Russian Revolution

     The Russian Revolution was a series of three revolutions. It involved a czar(Russian word for king), the Bolsheviks, and the Provisional government. In the February Revolution(it was actually in March), there were good things and bad things. While the middle-class people were doing well, there were a lot of shortages of the latest stuff. Czar Nicholas II was also taking full power. Soon, Russia would have economic problems. In the October Revolution(it was actually in November), the Bolsheviks(the good Russians,led by Vladimir Lenin) overthrew the Provisional government. Some Bolsheviks separated from the group, but the supporting members won. The Bolsheviks would take charge of Russia until when Joseph Stalin seized full power. That paved the way for the USSR. It also brought in the Russian Civil War, an event where the Bolsheviks (Red for Bolshevik) battled former members( White for ex-Bolshevik).

World War I

World War I was a long event in which European countries competed against each other for nationalism. France, Great Britain, and Russia, who were joined by the United States, battled Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy. Before the war, there were many problems like countries protecting each other from rivals. These countries also battled each other for colonies in Africa and Asia at the time when imperialism took place. Years later on June 28, 1914 in Sarajevo, Bosnia, Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife were assassinated by a Serbian nationalist who was a gang member of the Black Hand. That prompted Austria-Hungary to declare war on Serbia. Two months later, Germany declared war on France and Russia. Britain then declared war on Germany. World War I went from 1914 to 1918. In 1917, the U.S. entered the war. It sided with France, Great Britain, and Russia. America would also force Germany, Austria- Hungary, to Italy to surrender. A lot of soldiers died.

World War I

Imperialism Project

Imperialism is when a country updates another country with the latest technology. The updated country likes it but doesn't know that years from now it would be ruled by the country that upgraded it. Britain had done it to Africa, India, and China. It gave the Chinese, Indian, and African people lots of opium and others. It's like smuggling or dealing drugs.
The Opium Wars went from 1839 to 1842. After that China got so addicted to opium, which can be made into heroin. In 1843, the Treaty of Nanjing was signed and it would go in effect for years until 1997 because Hong Kong was British territory at the time. The second Opium War took place in 1858 and the U.S. was one of the countries to be involved in it.

Film Lesson: Mountains of the Moon

     The movie is about two British explorers who search for a source of the Nile River. The explorers, Richard Burton and John Speke, work for Royal Geographic Society. During their first trip to Africa, they were able to escape from a savage tribe. Back at England, Burton and Speke get more people and supplies. They returned to Africa and the nicer tribes give them extra people and supplies. The search for a source of the Nile took six months. On the way they found a lake and named it Lake Victoria, after the queen of England. Even in the trip did they find some harsh areas, animals, and people. Late in the trip they ran out of food. Some of the people, including Speke, got a disease. Many died  of malaria. Speke, Burton, and their crew eventually found the source of the Nile. Speke thinks he found it, Burton disagreed. Speke later got stressed out and committed suicide. The trades they made, including drugs, made the tribes people get high. This convinced England to rule over Africa and India, which went from the 1850's to about 1950.

Karl Marx and Communism

     Karl Marx thought of a different kind of idea where people working in factories could overtake a government and rule its country. He called it Communism. Marx disagreed with the 

Industrial Revolution. Communism was also where the same amount of money received would be be the same. Workers would also run the country so that there would be no government. Russia tried it out, but failed after 70 years. China, Cuba, and North Korea are the remaining Communist countries.

Karl Marx and the Industrial Revolution

     Karl Marx was born Jewish and became German, but he had good ideas for Russia. He heard about the Industrial Revolution, which was an era of jobs, factories, and many good opportunities. But he thought that there should be a different way of life. Marx called it Communism. It was where people with jobs  had more freedom than landlords. However, it would be harsh because many governments were replaced by Communist groups. There would be no jobs, school, fun, sports, or any other activity going on in a Communist country. Marx never supported the things going on in the Industrial Revolution, especially the jobs, factories, and inventions there.