This unit will begin our focus on the emergence of Authoritarian states in Europe after World War I. The turmoil of World War I and its consequences challenges the existing political structures, especially of the defeated, and led some populations to seek alternative systems of government. One of the greatest shifts occurred in Russia where Tsarist Russia was violently overthrown and replaced by a Communist regime. In this unit we will touch on the actions of some popular characters like Nicholas II, Lenin, Trotsky and Stalin. We will examine the reigns of the final three monarchs of the Romanov dynasty, the Russian Revolution and the Russian Civil War. By the end of the unit, you will be able to answer the below key questions:
 

1. What were the economic factors, social divides, impact of war and weaknesses in the Russian political system that allowed the establishment of an authoritarian state in Russia?

 

2. How did the reigns of Alexander II, Alexander III and Nicholas II contribute to the collapse of the Romanov dynasty?

 

3. What was the impact of World War I on weakening Nicholas II's government?

 

4. What were the factors that contributed to the October Revolution?

5. How did the Communist government use persuasion and coercion, leadership, ideology and propaganda to gain support for their government?

 

6. Why did the Red Army win the Russian Civil War?

 

7. What was the state of the Soviet Union at the time of Lenin's death in 1924?


Resources: The main secondary resources we will using in this unit will be Sally Waller's Imperial Russia, Revolutions and the Emergence of the Soviet State 1853-1924, David Marples' Lenin's Revolution. We will also be examining a number of additional primary and secondary sources on individual topics.

 

Assessments

1. Standards

   1. IB.History.AO.1A: Recall core content knowledge regarding historical events

   2. IB.History.AO.2A,2B,3A,3B: Write on demand essays that support arguments with specific evidence 

   3. IB.History.AO.2C,3C,3D: Interpret, compare, and evaluate historical sources and use them effectively as evidence

2. Formative

   1. Class Discussions

   2. Prompts

   3. Short Answer Questions

   4. Socratic Discussions

   5. Essay Writing Skill Development

   6. Medical Evaluation of Russia in 1914

   7. Russian Civil War Propaganda Posters

   8. Interview with Lenin

3. Summative

   1. In-Class Paper 2/3 Past Paper Question

 

Unit Calendar: The Calendar outlines the plan for our day to day in class activities and the homework that will be assigned. The expectation is that students complete all homework assignments for the next lesson unless otherwise indicated on the calendar. While we would like this to be set in stone, unforeseen events and intriguing tangents might change the plan so if you are ever in doubt on what is due and when, please ask!