FREE! Click here to Join FunTrivia. Thousands of games, quizzes, and lots more!

Leon Trotsky Trivia Quiz

The mastermind of the October Revolution, Trotsky was one of the most influential people in the early days of Communist Russia. Take this quiz to learn more about him.

A multiple-choice quiz by arsalanrizvi. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
arsalanrizvi

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
86,595

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
15

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
9 / 15

Plays
758

Last 3 plays: Guest 153 (5/15), Guest 172 (2/15), Guest 174 (13/15).

This quiz has 2 formats: you can play it as a or as shown below.
Scroll down to the bottom for the answer key.

1. Where and in what year was Trotsky born? Hint

Albania, in 1871

Uzbekistan, in 1883

Ukraine, in 1879

Georgia, in 1880

NEXT>

2. In 1897, Trotsky helped form what organisation? Hint

Northern Russian Soviet

Russia's Prolterait's Federation

South Russian Workers' Union

Russian Peasants' Front

NEXT>

3. After the Russian Revolution of 1905, Trotsky returned home to direct the socialist workers' movement in which city? Hint

Orenburg

Moscow

St. Petersburg

Tula

NEXT>

4. In 1917, Trotsky joined which party? Hint

Russian Labor

Menshivik

Bolshevik

Socialist

NEXT>

5. In September 1917, Trotsky was elected chairman of what body? Hint

Executive Committee of the Petrograd Soviet

Legislative Committee of the Petrograd Soviet

Judicial Committee of the Petrograd Soviet

Foreign Affairs' Committee of the Petrograd Soviet

NEXT>

6. After the October Revolution of 1917, Lenin appointed Trotsky as the head of what Government branch? Hint

Defense Affairs

Civil Affairs

Foreign Affairs

Revolutionary Affairs

NEXT>

7. Because of Trotsky's brilliant military leadership, the Bolsheviks won what conflict in 1921? Hint

Russio-Japanese War

Russian Civil War

Red-White War

Bolshevik-Menshevik Conflict

NEXT>

8. In what month and year was the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) formally proclaimed? Hint

March 1923

December 1922

April 1930

May 1922

NEXT>

9. After Lenin died in 1924, which future Soviet leader established a three-body government with Zinovyev and Kamanev? Hint

Khrushchev

Trotsky

Stalin

Krensky

NEXT>

10. In 1926, Zinovyev, Kamanev, and Trotsky formed an opposition coalition against Stalin called what? Hint

Left Opposition

Anti-Stalinists

Stalin Opposition Party

Red Opposition Front

NEXT>

11. In which year was Trotsky exiled from the USSR? Hint

1929

1927

1928

1930

NEXT>

12. After his exile, Trotsky was admitted in which country, where he lived for four years? Hint

Turkey

Mexico

France

China

NEXT>

13. In 1936, Trotsky took permanent residence in which country? Hint

France

Mexico

Cuba

Turkey

NEXT>

14. In 1937, Trotsky published a book entitled what? Hint

The Traitor to Marxism

The Tyrant

Brother of the Devil

The Revolution Betrayed

NEXT>

15. In which month and year was Trotsky assassinated? Hint

September 1940

May 1940

August 1940

June 1940

(Optional) Create a Free FunTrivia ID to save the points you are about to earn:

Select a User ID:

Choose a Password:

Your Email:

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Where and in what year was Trotsky born?

Answer: Ukraine, in 1879

He was born Lev Davidovich Bronstein in Ukraine, then part of the Russian empire, to a wealthy Jewish farmer.

2. In 1897, Trotsky helped form what organisation?

Answer: South Russian Workers' Union

Trotsky had become a radical follower of the German philosopher, Karl Marx. He was arrested and charged with spreading dangerous ideas and causing political disorder in 1898, and was exiled to Siberia. Four years later, he escaped-using Trotsky as his name, which later became his popular name-and fled to London, where he met Lenin Plekhanov, and Martov and joined their group of Russian Social Democrats.

3. After the Russian Revolution of 1905, Trotsky returned home to direct the socialist workers' movement in which city?

Answer: St. Petersburg

Trotsky was made chairman of St. Petersburg Soviet (Council) of Workers' Deputies. He distinguished himself from other leaders by his stubborn and revolutionary nature. After Emperor Nicholas II promised civil rights for Russia's peasants, Trotsky called for an end to the workers' strike.

4. In 1917, Trotsky joined which party?

Answer: Bolshevik

Although he had earlier criticized Lenin's policy of a one-party dictatorship, he later joined forces with him, and became one of the most important members of the Bolshevik Party. He led the opposition to the Provisional Government that had formed after Nicholas II's abdication, and was arrested in August. He was released the next month.

5. In September 1917, Trotsky was elected chairman of what body?

Answer: Executive Committee of the Petrograd Soviet

During this time, Lenin was in hiding to escape arrest, so Trotsky made most of the plans of the Bolshevik takeover.

6. After the October Revolution of 1917, Lenin appointed Trotsky as the head of what Government branch?

Answer: Foreign Affairs

Trotsky was a key figure in negotiations with Germany. He resigned from his post five months later in protest of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, which made severe demands on Russia. He was made commissar and chairman of the Supreme Military Council of Russia.

7. Because of Trotsky's brilliant military leadership, the Bolsheviks won what conflict in 1921?

Answer: Russian Civil War

The war started in 1918, and continued for three years.

8. In what month and year was the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) formally proclaimed?

Answer: December 1922

9. After Lenin died in 1924, which future Soviet leader established a three-body government with Zinovyev and Kamanev?

Answer: Stalin

Stalin, Georgian of birth, later assumed absolute power. Trotsky continued to criticize Stalin which led to the loss of his post as Commissar of War.

10. In 1926, Zinovyev, Kamanev, and Trotsky formed an opposition coalition against Stalin called what?

Answer: Left Opposition

11. In which year was Trotsky exiled from the USSR?

Answer: 1929

Stalin had at first exiled him to Soviet Central Asia in 1928, but because of his continuous political and oppositional activities, he was exiled altogether from the USSR in 1929.

12. After his exile, Trotsky was admitted in which country, where he lived for four years?

Answer: Turkey

In 1933, he moved from Turkey to France.

13. In 1936, Trotsky took permanent residence in which country?

Answer: Mexico

He lived in Mexico City, Mexico with his family where he continued to advocate world revolution.

14. In 1937, Trotsky published a book entitled what?

Answer: The Revolution Betrayed

The book criticized Stalin's dictatorial policies.

15. In which month and year was Trotsky assassinated?

Answer: August 1940

A Spanish-born Soviet agent planted an ice-pick in his head, bringing an end to one of the greatest intellectuals and revolutionaries the world had ever produced.

Source: Author arsalanrizvi

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Lanni before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

Most Recent Scores

May 16 2023 : Guest 153: 5/15
May 11 2023 : Guest 172: 2/15
Apr 14 2023 : Guest 174: 13/15

Score Distribution