a) Identify factors that led to the Russian Revolution (1917).
The October Revolution in Russia in 1917 signified the collapse of Tsarist Russia and the establishment of a regime by the Bolsheviks and the leader of the Communist Party, Lenin. The main reason, among others, was the dissatisfaction of peasants and workers due to large class differences. The dissatisfaction of workers and peasants was preceded by several wars that Russia led and lost all, but the war with Turkey. Peasants barely survived in unreformed economic agricultural conditions. Workers fought for bigger rights in factories, for shortening working hours, but primacy was in waging wars, rather than dealing with economic issues and dissatisfaction of workers and peasants. Also, Emperor Nicholas spent more time dealing with his own family than on state issues. All this led to the general dissatisfaction of the people and the October Revolution.
b) Identify factors that led to the Mexican Revolution (1910–17).
Some of the factors that led to the Mexican Revolution were the dictatorship-like way of ruling that Porfirio Diaz exhibited for over 30 years, the exploitation and poor treatment of laborers, and the large disparity between rich and poor. While there is no definite cause for the Mexican Revolution, there were many factors that led to the decision to rebel against the government.
c) Explain how land-based and maritime empires gave way to new states in the 20th century.
The land-based and maritime empires gave way to new states in the 20th century when the older, land-based empires such as the Ottoman empire, the Russian empire, and the Qing empire collapsed due to a combination of internal and external factors.
