Pearson Edexcel · GCSE · History

    Course version: 1HI0 · Version from Sept 2016

    Key topic 1: The revolutions of 1917 - 1 The growth of opposition to the…

    Full specification wording

    Option 30: Key topic 1: The revolutions of 1917 - 1 The growth of opposition to the tsar in early 1917: Growing discontent among peasants and town workers.

    In early 1917, opposition to Tsar Nicholas II surged due to deep grievances among peasants and town workers.

    Checked against the Pearson Edexcel 1HI0 specification (opens in a new tab) on .

    • Point 1 of 2
    • 3 key terms

    Study notes

    From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.

    The idea

    In early 1917, opposition to Tsar Nicholas II surged due to deep grievances among peasants and town workers. Peasants suffered from severe land hunger, high taxes, and wartime conscription, which stripped villages of their agricultural workforce. Meanwhile, town workers faced appalling living conditions and overcrowding in rapidly industrialising cities like Petrograd. Their discontent was exacerbated by low wages, long hours, and severe food shortages caused by wartime inflation and transport breakdowns. This dual crisis in the countryside and urban centres created a volatile environment, uniting both groups in their desperation and anger towards the Tsarist regime, laying the groundwork for the impending revolution.

    What earns the marks

    • Identify specific peasant grievances, such as land shortages and the impact of conscription on farming.
    • Describe the poor living and working conditions of town workers, including overcrowding and long hours.
    • Explain how wartime inflation and transport failures led to severe food and fuel shortages in cities.
    • Link the growing discontent of both groups directly to the increasing opposition to the Tsar's government.

    Common mistakes and how to put them right

    • Stating that peasants and workers had the exact same grievances.

      Put it right: Distinguish between peasant land hunger and worker living/working conditions.

    • Claiming that discontent only began in 1917.

      Put it right: Explain that these were long-term issues severely worsened by the First World War.

    • Ignoring the role of inflation.

      Put it right: Explicitly mention how wages failed to keep up with the rising cost of basic goods like bread.

    Exam tips

    • Use specific examples, such as the population boom in Petrograd, to illustrate urban overcrowding.
    • When explaining causes of opposition, link long-term social issues with short-term wartime triggers.
    • Ensure you address both peasants and town workers if a question asks about social discontent.

    Try the lesson

    The start of the Option 30: Key topic 1: The revolutions of 1917 - 1 The growth of opposition to the tsar in early 1917: Growing discontent among peasants and town workers. lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.

    Have a go first

    What was a primary cause of discontent among town workers in Russia by early 1917?

    Listen

    In early 1917, opposition to Tsar Nicholas II surged due to deep grievances among peasants and town workers. Peasants suffered from severe land hunger, high taxes, and wartime conscription, which stripped villages of their agricultural workforce. Meanwhile, town workers faced appalling living conditions and overcrowding in rapidly industrialising cities like Petrograd. Their discontent was exacerbated by low wages, long hours, and severe food shortages caused by wartime inflation and transport breakdowns. This dual crisis in the countryside and urban centres created a volatile environment, uniting both groups in their desperation and anger towards the Tsarist regime, laying the groundwork for the impending revolution. A strong answer earns marks for these points. Identify specific peasant grievances, such as land shortages and the impact of conscription on farming. Describe the poor living and working conditions of town workers, including overcrowding and long hours. Explain how wartime inflation and transport failures led to severe food and fuel shortages in cities. Link the growing discontent of both groups directly to the increasing opposition to the Tsar's government. A common slip: Stating that peasants and workers had the exact same grievances. Instead, distinguish between peasant land hunger and worker living/working conditions. Exam tip: Use specific examples, such as the population boom in Petrograd, to illustrate urban overcrowding.

    See it

    A flowchart showing two sources of discontent feeding into one. On the left, a box for peasants lists land hunger, high taxes and conscription. Below it, a box for town workers lists overcrowding, low wages and long hours. Both boxes have arrows pointing to a central box labelled growing discontent. Separately, a box for wartime inflation and transport breakdowns points to a box for food and fuel shortages, which in turn points to the town workers box. The central growing discontent box points to a final box labelled growing opposition to the Tsar.
    Shows how peasant grievances and the poor conditions of town workers, worsened by wartime shortages, fed growing discontent and opposition to the Tsar.

    Key words

    Say what each word means before you turn the card.

    Economic hardship

    Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.

    Urbanisation

    Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.

    Opposition to autocracy

    Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.

    See every definition
    Economic hardship
    Low wages, long hours and severe food shortages caused by wartime inflation and transport breakdowns worsened the discontent of town workers.
    Urbanisation
    Rapid industrialisation drew town workers into overcrowded cities like Petrograd, where living conditions were appalling.
    Opposition to autocracy
    Desperation and anger towards the Tsarist regime united peasants and town workers, laying the groundwork for the impending revolution.

    Label the diagram

    Some boxes have lost their names. Pick the right name for each number.

    The diagram again, with 3 boxes numbered instead of named. A flowchart showing two sources of discontent feeding into one. On the left, a box for peasants lists land hunger, high taxes and conscription. Below it, a box for town workers lists overcrowding, low wages and long hours. Both boxes have arrows pointing to a central box labelled growing discontent. Separately, a box for wartime inflation and transport breakdowns points to a box for food and fuel shortages, which in turn points to the town workers box. The central growing discontent box points to a final box labelled growing opposition to the Tsar.

    • 1Box 1

    • 2Box 2

    • 3Box 3

    0 of 3 labelled

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