Pearson Edexcel · A-Level · History
Course version: 9HI0 · Version from Sept 2015
Consolidating Bolshevik power: the closing of the Constituent Assembly;…
Full specification wording
Defending the Bolshevik revolution, October 1917–24: Consolidating Bolshevik power: the closing of the Constituent Assembly; making peace at Brest-Litovsk; the formation of the Cheka; attacks on Bolshevik opponents; the Red Terror.
After October 1917, the Bolsheviks moved quickly to remove rival centres of authority.
Checked against the Pearson Edexcel 9HI0 specification (opens in a new tab) on .
- Point 1 of 4
- 4 key terms
Study notes
From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.
The idea
After October 1917, the Bolsheviks moved quickly to remove rival centres of authority. In January 1918, the Constituent Assembly met and was dissolved by force after the Bolsheviks lost the election, ending hopes of a multi-party parliament. To end the war, Lenin accepted the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk in March 1918, losing vast territories but securing breathing space. In December 1917, the Cheka was created as a secret police force to suppress counter-revolution, speculation and sabotage. Attacks on opponents included closing opposition newspapers, arresting Kadets and Socialist Revolutionaries, and banning rival parties. From 1918, the Red Terror escalated with mass arrests, hostage-taking and executions, especially after the attempt on Lenin's life in August 1918. These measures centralised power, but also provoked civil war and foreign intervention.
What earns the marks
- Explains that the Constituent Assembly was elected in November 1917 but dissolved by the Bolsheviks in January 1918 after they won only about 175 of 707 seats, ending multi-party democracy.
- Identifies the Cheka, founded in December 1917 under Dzerzhinsky, as the Bolshevik secret police responsible for suppressing counter-revolution, sabotage and speculation, and later running the Red Terror.
- Explains that attacks on Bolshevik opponents included banning rival parties, closing their newspapers, arresting their leaders and using force to break up meetings and demonstrations.
- Analyses the Red Terror (from September 1918) as a campaign of mass arrests, hostage-taking and executions, often justified as a response to the attempt on Lenin's life and to foreign intervention.
- Evaluates how these measures consolidated Bolshevik power by removing rivals and creating a one-party state, while also provoking resistance and contributing to civil war.
Common mistakes and how to put them right
Confusing the Constituent Assembly with the Soviet Congress.
Put it right: Keep the two institutions distinct and date their key events accurately.
Treating the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk as a minor border adjustment.
Put it right: State the specific territories lost and the political consequences.
Assuming the Cheka was created only after the Red Terror.
Put it right: Sequence the formation of the Cheka and the start of the Red Terror correctly.
Exam tips
- When discussing consolidation, link each measure to its intended effect on Bolshevik control and to the opposition it provoked.
- Use precise dates and names (e.g. January 1918 for the Constituent Assembly, March 1918 for Brest-Litovsk, December 1917 for the Cheka) to support your argument.
- For essay questions, weigh the relative importance of force, ideology and pragmatism in explaining how the Bolsheviks consolidated power.
Try the lesson
The start of the Defending the Bolshevik revolution, October 1917–24: Consolidating Bolshevik power: the closing of the Constituent Assembly; making peace at Brest-Litovsk; the formation of the Cheka; attacks on Bolshevik opponents; the Red Terror. lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.
Have a go first
In which month and year did the Bolsheviks forcibly close the Constituent Assembly after their defeat in its election?
Listen
After October 1917, the Bolsheviks moved quickly to remove rival centres of authority. In January 1918, the Constituent Assembly met and was dissolved by force after the Bolsheviks lost the election, ending hopes of a multi-party parliament. To end the war, Lenin accepted the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk in March 1918, losing vast territories but securing breathing space. In December 1917, the Cheka was created as a secret police force to suppress counter-revolution, speculation and sabotage. Attacks on opponents included closing opposition newspapers, arresting Kadets and Socialist Revolutionaries, and banning rival parties. From 1918, the Red Terror escalated with mass arrests, hostage-taking and executions, especially after the attempt on Lenin's life in August 1918. These measures centralised power, but also provoked civil war and foreign intervention. A strong answer earns marks for these points. Explains that the Constituent Assembly was elected in November 1917 but dissolved by the Bolsheviks in January 1918 after they won only about 175 of 707 seats, ending multi-party democracy. Describes the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk (March 1918) as a separate peace with Germany that ceded Poland, the Baltic states, Finland and Ukraine, and imposed heavy reparations, causing splits among Bolsheviks and with the Left SRs. Identifies the Cheka, founded in December 1917 under Dzerzhinsky, as the Bolshevik secret police responsible for suppressing counter-revolution, sabotage and speculation, and later running the Red Terror. Explains that attacks on Bolshevik opponents included banning rival parties, closing their newspapers, arresting their leaders and using force to break up meetings and demonstrations. A common slip: Confusing the Constituent Assembly with the Soviet Congress: the Constituent Assembly was a national parliament elected in November 1917 and dissolved in January 1918, whereas the Soviet Congress was a Bolshevik-dominated body. Instead, keep the two institutions distinct and date their key events accurately. Exam tip: When discussing consolidation, link each measure to its intended effect on Bolshevik control and to the opposition it provoked.
Key words
Say what each word means before you turn the card.
Constituent Assembly
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Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
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Cheka
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Red Terror
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See every definition
- Constituent Assembly
- A national parliament elected in November 1917 and dissolved by force by the Bolsheviks in January 1918 after they lost the election, ending hopes of a multi-party parliament.
- Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
- A separate peace with Germany accepted by Lenin in March 1918, losing vast territories but securing breathing space and causing splits among Bolsheviks and with the Left SRs.
- Cheka
- A secret police force created in December 1917 to suppress counter-revolution, speculation and sabotage, and later responsible for running the Red Terror.
- Red Terror
- A campaign from 1918 of mass arrests, hostage-taking and executions that escalated especially after the attempt on Lenin's life in August 1918.
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