| Description |
The Spirit of Change Series encourages students and teachers to engage in an inquiry-based study of documents and illustrations. These comprehensive texts provide a plethora of primary and secondary sources, sometimes of a conflicting nature, which guide students through the causes, events, leaders, ideology and aftermath of the revolutions. There are four major investigations in each text. Within each investigation there are a number of inquiries that focus on a particular question for study. It is intended that the inquiries simulate the process of the historian, that is, raising questions, investigating and critiquing sources, drawing conclusions, justifying their decisions and communicating their findings. Graded questions encourage an examination of the sources using a variety of learning techniques. Designed to meet the curriculum requirements of the Western Australian and Victorian senior history syllabuses, The Spirit of Change Series would be appropriate for any senior History student studying the revolutions. |
| Key Features |
An essay on the nature of revolutions introducing readers to the current discourse about revolutions, their characteristics and causes Additional narrative text that places sources within a historical framework A broad selection of questions, activities and discussion points encouraging students to comprehend, conclude, challenge, investigate and consolidate A diverse presentation of visual sources-photographs, fine art, cartoons, diagrams, maps, timelines and tables An extensive range of primary and secondary sources, some previously inaccessible-letters, newspaper reports, state documents, items of propaganda, speeches, interviews and memoirs Conflicting sources to prompt students to evaluate the issues and draw their own conclusions |
| Table of Contents |
The nature of revolutions Investigation A: The nature of the pre-revolutionary regime and its problems Inquiry 1: How did the nature and structure of society in pre-revolutionary Russia indicate a need for reform? Inquiry 2: Did conditions improve with Alexander II's reforms? Inquiry 3: What was the impact of industrialisation on the Russian economy and workers? Inquiry 4: What opposition groups existed in Russia prior to 1905? Inquiry 5: How did tsarism survive the growing discontent and the revolution of 1905? Inquiry 6: How did tsarism recover and regain its strength from 1906 to 1914? Inquiry 7: How did the First World War affect Russian society, economy and politics, and precipitate revolution? Investigation B: Revolutionary ideas and leaders Inquiry 8: What revolutionary ideas existed in Russia and which parties promoted these ideas? Inquiry 9: Who were the revolutionary leaders and what was their contribution? Investigation C: Crises of the revolution Inquiry 10: Was the February that forced the abdication of Nicholas II planned or spontaneous? Inquiry 11: What were the problems the Provisional Government encountered in 1917? Inquiry 12: How did the Bolsheviks rise to power in 1917? Inquiry 13: How did the Bolsheviks seize power in 1917? Inquiry 14: How did the Bolsheviks deal with opposition to their regime? Investigation D: Continuing the revolution Inquiry 15: Why was the New Economic Policy introduced by the Bolsheviks and how successful was it? Inquiry 16: What impact did Lenin's death have on the Communist Party and Stalin's rise to power? Inquiry 17: What impact did the Russian Revolution have on the cultural life of Russians? Inquiry 18: What did 'Socialism in One Country' mean for the workers and the peasants? Inquiry 19: How did Stalin consolidate his regime and develop a cult following? |
