History | Units 3 & 4 | Russian Revolution
The Key Knowledge and Skills for all units are set out in the VCE Study Design: History.
Causes of the revolution
Outcome 1
On completion of this unit the student should be able to analyse the causes of revolution, and evaluate the contribution of significant events, ideas, individuals and popular movements. To achieve this outcome the student will draw
on key knowledge and key skills.
Key Knowledge
The Russian Revolution from 1896 to October 17
(Coronation of Tsar Nicholas II to the announcement of the Soviet Government.
The events and conditions that contributed to the outbreak of revolution.
Including institutional weaknesses and tensions in Tsarist Russia, economic and social inequalities, the Russo-Japanese War, Bloody Sunday, the October Manifesto, the Fundamental Laws, limitations of the Dumas, World War One, the February Revolution, the effectiveness of the Provisional Governments, The Dual Authority, Lenin’s return and his April Theses, the July Days, the Kornilov Affair, and the events of October 1917.
The ideas that played a significant role in challenging the existing order.
Including discontent with Tsarist autocracy, liberal ideas and reforms, Marxism and Marxism-Leninism.
The role of individuals in challenging or maintaining the power of the existing order.
Including Tsar Nicholas II and Tsarina Alexandra, Pyotr Stolypin, Grigori Rasputin, Alexander Kerensky, Vladimir Lenin, and Leon Trotsky.
The contribution of popular movements in mobilising society and challenging the existing order.
Including workers’ protests and peasants’ uprisings, soldier and sailor mutinies, and the role of political parties: Socialist Revolutionaries, Bolsheviks, and Mensheviks (SDs), Octobrists and Kadets.
Key Skills
Ask and use a range of historical questions to explore the causes of the revolution
Evaluate sources for use as evidence
Analyse the perspectives of people during the development of the revolution and how perspectives changed and/or remained the same over time
Evaluate historical interpretations about the causes of the revolution
Analyse the causes of the revolution
Evaluate the extent of continuity and change in ideas, individuals, and popular movements in the development of the revolution
Evaluate the historical significance of events, ideas, individuals, and popular movements that contributed to the outbreak of the revolution
Construct arguments about the causes of the revolution using sources as evidence
Exam Revision 