Learn about the major historical events that shaped Russia become a communist nation during the Russian Revolution. Explore the reasons for and effects of this important upheaval, from the February and October Revolutions through the emergence of the Bolsheviks and the resignation of Tsar Nicholas II.
| Event | Description |
| February Revolution | Overthrow of the monarchy |
| Provisional Government Formation | Temporary government established |
| October Revolution | Bolsheviks seize power |
| Bolshevik Party Formation | Founded by Vladimir Lenin |
| Treaty of Brest-Litovsk | Peace treaty with Central Powers |
| Red Army Formation | Revolutionary military force |
| Civil War Begins | Anti-Bolshevik forces resist |
| Execution of Tsar Nicholas II | Imperial family executed |
| Red Terror | Campaign against counter-revolutionaries |
| New Economic Policy (NEP) | Mixed economy introduced |
| Russian Constituent Assembly | Dissolved by Bolsheviks |
| Creation of the USSR | Union of Soviet Socialist Republics |
| Kronstadt Rebellion | Naval mutiny against Bolshevik rule |
| War Communism | State control over economy |
| Assassination of Lenin | Lenin dies from a gunshot wound |
| Russian famine of 1921-1922 | Severe food shortage |
| Formation of Soviet Secret Police | Cheka established for security |
| Treaty of Rapallo | Normalization of relations with Germany |
| Collectivization of Agriculture | Forced consolidation of farms |
| Stalin’s Rise to Power | Becomes leader of the Soviet Union |
| Great Purge | Mass political repression |
| Soviet Industrialization | Rapid industrial growth |
| Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact | Non-aggression treaty with Nazi Germany |
| Siege of Leningrad | Prolonged German blockade |
| Battle of Stalingrad | Turning point in WWII |
| Soviet Space Program | First manned spaceflight |
| Dissolution of the USSR | Soviet Union ceases to exist |
| Fall of the Berlin Wall | Symbolic end of the Cold War |
| Glasnost and Perestroika | Reforms under Mikhail Gorbachev |
| Chechen Wars | Separatist conflicts in Chechnya |
| Russian Federation Established | Modern-day Russia formed |
| Vladimir Putin’s Presidency | Dominant political figure in Russia |
| Annexation of Crimea | Controversial move by Russia |
| Conflict in Eastern Ukraine | Separatist movements and unrest |
| Ongoing Sanctions on Russia | Economic measures imposed by the West |
| Influence on World Politics | Global impact of the Russian Revolution |
