Abstract In the context of the research of the evolution of ideas about Russia spread in the United States at the beginning of the 20th century the article studies the approaches to the definition of the essence, role and place in the historical process of the First Russian Revolution of 1905-1907. Its assessments in the works of American socialists are also given. Based on the historical, political and political-textual analysis of W. E. Walling’s works “The social revolution in Russia”, “How is it with the Russian revolution”, A. Bullard’s “An eye-witness’s story of the Russian revolution”, K. Durland’s “The Kronstadt fiasco” and etc., it is shown that those were the socialists who formed in the American socio-political discourse and public opinion a new image of Russia - a country that is ready for changes and is able to make these changes, is ready to undertake political and religious modernization and then follow the path of progress. The conclusion is substantiated that this socialist image hope pressed the amorphous ideas of the liberals about the “Eastern giant” and was opposed to the negative image formed by the American conservatives, and in this connection one can speak of the dualistic image of Russia in the views of the Americans, based upon the events of the First Russian Revolution of 1905-1907.