Modern History – Russia 1905-1920: The October Revolution (1917)

Two resources: A PowerPoint and Worksheet. The worksheet is designed to step students through the lesson. It includes copies of the sources on the PPT slide and questions for them to answer. It also includes space for them to copy the notes that have been underlined in the PPT presentation.

The PPT begins with answers to the homework analysis activity – analysing a visual source about the revolution. This is followed by information about two key revolutionaries: Vladimir Lenin and Leon Trotsky. There is a YouTube viewing activity about how these two men rose to power. Students have a graphic organiser to fill in as they watch. ‘Leninism’ is explained followed by information about the return of the Bolshevik revolutionaries from exile. Information about why this is a turning point is provided. After this ‘The July Days’ is explained as well as lessons that Trotsky took away from this. Information about the rising political support for the Bolshevik party is provided. Subsequently, information about how the provisional government was overthrown is included. A timeline of the October revolution is provided followed by some checking for understanding activities. The homework task is then explained. (I usually tell students to take a photo of the homework instructions). Additional videos are linked for if you need to kill time.

Designed to meet the requirements of the senior Modern History syllabus (implemented in QLD in 2019), this unit falls under the category of ‘Ideas in the Modern World.’