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The Russian Revolution was a political movement in Russia that climaxed in 1917 with the overthrow of the Russian Tsar system and led to the establishment of the Soviet Union, which lasted until 1992. This movement was led by Vladimir Lenin and marked the beginning of the spread of communism in the twentieth century.

Quick Chronology to 1917

Dates are correct for the Julian calendar, which was used in Russia until 1918. It was twelve days behind the Gregorian calendar during the 19th Century and a day further behind during the 20th century.

• 1855 Start of reign of Tsar Alexander II
• 1861 Emancipation of the serfs
• 1866-74 The White Terror
• 1881 Alexander II assassinated. Alexander III
• 1883 First Russian marxist group formed
• 1894 Start of reign of Nicholas II
• 1898 First Congress of Russian Social Democratic Labour Party (RSDLP)
• 1900 Foundation of Socialist Revolutionary Party (SR)
• 1903 Second Congress of Russian Social Democratic Labour Party. Split
• 1904-5 Russo-Japanese War
• 1905 Revolution.
  Jan - Bloody Sunday in St Petersburg.
  June - Potemkin
  Oct - general strike, St Petersburg Soviet formed
  imperial agreement on elections to the State Duma - October Manifesto
• 1906 First State Duma. Prime Minister - Petr Stolypin. Agrarian reforms begin
• 1907 Second State Duma, Feb - June
• 1907 Third State Duma, until 1912
• 1911 Stolypin assassinated
• 1912 Fourth State Duma, until 1917. Bolshevik - Menshevik split final
• 1914 Germany declares war on Russia
• 1915 Serious defeats, Nicholas II declares himself CinC. Progressive Bloc formed
• 1916 Gregory Rasputin killed

More detailed quick chronology of 1917

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Jan

• Strikes and unrest in Petrograd

Feb

• The February Revolution
• 26th 50 demonstrators killed in Znamenskaya Square
• 27th Troops refuse to fire on demonstrators, desertions. Prison, court and Okhrana buidings set on fire. Garrison joins revolutionaries.
• Petrograd Soviet formed.

March

• 1st Order No.1 of the Petrograd Soviet
• 2nd Nicholas II abdicates. Provisional Government formed, Prince Lvov PM

April

• 3rd Return of Lenin to Russia. April Theses
• 20th Miliukov's note published. Provisional Government falls

May

• 5th New Provisional Government formed. Kerensky minister of war and navy

June

• 3rd First All-Russian Congress of Soviets in Petrograd. Closed on 24th
• 16th Kerensky orders offensive against Austro-Hungarian forces. Initial success

July

• 2nd Russian offensive ends. Trotsky joins Bolsheviks
• 4th Anti-government demonstrations in Petrograd
• 6th German and Austro-Hungarian counter-attack. Russians retreat in panic, sacking the town of Tarnopol. Arrest of Bolshevik leaders ordered
• 7th Lvov resigns. Kerensky is new PM
• 22nd Trotsky and Lunacharskii arrested

Aug.

• 26th Second coalition government ends
• 27th General Lavr Kornilov failed coup. Kornilov arrested and imprisoned

Sept.

• 1st Russia declared a republic
• 4th Trotsky and others freed. Trotsky becomes head of Petrograd Soviet
• 25th Third coalition government formed

Oct.

• 10th Bolshevik Central Committee meeting approves armed uprising
• 11th Congress of Soviets of the Northern Region, until 13th
• 20th First meeting of the Military Revolutionary Committee of Petrograd
• 25th MRC directs armed workers and soldiers to capture key buidings in Petrograd.
• Winter Palace attacked at 9.40pm. Kerensky flees Petrograd
• 26th Second Congress of Soviets. Mensheviks and right SR delegates walk-out in protest at coup. Decrees on peace and land reform. Soviet government declared - the Council of People's Commissars; Bolshevik dominated with Lenin as chairman