Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
The Bolshevik Revolution refers to the uprising led by Vladimir Lenin in 1917 that overthrew the Russian Provisional Government during World War I. This revolution established Soviet Russia as a socialist state.
Related terms
Russian Revolution: A series of revolutions in Russia between 1905 and 1917 that ultimately resulted in the overthrow of Tsar Nicholas II.
A political ideology combining Marxist principles with Leninist strategies for achieving socialist revolution.
October Manifesto: Issued by Tsar Nicholas II after the 1905 revolution, it promised civil liberties and created an elected legislative body known as the Duma.