Section A - HTAV

The Russian Revolution
Section A
Allan Kerr
Carey Baptist
Grammar School
Allan.Kerr@carey.com.au.

Section A
How it will be assessed on the Exam
Section A – Part 1
Two Extended Questions’ – 2 x 10
marks –Approx. 25 lines so aim for 250
words
This is a test of (primarily) your
knowledge. You don’t have to back up
your points with quotes or lengthy
pieces of evidence. You do have to be
specific – cite definites.
The examiners do not want dot points
but paragraph responses containing
“points arranged as a series of flow-on
sentences”.
They don’t want to see historians’
opinions.
Remember.
The questions will
come from the four
bullet points in the
Study Design.

The Bullet Points

KEY events of the Russian
Revolution
1. 1905 ‘Revolution’
i. Russo-Japanese War 8/2/04-5/9/05
ii. Bloody Sunday – 9 January 1905
iii. Potemkin Mutiny – 14 June
iv. The General Strike – 16 th October
v. October Manifesto – 17 th October
2. Outcome of 1905
i. Establishment and Dismissal of the
ii.
iii.
First Duma (April-July 1906)
Four days before – reissuing of
Fundamental Laws
Witte replaced by Stolypin
3. Repression and Reform by
Stolypin – 18/9/1911
4. 300 th anniversary – 6/3/1913

KEY events of the Russian
Revolution
1. WW1
i. 1/8/1914
ii. Battle of Tannenberg – August
iii. Battle of Masurian Lakes –
September
iv. Nicholas’ decision to take control of
the Army – August 21, 1915
2. Feb Revolution & Nicholas’
abdication 2 March 1917
3. October Revolution, 1917.

Five KEY factors of the Russian
Revolution
1. Industrialisation
2. Political Unrest
3. Impact of War
4. Weak leadership
5. Awareness of Inequality

Causes of Tensions and Conflicts…
1. Rising expectations eg proliferation of antitsarist
groups/organizations;
2. Failed attempts at economic reform – Witte and
Stolypin;
3. Failed attempts at political reform – Dumas;
4. Fluctuations in economic activity caused by
industrialisation versus agronomy;
5. Economic inequality or lack of political voice –
Bloody Sunday;
6. The social and economic impact of World War I
on Tsarist Russia.

The ideas and ideologies utilised in
the Revolutionary struggle
1. Karl Marx and Communism
2. Nikolai Chernyshevsky
3. V.I. Lenin & Leninism
4. Julius Martov & Menshevism
5. Constitutional Govt.
6. Democracy
7. Anti-Tsarism

The role of revolutionary individuals
and groups in bringing about change
Top Five
1. Nicholas II
2. Kerensky
3. Bolsheviks
4. Trotsky
5. Lenin

The role of revolutionary individuals
and groups in bringing about change
Others
1. Rasputin
2. Stolypin
3. Dumas
4. Rodzianko
5. SDLP
6. Mensheviks
7. S.R.’s
8. Kornilov
9. Stalin

Past Questions
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
Lenin's ideas
(Leader/Idea)
Abdication
of Nicholas II
(Event)
Response to
Bloody
Sunday
(Event)
Provisional
Govt's
responses
(Leaders/Group)
WW1
(Event)
Lenin’s
Policies
(Leader)
Tsar's measures
in implementing
October Manifesto
(Event/Leader)
Formation of PG
(Event/Group)
Russo-Japanese
War
(Event)
April Theses
(Event/Idea)
World War One
(Event)
Role of Kornilov
(Event/Leader)
State Dumas
Dual Authority

Tips and Advice
Tips
‣ Bloody Sunday/1905
Revolution
‣ Ideas – Marxism
‣ Kerensky
Advice
‣ Fill the space
‣ Lots of dates/facts
‣ ATBQ

Section A Part 2
November 1917 – Death of Lenin

Section A
How it will be assessed on the Exam
Section A – Part 2
One question with sub parts that will examine Area
of Study 2 - Creating a new society and will
consist of an analysis of a document, commentary,
visual representation or interpretation.
Generally – 4 questions – 2 x2 marks, 1 x 6 marks,
1 x 10 marks.
2x4 lines, 1x17 & 1x27
Approach – Comprehension, Context and Function

Bullet Points
The contribution of individuals and groups to the
Creation of a New Society.
The causes of difficulties or crises faced by the
revolutionary groups or governments as a new state
was consolidated.
The response of the key revolutionary groups,
governments or parties to the difficulties they
encountered as the new state was consolidated.
The compromise of revolutionary ideals.
The changes and continuities that the revolution
brought about in the structure of government, the
organisation of society, and its values, and the
distribution of wealth and conditions of everyday
life.

Section A
How it will be assessed on the Exam
Section A – Part 2
This is a section based on your ability to
comprehend, interpret and evaluate so you
will be required to display your contextual
knowledge as well as present responses that
satisfy the questions posed. Be precise in your
responses to the first two questions, display
your contextual knowledge in the third
question by citing at least three absolute facts
about the event or action that the commentary
is about. Finally, question the usefulness of
the commentary or interpretation.

Example
Extract from Richard Pipes, Communism: A History of the Intellectual and
Political Movement, p. 42-3:
Except for retaining their grip on power, the Bolsheviks experienced setbacks in nearly
all of their endeavours. Life turned out to be very different from theory. But they would
not admit they were wrong: whenever things did not turn out as desired, they did not
compromise but instead intensified the violence. To admit to being wrong would
threaten to unravel the whole theoretical foundation of their regime since it claimed to
be scientifically correct in all parts.
Among many of Lenin's disappointments was the emergence of a huge, self-serving and
uncontrollable bureaucracy. According to Marxist doctrine, the state is nothing more
than the servant of the class that owns the means of production; it has no interests of
its own. This belief showed remarkable ignorance of political history since there exists
a great deal of evidence that, from the time of the pharaohs, state officials looked after
themselves...

Example
Extract from Richard Pipes, Communism: A History of the Intellectual and
Political Movement, p. 42-3:
4 questions:
‣ 2 straight forward comprehension questions
‣ 1 contextual
‣ 1 question on ‘usefulness’ or function of the author
‣ To what extent is this extract useful in understanding the nature of Bolshevik rule
during the period, 1917-1921?

Example
Extract from Richard Pipes, Communism: A History of the Intellectual and
Political Movement, p. 42-3:
Except for retaining their grip on power, the Bolsheviks experienced setbacks in nearly
all of their endeavours. Life turned out to be very different from theory. But they would
not admit they were wrong: whenever things did not turn out as desired, they did not
compromise but instead intensified the violence. To admit to being wrong would
threaten to unravel the whole theoretical foundation of their regime since it claimed to
be scientifically correct in all parts.
Among many of Lenin's disappointments was the emergence of a huge, self-serving and
uncontrollable bureaucracy. According to Marxist doctrine, the state is nothing more
than the servant of the class that owns the means of production; it has no interests of
its own. This belief showed remarkable ignorance of political history since there exists
a great deal of evidence that, from the time of the pharaohs, state officials looked after
themselves...

Suggested Formula
Identify 2 features from the
document/image/commentary that betrays its
bias or usefulness
Compare to a similar view and quote
Contrast with an opposing view and quote
Conclude with another view and quote

Historians
View ‘School’ Historians
The revolution was not inevitable. Lead by individuals who
manipulated the ignorance of others - a revolution from
ABOVE. Believe in human rights and the fundamental
freedom of the individual with an inclination towards anticommunism.
Argue that there must be more to Bolshevik success than the
individuals. The revolution must have had reasonable support
from the peasantry and proletariat. Focus tends to be on social
history and the role of ordinary people. Revolution from
BELOW
The revolution was part of the historical process envisioned by
Marx. It was a people’s revolution (from below) - driven by
the peasantry and the proletariat.
Schapiro,
Daniels,
Conquest,
Pipes,
Chamberlain
Fitzpatrick,
Rabinowich,
Service,
Nove, Smith
Pospelov,
Golub,
Alexandrov,
Obichkin,
CPSU

AoS 2 – Russian
Images

Possiblities
Historians/
Commentators
Figes
Smith
Conquest
Lenin
Trotsky
Fitzpatrick
Pipes
CPSU
Topics
Role of Lenin or Trotsky
Crisis – Civil War
Crisis – War Communism
Compromise - NEP
Compromise - Kronstadt
Bolshevik force
Lenin and Civil War
Change or Continuities

Past Questions
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
Pipes and
Civil War.
Role of
Civil War
DOCUME
NT
Kronstadt
demands.
Nature of
Reforms
DOCUM
ENT
Lenin
defends
Bolshevik
rule
Figes on
War
Communi
sm
DOCUM
ENT
Lenin
introduces
NEP
DOCUM
ENT
Speech by
Lenin in
Const
Ass.
IMAGE
Cossack
in Civil
War

Tips and Advice
Possibly due for an historians’
opinion…
Read the questions before you read the
extract so that you know what you are
looking for.
ATQ