Tsar Nicholas II

What was the Russian Revolution?

The Russian Revolution took place in 1917 when the peasants and working class people of Russia revolted against the government of Tsar Nicholas II. They were lead by Vladimir Lenin and a group of revolutionaries called the Bolsheviks. The new communist government created the country of the Soviet union. 

 Background Information:

 

His family: 

 Nicholas was born in St. Petersburg on May 6, 1868 he was the eldest son of Tsar Alexander III . When he succeeded his father in 1849, he had very little experience of government. In the same year, Nicholas married Princess Alexandra of Hesse- Darmstadt of Germany. They had four kids, three girls and one boy 

Before the revolution, Russia, was ruled by a powerful monarch called the Tsar meaning emperor . The tsar had total power and control in Russia. He commanded the army, owned much of the land and even controlled the church at the time. 

During the period of time before the Russian Revolution, Life for the working class people and peasants was very difficult. They worked for little pay, often went without food, and were exposed to dangerous working conditions. The aristocrat class rates the peasants like slaves, giving them few rights under the law and treated them almost like animals .