Imagine the Russian Revolution never took place. How would this change the course of history?
Transcript
The Russian Revolution was a period of time when the working class of Russia rebelled against the government. This revolution began in 1917, when Russia was still involved in World War I. The war had caused famine and poverty throughout the country. The people of Russia suffered poor working conditions, long hours, and low pay. In early 1917, the workers decided to go on strike. They were standing up against Russia’s ruler, Tsar Nicholas II. A political party known as the Bolsheviks, led by a man named Vladimir Lenin, was gaining support from the working class. The Bolsheviks believed that communism was the only solution to poverty in Russia. After the protests became too much to handle, Nicholas II was forced to step down from the throne. The Bolsheviks gained power soon after that, and Russia became a communist country.
France was one of the first countries in Europe to abolish their monarchy. Many other countries began to do the same thing as time went on. Today, most European countries have elected leaders. Do you think this would have been different if the French Revolution had never happened?
Transcript
The French Revolution was a violent political movement that took place in the late 18th century. The unrest in France began during the reign of King Louis XVI, whose spending decisions had led the country into debt. In order to solve this problem, Louis XVI called on an assembly of French citizens to vote on what to do. However, poor citizens found that higher-class citizens had the power to outvote them. This led to the decision to place higher taxes on commoners. Angered by this decision, the commoners created their own assembly, and began to revolt. After invading Louis XVI’s palace, the revolutionaries gained control of France. The new government abolished the monarchy and executed both the king and his wife, Marie Antoinette. But while the king was no longer in charge of France, the French Revolution would continue for years after his execution, as the new government waged war against other European countries that were afraid their citizens would follow France’s example.
