

What was collectivisation?

Answer 30

Peasant farms merged into state-controlled farms; resistance crushed.

Question 31

What were kulaks?

Answer 31

Wealthier peasants blamed and targeted during collectivisation.

Question 32

What were the effects of collectivisation?

Answer 32

Famine (especially Ukraine), millions died, resistance crushed.

Question 33

What were the Five-Year Plans?

Answer 33

Targets for industry; focused on coal, steel, electricity.

Question 34

What was the Stakhanovite movement?

Answer 34

Workers praised for exceeding targets to boost productivity.

Question 35

What were gulags?

Answer 35

Labour camps used to imprison enemies and force industrial work.

Question 36

How did Stalin use propaganda?

Answer 36

Controlled media, education, films, posters to glorify himself.

Question 37

What was the cult of personality?

Answer 37

Stalin portrayed as a heroic, infallible leader.

Question 38

How were women affected under Stalin?

Answer 38

More jobs and education, but still expected to manage families.

Question 39

How did Stalin control education?

Answer 39

Focus on obedience, history rewritten to glorify Stalin.

Question 40

How did WWII affect the USSR?

Answer 40

Huge losses but USSR emerged as a superpower; industry relocated and rebuilt.

Question 41

What was the impact of WWII on Stalin’s control?

Answer 41

Increased patriotism, but repression continued; Stalin emerged even more powerful.

Question 42

Plan a 16-mark answer: “The main reason for Bolshevik success in 1917 was the failure of the Provisional Government.” How far do you agree?

Answer 42

Agree: Continued war, delayed reforms, failure to crush opposition. Disagree: Lenin’s leadership, Bolshevik slogans, Trotsky’s planning. Judgement: PG failures were key, but not the only factor.

Question 43

Plan a 16-mark answer: “Stalin’s economic policies were a success.” How far do you agree?

Answer 43

Agree: Industrial growth, Five-Year Plan targets met, USSR became stronger. Disagree: Human cost, famine, poor quality, collectivisation disaster. Judgement: Successful in building economy, but at massive human cost.

Question 44

Plan a 16-mark answer: “Lenin had complete control of Russia by 1924.” How far do you agree?

Answer 44

Agree: Banned opposition, Cheka repression, Civil War victory. Disagree: Economic problems, resistance (Kronstadt), compromise with NEP. Judgement: Control established, but challenged and not total.

Question 45

Plan a 16-mark answer: “The purges were the main reason Stalin stayed in power.” How far do you agree?

Answer 45

Agree: Fear removed opposition, loyalty ensured. Disagree: Propaganda, economic success, cult of personality. Judgement: Terror key, but combined with other strategies.

Question 46

Plan a 16-mark answer: “The main reason the Tsar was overthrown in 1917 was his mistakes during WWI.” How far do you agree?

Answer 46

Agree: Military failures, left government to Tsarina, loss of army support. Disagree: Long-term issues, 1905 legacy, poor economy. Judgement: WWI was the trigger, but deeper problems mattered too.