October Revolution
In October 1917 the Bolsheviks took
over the government. Soon a new government
was formed, with Lenin as its
leader. The Bolsheviks believed in Communism.
They thought that all the common
working people should share in the
wealth of the country. They did not
believe that individuals should be able to
own land on their own. They took away
everything that the tsar’s family had
owned. They also improved conditions
for workers.
CivilWar
Lenin made peace with Germany in
March 1918. In the process, he had to
give up much of Russia’s territory. This
made many Russians unhappy. Some of
them started a civil war.
Protesters gather outside the tsar’s palace in
Petrograd (now Saint Petersburg) in 1917.
108 Russian Revolution BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
The armies that fought the war were
called the Reds and the Whites. The
Reds represented the Russian Communists,
as the Bolsheviks called themselves
after March 1918. The Whites represented
other groups that wanted to control
the country. During the war the
Communists killed the tsar and his family.
The Communists won the war in
November 1920. In 1922 they gave the
country a new name—the Union of
Soviet Socialist Republics.
#More to explore
Communism • Lenin, Vladimir Ilich
• Nicholas II • Russia • Tsar • Union of
Soviet Socialist Republics
Ruth, Babe
Babe Ruth is probably the most famous
player in baseball history. He set or tied
about 60 records during his long major
league career.
Early Life
George Herman Ruth was born in Baltimore,
in the U.S. state of Maryland, on
February 6, 1895. He spent much of his
childhood getting into trouble on the
streets. At age 7 his parents placed him
in Saint Mary’s Industrial School, which
took in troubled youth. There he
learned to play baseball.
Career
Ruth began his career in 1914 as a
pitcher for Baltimore’s minor league
team. It was then that he got the nickname
Babe. Later in 1914 he joined the
Boston Red Sox. Ruth pitched for Boston
in theWorld Series in 1916 and
1918. He also became a powerful batter.
In 1918 the team moved him to the
outfield so he could play in every game.
In 1920 the Red Sox sold Ruth to the
New York Yankees. Ruth played his best
seasons with the Yankees. He led the
American League in home runs for 12
years. In 1927 he hit 60 home runs.
This was a season record that was not
broken until 1961.
Ruth played 22 major league seasons
and starred in 10World Series. His lifetime
record of 714 home runs stood
until Hank Aaron broke it in 1974.
Retirement
Ruth played his last season for the Boston
Braves in 1935. In 1936 he was
elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Ruth died in New York City on August
16, 1948.
#More to explore
Aaron, Hank • Baseball
Babe Ruth
Babe Ruth was
known as the
Sultan of
Swat.
BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Ruth, Babe 109
Rwanda
Rwanda is a small, mountainous country
in east-central Africa. The capital is
Kigali.
Rwanda borders the Democratic Republic
of the Congo, Uganda, Tanzania, and
Burundi. Lake Kivu forms part of
Rwanda’s western border. Mountains,
hills, and deep valleys cover the land.
Rwanda has bamboo forests, wooded
regions, and grasslands. Its wildlife
includes elephants, chimpanzees, antelopes,
zebras, hippopotamuses, and buffalo.
Rare mountain gorillas live in
Rwanda’s Virunga Mountains.
The Hutu people make up more than
80 percent of the population. The Tutsi
make up most of the rest. The Twa
people form a small group. Rwanda’s
main languages are Rwanda, French,
English, and Swahili. Most people live
on farms or in small villages.
Most Rwandans are farmers who produce
food for their own families. The
major food crops are plantains, sweet
potatoes, cassava, potatoes, sorghum,
and corn. Cattle and goats are the main
livestock. Rwandans also grow coffee
and tea to sell to other countries.
The first people to live in Rwanda were
the Twa. The Hutu arrived next. The
Tutsi appeared in the 1300s and conquered
the Hutu. Germany and then
Belgium controlled Rwanda from the
late 1800s. In 1962 Rwanda became
independent under Hutu leaders.
Tutsi rebels began a civil war in 1990. In
1994 Hutu forces killed at least 500,000
people, mostly Tutsi. The Tutsi rebels
managed to take control of Rwanda,
however. They set up a government with
both Tutsi and Hutu representatives.
..More to explore
Africa • Kigali
Women carry baskets on their heads in
Rwanda.
Facts About
RWANDA
Population
(2008 estimate)
10,009,000
Area
10,169 sq mi
(26,338 sq km)
Capital
Kigali
Form of
government
Republic
Major cities
Kigali, Gitarama,
Butare,
Ruhengeri,
Gisenyi
110 Rwanda BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
Rye
Rye is a grain that grows well in poor
soils and harsh climates. Grains are
grasses that produce seeds that can be
eaten. Poland, Russia, and Germany are
major rye-producing countries. The
scientific name for rye is Secale cereale.
A rye plant grows to about 4 to 6 feet (1
to 2 meters) tall. It has a round, hollow
stem and long, narrow leaves. The leaves
are blue-green and have a coarse texture.
At the end of the stem is a slender structure
called a spike, which holds the
seeds. A rye spike is about 3 to 6 inches
(7.6 to 15 centimeters) long. There are
