What period of history are you interested in? The most important dates and events in Russian history

History is a science that collects, studies, systematizes facts and events that occur or have happened at any time in the past of human civilization. True, there is an opinion that this is far from the most serious branch of knowledge. Partly because information about many facts raises doubts about their reliability. In addition, everyone can interpret the phenomena occurring in society as they like. But still, there are the most important historical events that cannot be erased from the chronicles of civilization, because they represent a certain foundation, that is, the basis of the life of society and human relationships. Some of them are worth special mention.

Chronicles of centuries

What are they, historical events that everyone should know? Ancient chronicles are full of endless wars, struggles for power between the rulers of various states and conspiracies of their confidants. The chronicles of millennia are replete with uprisings of the poor against the dominance of the rich. Almighty kings are overthrown during periods of bloody revolutions. And then some tyrants are replaced by others, if not dictators, then often individuals who do not disdain deception and betrayal in their own interests. There are also enough bright leaders with a strong character, who, partly for good reason, are later called great leaders and heroes. The names of many of them have been preserved by history, although a good half of humanity sometimes does not remember what and against whom they fought.

World conquerors often occupy a more honorable place in the memory of descendants than the discoverers of new continents, philosophers, scientists and artists. However, on the scale of civilization, it is creative discoveries that truly contribute to progress. The most important historical events of ancient times, perhaps, are: the conquest of fire, the domestication of animals and the breeding of cultivated plants, the invention of the wheel, writing and numbers. But who remembers the authors of these discoveries and revolutionary innovations? History does not keep their names.

The most famous person

No one knows whether this man actually lived, or whether his biography from the first to the last word is pure fiction. However, whether he was a real person or a myth, entire states rallied around his name and the most important historical events took place. Centuries-long wars and endless verbal battles were fought for and against his ideas, where supporters and opponents clashed in fierce battles. And even the chronicle of the new era begins counting from the date of his birth.

Jesus Christ, as evidenced by the lines of Holy Scripture, was just the son of a simple carpenter from an unremarkable city in Israel called Nazareth. He is considered the founder of idealistic philosophy, which formed the basis of many religious cults. He was executed in Jerusalem as a criminal, for which he was subsequently deified.

Europe

Every nation builds its own history. In some ways it is similar to the chronicles of other states. However, it is definitely endowed with its own unique features. The culture of a nation is part of the country's history. It is closely connected with the events that occur in the political, state, economic and spiritual fields. It expresses the essence of a nation and human relationships. And each nation has its own most important historical events.

In the ancient period, civilizations such as the Hellenic and Roman arose in Europe, which subsequently gave others a lot in terms of the development of politics, philosophy, science, music, theater and sports. In the first millennium AD, other peoples moved to this continent. Among them are the Huns, Bulgarians, Khazars, Turks and Vikings. They created many states and civilizations that laid the foundations of modern world culture.

Discovery of America

History preserves the name of this great Spanish navigator, although he did not end up where he wanted to go. Until the end of his life, Christopher Columbus did not understand that the four expeditions that were carried out under his command with the blessing of the Catholic kings did not visit India at all. He landed on the island of San Salvador, sailing with his crew on three ships across the Atlantic Ocean, and saw the outlines of an unknown continent on October 12, 1492. This date is celebrated as the day of the discovery of America and refers to the main historical events that influenced the course of development of civilization.

The states of the New World, especially the United States, have occupied key positions in politics and economics over the past centuries, each year continuing to increase their influence on the course of events on the planet.

Formation of Rus'

Our state took shape over a vast period of time, uniting from a huge number of disparate tribes of the Eastern Slavs. Experiencing the strong influence of Byzantium, a neighboring power, Rus' became Orthodox. This happened more than a thousand years ago. And the adoption of Christianity is rightfully considered a historical event that radically influenced the life of Russia. The new religion changed people's ideas, their views, cultural traditions, and aesthetic tastes. Before the times of the dominance of the Golden Horde, Rus' was considered an advanced, cultural, developed country and a significant state.

The Battle of Kulikovo - a battle that took place in September 1380, ended with the defeat of the troops of the Tatar Khan Mamai, although Russian losses were also significant. But the victory greatly strengthened the authority and influence of the Moscow princes among neighboring peoples and contributed to the final liberation of Rus' from the Mongol-Tatar yoke. This achievement, as well as the military glory of later periods, including the defeat of Napoleon's troops in 1812, contributed to the formation of the spirit of the nation. Russians in the world are known for their love of freedom, desire for independence and ability to repel enemies.

The era of scientific achievements

Classical science of the 19th century, paying tribute to its ancient roots, continued to remain largely metaphysical. However, the fundamental discoveries of the second half of the century revolutionized scientific minds. Here are some of them: cell theory in biology, the law of conservation of energy in physics, the theory of the development of the Earth in geology.

The idea of ​​a gradual change in the numerous species of flora and fauna existing on planet Earth has been in the air for a long time, but it finally took shape only in the 19th century in the works of the traveler and naturalist from England Charles Darwin. He published his book on the origin of species in 1859. At first it aroused vehement criticism, especially from religious leaders who saw the theory of the emergence of life without divine intervention as an encroachment on centuries-old moral principles.

The discoveries of the 19th century not only influenced the minds and worldviews of people, but prepared the ground and became the impetus for subsequent grandiose, large-scale and at the same time tragic historical events of the 20th century.

A century of revolutions, wars and tyrants

The next century was marked by numerous technical innovations, the development of aviation, the discovery of the secrets of the structure of the atom and the conquest of its energy, deciphering the DNA code, and the creation of computers.

The rapid development of industry and the economic redistribution of the world in the first half of the century became the fundamental reason that pitted the strongest states in the most brutal and bloody world wars, the beginning of which dates back to 1914 and 1939. In this century, the world heard the names of such great titans as Lenin, Stalin, Hitler, who radically changed the course of the history of the planet.

The victory of the Soviet people in the Great Patriotic War, which put an end to the senseless bloodshed in 1945, marked the beginning of a new era in world history.

Conquest of space

The idea of ​​human flights to other planets was expressed by progressive astronomers of the Middle Ages. The great scientist Isaac Newton developed theories that later formed the basis of astronautics. Jules Verne wrote science fiction novels about trips to the moon. Such dreams began to come true in April 1961, when manned space flight took place. And Yuri Gagarin became the first earthling to see the planet from a completely different angle.

The Cold War, which followed the bloody battles of the 20th century, gave rise not only to an arms race that was absurd in its madness, but also to a competition between the leading powers for influence beyond the confines of the earth's atmosphere. Human space flight was complemented by the launches of interplanetary satellites and American landings on the Moon, the first of which took place in July 1969 as part of the Apollo program.

The advent of the Internet

The first signs of the imminent birth of the World Wide Web began to make themselves felt in the 50s of the turbulent last century. We can say that the impetus for its emergence was also the Cold War. Influential circles in the United States were very concerned about the appearance of intercontinental missiles in the USSR, so lightning-fast information transmission devices were urgently invented. For this purpose, computer network connections were used. The foundations of the Internet were laid by engineer Leonard Clayton. Later, the World Wide Web opened up tremendous opportunities for humanity to communicate and exchange information.

Here is a brief summary of the historical events that everyone should know. What will happen in the future to the inhabitants of the cozy but restless planet Earth, only the future will show.

The development of world history was not linear. At each stage there were events and periods that can be called “turning points.” They changed both geopolitics and people’s worldviews.

1. Neolithic revolution (10 thousand years BC - 2 thousand BC)

The term “Neolithic revolution” was introduced in 1949 by the English archaeologist Gordon Childe. Child called its main content the transition from an appropriating economy (hunting, gathering, fishing) to a producing economy (farming and cattle breeding). According to archaeological data, the domestication of animals and plants occurred at different times independently in 7-8 regions. The earliest center of the Neolithic revolution is considered to be the Middle East, where domestication began no later than 10 thousand years BC.

2. Creation of the Mediterranean civilization (4 thousand BC)

The Mediterranean region was the birthplace of the first civilizations. The appearance of the Sumerian civilization in Mesopotamia dates back to the 4th millennium BC. e. In the same 4th millennium BC. e. Egyptian pharaohs consolidated the lands in the Nile Valley, and their civilization quickly expanded across the Fertile Crescent to the eastern coast of the Mediterranean and beyond throughout the Levant. This made Mediterranean countries such as Egypt, Syria and Lebanon part of the cradle of civilization.

3. Great Migration of Peoples (IV-VII centuries)

The Great Migration of Peoples became a turning point in history, defining the transition from antiquity to the Middle Ages. Scientists are still arguing about the causes of the Great Migration, but its consequences turned out to be global.

Numerous Germanic (Franks, Lombards, Saxons, Vandals, Goths) and Sarmatian (Alans) tribes moved to the territory of the weakening Roman Empire. The Slavs reached the Mediterranean and Baltic coasts and settled part of the Peloponnese and Asia Minor. The Turks reached Central Europe, the Arabs began their campaigns of conquest, during which they conquered the entire Middle East to the Indus, North Africa and Spain.

4. Fall of the Roman Empire (5th century)

Two powerful blows - in 410 by the Visigoths and in 476 by the Germans - crushed the seemingly eternal Roman Empire. This jeopardized the achievements of ancient European civilization. The crisis of Ancient Rome did not come suddenly, but had been brewing from within for a long time. The military and political decline of the empire, which began in the 3rd century, gradually led to the weakening of centralized power: it could no longer manage the sprawling and multinational empire. The ancient state was replaced by feudal Europe with its new organizing center - the “Holy Roman Empire”. Europe plunged into the abyss of turmoil and discord for several centuries.

5. Schism of the church (1054)

In 1054, the final split of the Christian Church into Eastern and Western occurred. Its reason was the desire of Pope Leo IX to obtain territories that were subordinate to Patriarch Michael Cerullarius. The result of the dispute was mutual church curses (anathemas) and public accusations of heresy. The Western Church was called Roman Catholic (Roman Universal Church), and the Eastern Church was called Orthodox. The path to the Schism was long (almost six centuries) and began with the so-called Acacian schism of 484.

6. Little Ice Age (1312-1791)

The beginning of the Little Ice Age, which began in 1312, led to an entire environmental catastrophe. According to experts, during the period from 1315 to 1317, almost a quarter of the population died out in Europe due to the Great Famine. Hunger was a constant companion of people throughout the Little Ice Age. During the period from 1371 to 1791, there were 111 famine years in France alone. In 1601 alone, half a million people died in Russia from famine due to crop failures.

However, the Little Ice Age gave the world more than just famine and high mortality. It also became one of the reasons for the birth of capitalism. Coal became the source of energy. For its extraction and transportation, workshops with hired workers began to be organized, which became a harbinger of the scientific and technological revolution and the birth of a new formation of social organization - capitalism. Some researchers (Margaret Anderson) also associate the settlement of America with the consequences of the Little Ice Age - people came for a better life from "God-forsaken" Europe.

7. Age of Great Geographical Discoveries (XV-XVII centuries)

The Age of Great Geographical Discovery radically expanded the ecumene of humanity. In addition, it created the opportunity for the leading European powers to make the most of their overseas colonies, exploiting their human and natural resources and extracting fabulous profits from it. Some scholars also directly link the triumph of capitalism with transatlantic trade, which gave rise to commercial and financial capital.

8. Reformation (XVI-XVII centuries)

The beginning of the Reformation is considered to be the speech of Martin Luther, Doctor of Theology at the University of Wittenberg: on October 31, 1517, he nailed his “95 Theses” to the doors of the Wittenberg Castle Church. In them he spoke out against the existing abuses of the Catholic Church, in particular against the sale of indulgences.
The Reformation process gave rise to many so-called Protestant Wars, which seriously influenced the political structure of Europe. Historians consider the signing of the Peace of Westphalia in 1648 to be the end of the Reformation.

9. The Great French Revolution (1789-1799)

The French Revolution, which broke out in 1789, not only transformed France from a monarchy into a republic, but also summed up the collapse of the old European order. Its slogan: “Freedom, equality, brotherhood” excited the minds of revolutionaries for a long time. The French Revolution not only laid the foundations for the democratization of European society - it appeared as a cruel machine of senseless terror, the victims of which were about 2 million people.

10. Napoleonic Wars (1799-1815)

Napoleon's irrepressible imperial ambitions plunged Europe into chaos for 15 years. It all started with the invasion of French troops in Italy, and ended with an inglorious defeat in Russia. Being a talented commander, Napoleon, nevertheless, did not disdain the threats and intrigues with which he subjugated Spain and Holland to his influence, and also convinced Prussia to join the alliance, but then unceremoniously betrayed its interests.

During the Napoleonic Wars, the Kingdom of Italy, the Grand Duchy of Warsaw and a number of other small territorial entities appeared on the map. The commander's final plans included the division of Europe between two emperors - himself and Alexander I, as well as the overthrow of Britain. But the inconsistent Napoleon himself changed his plans. The defeat in 1812 by Russia led to the collapse of Napoleonic plans in the rest of Europe. The Treaty of Paris (1814) returned France to its former 1792 borders.

11. Industrial revolution (XVII-XIX centuries)

The Industrial Revolution in Europe and the USA made it possible to move from an agricultural society to an industrial one over the course of only 3-5 generations. The invention of the steam engine in England in the second half of the 17th century is considered to be the conventional beginning of this process. Over time, steam engines began to be used in manufacturing, and then as a propulsion mechanism for steam locomotives and steamships.
The main achievements of the era of the Industrial Revolution can be considered the mechanization of labor, the invention of the first conveyors, machine tools, and the telegraph. The advent of railways was a huge step.

The Second World War took place on the territory of 40 countries, and 72 states took part in it. According to some estimates, 65 million people died in it. The war significantly weakened Europe's position in global politics and economics and led to the creation of a bipolar system in world geopolitics. Some countries were able to achieve independence during the war: Ethiopia, Iceland, Syria, Lebanon, Vietnam, Indonesia. Socialist regimes were established in the countries of Eastern Europe occupied by Soviet troops. World War II also led to the creation of the UN.

14. Scientific and technological revolution (mid-20th century)

The scientific and technological revolution, the onset of which is usually attributed to the middle of the last century, made it possible to automate production, entrusting the control and management of production processes to electronics. The role of information has seriously increased, which also allows us to talk about an information revolution. With the advent of rocket and space technology, human exploration of near-Earth space began.

Each of these mysterious stories could be called a detective story. But in detective stories, as you know, all the secrets are revealed by the last page. And in these stories, the solution is still far away, although humanity has been puzzling over some of them for decades. Perhaps we are not destined to find answers for them at all? Or will the veil of secrecy ever be lifted? And what do you think?

43 missing Mexican students

In 2014, 43 students from the College of Education from Ayotzinapa went to demonstrate in Iguala, where the mayor's wife was scheduled to speak to residents. The corrupt mayor ordered the police to rid him of this problem. On his orders, the police detained the students, and as a result of the harsh detention, two students and three bystanders died. The remaining students, as we found out, were handed over to the local crime syndicate Guerreros Unidos. The next day, the body of one of the students was found on the street with the skin torn off his face. Later, the remains of two more students were found. Relatives and friends of the students organized mass demonstrations, triggering a full-blown political crisis in the country. The corrupt mayor, his friends and the chief of police tried to escape, but were detained a few weeks later. The provincial governor resigned, and several dozen police officers and officials were arrested. And only one thing remains a mystery - the fate of almost four dozen students is still unknown.

Oak Island Money Pit

Off the coast of Nova Scotia, on Canadian territory, there is a small island - Oak Island, or Oak Island. There is the famous “money pit”. According to legend, local residents found it back in 1795. This is a very deep and complex mine, in which, according to legend, countless treasures are hidden. Many have tried to get into it - but the design is treacherous, and after the treasure hunter has dug to a certain depth, the mine begins to be intensively filled with water. They say that brave souls found at a depth of 40 meters a stone tablet with the scrawled inscription: “Two million pounds are buried 15 meters deeper.” More than one generation has tried to get the promised treasure out of the hole. Even the future President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, during his student years at Harvard, came to Oak Island with a group of friends to try his luck. But the treasure is not given to anyone. And is he there?..

Who was Benjamin Kyle?

In 2004, an unknown man woke up outside a Burger King in Georgia. He had no clothes on, there were no documents with him, but the worst thing was that he didn’t remember anything about himself. That is, absolutely nothing! The police conducted a thorough investigation, but were unable to find any traces: neither missing people with such characteristics, nor relatives who could identify him from a photo. He was soon given the name Benjamin Kyle, under which he continues to live to this day. Without documents or certificates of any education, he could not find a job, but one local businessman, having learned about him from a television program, out of pity, gave him a job as a dishwasher. He still works there now. The efforts of doctors to awaken his memory, and the police to find his previous traces, did not yield results.

Shore of Severed Legs

"Severed Legs Coast" is the name given to a beach on the Pacific Northwest coast of British Columbia. It received this terrible name because local residents several times found severed human legs here, shod in sneakers or trainers. From 2007 to the present, 17 of them have been found, with the majority being right-wing. There are several theories to explain why legs wash up on this beach - natural disasters, the work of a serial killer... some even claim that the mafia destroys the bodies of its victims on this remote beach. But none of these theories looks convincing, and no one knows where the truth is.

"Dancing Death" 1518

One day in the summer of 1518 in Strasbourg, a woman suddenly began dancing in the middle of the street. She danced wildly until she fell from exhaustion. The strangest thing is that gradually others joined her. A week later, 34 people were dancing in the city, and a month later - 400. Many dancers died from overwork and heart attacks. The doctors did not know what to think, and the churchmen also could not exorcise the demons possessing the dancers. In the end, it was decided to leave the dancers alone. The fever gradually subsided, but no one ever knew what caused it. They talked about some special type of epilepsy, about poisoning, and even about a secret, pre-coordinated religious ceremony. But scientists of that time did not find an exact answer.

Signal from aliens

On August 15, 1977, Jerry Eman, who was monitoring signals from space at the volunteer Center for the Study of Extraterrestrial Civilizations, picked up a signal at a random radio frequency, clearly coming from deep space, from the direction of the constellation Sagittarius. This signal was much stronger than the cosmic noise that Eman was used to hearing on the air. It lasted only 72 seconds and consisted of a completely definite, in the eye of the observer, completely random list of letters and numbers, which, however, was accurately reproduced several times in a row. Eman disciplinedly recorded the sequence and reported it to his colleagues in the search for aliens. However, further listening to this frequency did not yield anything, as did any attempts to catch at least some signal from the constellation Sagittarius. What it was - a prank by completely earthly jokers or an attempt by an extraterrestrial civilization to contact us - no one still knows.

Unknown from Somerton Beach

Here's another perfect murder, the mystery of which has still not been solved. On December 1, 1948, in Australia, on Somerton Beach in southern Adelaide, the body of an unknown man was discovered. There were no documents with him, only a note with two words: “Taman Shud” was found in one of his pockets. This was a line from Omar Khayyam's rubaiyat, meaning "the end." The cause of death of the unknown man could not be determined. The forensic investigator believed that it was a case of poisoning, but could not prove it. Others believed it was a suicide, but this claim was also unsubstantiated. The mysterious case has alarmed not only Australia, but the whole world. They tried to establish the identity of the unknown person in almost all countries of Europe and America, but the efforts of the police were in vain, and the history of Taman Shud remained shrouded in secrecy.

Confederate Treasures

This legend still haunts American treasure hunters - and not only them. According to legend, when the northerners were already close to victory in the Civil War, the treasurer of the Confederate government, George Trenholm, in desperation, decided to deprive the victors of their rightful spoils - the treasury of the southerners. Confederate President Jefferson Davis personally took on this mission. He and his guards left Richmond with a huge cargo of gold, silver and jewelry. No one knows where they went, but when the northerners took Davis prisoner, he had no jewelry with him, and 4 tons of Mexican gold dollars also disappeared without a trace. Davis never revealed the secret of the gold. Some believe that he distributed it to the planters of the South so that they could bury it until better times, others believe that it is buried somewhere in the vicinity of Danville, Virginia. Some believe that the secret society “Knights of the Golden Circle”, who were secretly preparing revenge in the Civil War, laid their paws on him. Some even say that the treasure is hidden at the bottom of the lake. Dozens of treasure hunters are still looking for him, but none of them can get to the bottom of either the money or the truth.

Voynich manuscript

The mysterious book, known as the Voynich manuscript, is named after the Polish-born American bookseller Wilfred Voynich, who bought it from an unknown person in 1912. In 1915, having taken a closer look at the find, he told the whole world about it - and since then many have not known peace. According to scientists, the manuscript was written in the 15th-16th centuries in central Europe. The book contains a lot of text, written in neat handwriting, and hundreds of drawings depicting plants, most of which are unknown to modern science. The signs of the zodiac and medicinal herbs are also drawn here, accompanied by text, apparently, of recipes for their use. However, the contents of the text are just speculations of scientists who have not been able to understand it. The reason is simple: the book is written in a language still unknown on Earth, which is also practically indecipherable. Who wrote the Voynich manuscript and why, we may not know even in centuries.

Karst wells of Yamal

In July 2014, an inexplicable explosion was heard in Yamal, as a result of which a huge well appeared in the ground, the width and height of which reached 40 meters! Yamal is not the most populated place on the planet, so no one was injured from the explosion and the appearance of a sinkhole. However, such a strange and potentially dangerous phenomenon required an explanation, and a scientific expedition went to Yamal. It included everyone who could be useful in studying the strange phenomenon - from geographers to experienced mountain climbers. However, upon arrival, they were unable to understand the reasons and nature of what had happened. Moreover, while the expedition was working, two more similar failures appeared in Yamal in exactly the same way! Until now, scientists have been able to come up with only one version - about periodic explosions of natural gas coming to the surface from underground. However, experts consider it unconvincing. The Yamal failures remain a mystery.

Antikythera Mechanism

Discovered by treasure hunters on a sunken ancient Greek ship at the beginning of the twentieth century, this device, which at first seemed like just another artifact, turned out to be, no less, the first analog computer in history! A complex system of bronze disks, made with precision and accuracy unimaginable in those distant times, made it possible to calculate the position of stars and luminaries in the sky, time in accordance with different calendars and the dates of the Olympic Games. According to the results of the analyses, the device was made at the turn of the millennium - about a century before the birth of Christ, 1600 years before the discoveries of Galileo and 1700 before the birth of Isaac Newton. This device was more than a thousand years ahead of its time and still amazes scientists.

Sea people

The Bronze Age, which lasted approximately from the XXXV to the X century BC, was the heyday of several European and Middle Eastern civilizations - Greek, Cretan, Cananese. People developed metallurgy, created impressive architectural monuments, and tools became more complex. It seemed that humanity was moving by leaps and bounds towards prosperity. But everything collapsed within a few years. The civilized peoples of Europe and Asia were attacked by a horde of “people of the sea” - barbarians on countless ships. They burned and destroyed cities and villages, burned food, killed and took people into slavery. After their invasion, ruins remained everywhere. Civilization was thrown back at least a thousand years ago. In once powerful and educated countries, writing disappeared, and many secrets of construction and working with metals were lost. The most mysterious thing is that after the invasion, the “sea people” disappeared as mysteriously as they appeared. Scientists are still wondering who and where this people came from and what their future fate was. But there is no clear answer to this question yet.

Murder of the Black Dahlia

Books were written and films were made about this legendary murder, but it was never solved. On January 15, 1947, 22-year-old aspiring actress Elizabeth Short was found brutally murdered in Los Angeles. Her naked body was subjected to cruel abuse: it was practically cut in half and bore traces of many injuries. At the same time, the body was washed clean and completely devoid of blood. This story of one of the oldest unsolved murders was widely circulated by journalists, giving Short the nickname “black dahlia.” Despite an active search, the police were unable to find the killer. The Black Dahlia case is considered one of the oldest unsolved murders in Los Angeles.

Motor ship "Ourang Medan"

In early 1948, the Dutch ship Ourang Medan sent an SOS signal while in the Strait of Mallaka off the coast of Sumatra and Malaysia. According to eyewitnesses, the radio message said that the captain and the entire crew were dead, and it ended with the chilling words: “And I am dying.” The captain of the Silver Star, having heard the distress signal, went in search of the Ourang Medan. Having discovered the ship in the Strait of Malacca, the sailors from the Silver Star boarded and saw that it was indeed full of corpses, and the cause of death was not visible on the bodies. Soon the rescuers noticed suspicious smoke coming from the hold and, just in case, chose to return to their ship. And they did the right thing, because soon the Ourang Medan spontaneously exploded and sank. Of course, because of this, the possibility of an investigation became zero. Why the crew died and the ship exploded is still a mystery.

Baghdad battery

Until recently, it was believed that humanity mastered the production and use of electric current only at the end of the 18th century. However, an artifact found by archaeologists in the region of ancient Mesopotamia in 1936 casts doubt on this conclusion. The device consists of a clay pot in which the battery itself is hidden: an iron core wrapped in copper, which is believed to have been filled with some kind of acid, after which it began to generate electricity. For many years, archaeologists debated whether the devices were actually related to the generation of electricity. In the end, they collected the same primitive products - and managed to generate electric current with their help! So, did they really know how to install electric lighting in ancient Mesopotamia? Since written sources from that era have not survived, this mystery will now probably forever excite scientists.

The history of the Russian state goes back more than 12 centuries. Over the course of centuries, events took place that became turning points on the scale of a huge country. Top 10 important dates in Russian history collected in our top ten today.

Of course, such a list cannot be called exhaustive - in the richest Russian history there are more than one hundred significant days. However, we suggest starting small and turning to the current top ten.

September 8, 1380 - Battle of Kulikovo (Battle of the Don or Mamayevo)

This battle between the army of Dmitry Donskoy and the army of Mamai is considered a turning point in the more than two hundred years of the Tatar-Mongol yoke. The crushing defeat dealt a blow to the military and political dominance of the Horde. According to legend, the battle was preceded by a duel between the Russian hero Peresvet and the Pecheneg Chelubey.

November 24, 1480 – Fall of the Tatar-Mongol yoke

The Mongol yoke was established in Rus' in 1243 and remained unshakable for 237 years. At the end of November 1480, the Great Stand on the Ugra River ended, marking the victory of the Grand Duke of Moscow Ivan III over the Khan of the Great Horde, Akhmat.

October 26, 1612 – Liberation of the Kremlin from invaders

On this day, members of the people's militia, led by the legendary Dmitry Pozharsky and Kuzma Minin, liberate the Kremlin from the Polish-Swedish invaders. Among those who left the Kremlin was the nun Martha with her son Mikhail Romanov, who in 1613 was proclaimed the new Russian sovereign.

June 27, 1709 – Battle of Poltava

The largest battle of the Northern War ended in a decisive victory for the Russian army. From that moment on, Sweden's authority as one of the leading military powers in Europe was over. But the power of the renewed Russian army was demonstrated to the whole world.

August 26, 1812 - Battle of Borodino

The largest battle of the Patriotic War lasted 12 hours. Both armies lost 25-30% of their strength. The battle was conceived by Napoleon as a general one, and the goal was a crushing defeat of the Russian army. However, the battle ended ingloriously for the French, despite the Russian retreat, and became the beginning of the end of the Napoleonic campaign.

February 19, 1861 – abolition of Russian serfdom

The freedom of the peasants was secured by the manifesto of Emperor Alexander II, who was popularly nicknamed the Liberator. By the time the manifesto was published, the share of serfs in the Russian population was about 37%.

February 27, 1917 – February Revolution

An armed uprising in February 1917 led to the abdication of Emperor Nicholas II. These events are considered the beginning of the Soviet period in Russian history. For the next 74 years, a new form of government was established in the state.

May 9, 1945 – Signing of the Act of Unconditional Surrender of Germany

The day of the end of the Great Patriotic War was declared a national holiday immediately in 1945. Despite the fact that the first victory parade took place in the capital on Red Square on June 24, 1945, Russians celebrate Victory Day on May 9.

April 12, 1961 - Yuri Gagarin's flight into space

The first human flight into space was not only the most important event in the scientific world, but also significantly strengthened the prestige of the USSR as a military space power. In the eyes of the whole world, the authority of the Americans was undermined; space flight became decisive for a number of states that wavered in their sympathies between the Union and the United States.

December 8, 1991 – Signing of the Agreement on the Creation of the CIS (Belovezhskaya Agreement)

The agreement was signed by three leaders: Boris Yeltsin, Stanislav Shushkevich and Leonid Kravchuk. This event can be considered the date of the final collapse of the USSR. By the end of 1991, the Russian Federation was recognized by the world community and took the place of the USSR in the UN. It can be considered that from this moment the history of modern Russia began.

The history of Russia is very diverse, ambiguous and fascinating. This country has existed for hundreds of years and has significantly contributed to the development of world history. Russia has experienced a lot of collapses and falls, but it always got up from its knees and moved on to a bright future. Countless attempts to capture it have ended in resounding failures; no one will ever be able to conquer this great power. The people stood steadfastly for their independence and freedom and no one bowed their heads to the lords and invaders. Today, Russia is a leading country in the world in many different areas. This includes astronautics, mechanical engineering and much more.

The twentieth century was marked for Russia and a number of other countries by terrible and bloody wars, which unfortunately claimed millions of human lives. After the end of the Second World War, Russia as part of the USSR continued its rapid development in absolutely all sectors, this was the case until the collapse of this great and indestructible power. A decade has passed, a very difficult decade, and now Russia is again zealously striving forward, towards a bright and carefree future. What's next for her? Everything depends on the Russian people, who have always amazed the whole world with their resilience and steadfastness.

1861 February 19 - abolition of serfdom

A significant date for the entire Russian people, from now on the country was free from the shackles of slavery. This year began a new stage in Russian history. The internecine wars were over. A truly strong and wise empress ascended the throne, who managed to raise Russia from its knees and achieve its greatness and respect in Europe.

1905-1907 - the first Russian revolution

The bloody revolution ended in failure. The autocracy was not overthrown and the king remained on the throne. The main revolutionaries of nineteen seventeen took part in the period of the first revolution. This young generation of rebels and reformers tried in every possible way to change the political system that had reigned in Russia for many centuries

1914, August 1 - Russia entered World War I

It is impossible not to touch upon this event. The first war of the imperialists in history ended with monstrous human losses in the first place. As a result of this war, the world's leading empires collapsed - Ottoman, German, German. Along with the war, Russia was also experiencing a great revolution. This period was extremely difficult for the country, but in the end we all know that the most powerful state on the planet was formed

1917, February 27 - uprising in Petrograd

1917, February 27 - armed uprising in Petrograd (soldiers of the Petrograd garrison went over to the side of the rebel population).

These years were marked by the formation of the Temporary Committee of the State Duma and the election of the Petrograd Soviet. Unanimous victory in the elections to the Petrograd Soviet of the Socialist Revolutionaries and Mensheviks. A new stage in the history of the Great Power.

1918, March 3 - signing of the Brest-Litovsk Peace Treaty

From now on, Russia left the battlefield. There was now an urgent need to end the outbreak of civil war and bring the country's economy to growth. After the signing of the treaty, one of the stones oppressing Russia fell asleep.

The great power found its feet and smoothly began to move towards development. The civil war was completely over. The USSR set a course for a bright future. The economy began to gradually grow, and the wounds from the civil war began to gradually heal.

1941, June 22 - 1945, May 9 - Great Patriotic War

The most terrible war in the history of mankind began on this wonderful summer and carefree day. For four long years, the people fought fiercely against the Nazi invaders who treacherously invaded the territory of the USSR.

1945, May 8-9 - surrender of Nazi Germany, victory day

May 9 is Victory Day. Victory Day! It is this holiday that is forever imprinted in the memory of absolutely every young and adult resident of this great country. At the cost of millions of lives, the country achieved the desired victory over the bloodthirsty enemy. Now the USSR has proven that it is worth something!

1956, February - XX Congress of the CPSU

The congress was marked by the world-famous “dispelling of the personality cult of Stalin.” Nikita Khrushchev literally shocked everyone present with his fiery speech. This is a new stage in the history of Russia and the entire USSR. This so-called thaw period left its mark forever.

1991, December 8 - signing of the Belovezhskaya Agreement

1991, December 8 - signing by B. N. Yeltsin (RSFSR), L. M. Kravchuk (Ukraine), S. S. Shushkevich (Belarus) of the Belovezhsky Agreement on the dissolution of the USSR.

This is the end of a great and powerful power. Seventy years of existence have not remained without a trace. Russia again became the right successor of the USSR. Again wars, hostility, political and economic crises. All this accompanied the country throughout the difficult nineties against the backdrop of total devastation, the war in Chechnya and much more.

year 2000

Election of Vladimir Putin as Russian President. A radically new period in the history of Russia. The new head of state was able to lead the country out of a long-term crisis, out of virtual ruin. The country's economy was boosted several times, the armed forces became powerful again. Various space programs were re-launched, and the country moved forward again! Now everything depends on the people of Russia, their fate belongs to them and no one else!