Significant events in Rus'. Russian Republic and Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic. Beginning of the reign of Elizabeth of England

In the 11th grade, it is not necessary to know by heart all the dates from the textbook. It is enough to master the mandatory minimum, which, believe me, will be useful not only in the exam, but also in life.

So, your preparation for the OGE and Unified State Examination in History must necessarily include memorizing several of the most important dates in Russian history. Stay up to date with the most important events in Russian history - and to make it easier to master them, you can, for example, write the entire minimum on cards and divide them by century. This simple step will allow you to begin to navigate history by period, and when you write everything on pieces of paper, you will unconsciously remember everything. Your parents and grandparents used a similar method when there was no trace of any Unified State Examination or State Examination.

We can also advise you to say the most important dates in the history of Russia out loud and record it on a voice recorder. Listen to the resulting recordings several times a day, and best of all, in the morning, when the brain has just woken up and has not yet absorbed the usual daily dose of information.

But under no circumstances do we recommend that you try to memorize everything at once. Have pity on yourself, no one has ever managed to master the entire school curriculum on Russian history in a day. The Unified State Examination and the State Examination Test are designed to test how well you know the full course of the subject. So don’t even think about somehow deceiving the system or hoping for the students’ favorite “night before the exam,” as well as various cheat sheets and “answers to the State Examination and Unified State Examination in History 2015,” of which there are so many on the Internet.

With leaflets, the last hope of careless schoolchildren, state exams have always been strict, and every year the situation becomes even more difficult. Exams in the 9th and 11th grades are held not only under the strict supervision of experienced teachers, but also under the supervision of video cameras, and you know, it is almost impossible to outsmart the technology.

So get enough sleep, don’t be nervous, develop your memory and memorize 35 most important dates in the history of Russia. Relying on yourself is the best thing that can help you pass the Unified State Exam and State Examination.

1. 862 Beginning of the reign of Rurik
2. 988 Baptism of Rus'
3. 1147 First mention of Moscow
4. 1237–1480 Mongol-Tatar yoke
5. 1240 Battle of the Neva
6. 1380 Battle of Kulikovo
7. 1480 Standing on the Ugra River. Fall of the Mongol yoke
8. 1547 Ivan the Terrible crowned king
9. 1589 Establishment of the Patriarchate in Russia
10. 1598-1613 Time of Troubles
11. 1613 Election of Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov to the kingdom
12. 1654 Pereyaslav Rada.
13. 1670–1671 Revolt of Stepan Razin
14. 1682–1725 Reign of Peter I
15. 1700–1721 Northern War
16. 1703 Founding of St. Petersburg
17. 1709 Battle of Poltava
18. 1755 Foundation of Moscow University
19. 1762– 1796 Reign of Catherine II
20. 1773– 1775 Peasant War led by E. Pugachev
21. 1812– 1813 Patriotic War
22. 1812 Battle of Borodino
23. 1825 Decembrist Revolt
24. 1861 Abolition of serfdom
25. 1905– 1907 First Russian Revolution
26. 1914 Russia's entry into the First World War
27. 1917 February Revolution. Overthrow of the autocracy
28. 1917 October Revolution
29. 1918– 1920 Civil War
30. 1922 Formation of the USSR
31. 1941– 1945 Great Patriotic War
32. 1957 Launch of the first artificial Earth satellite
33. 1961 Flight of Yu.A. Gagarin into space
34. 1986 Chernobyl accident
35. 1991 Collapse of the USSR

The Russian Federation is a state that ranks first in terms of territory and ninth in terms of population. This is a country that has gone from scattered principalities to a candidate for superpower. How did the formation of this political, economic and military colossus take place?

In our article we will look at the main dates in the history of Russia. We will see the development of the country from the first mentions of it until the end of the twentieth century.

9th - 10th century

The word “Rus” was first mentioned in 860 in connection with the siege of Constantinople (Constantinople) and the plunder of its surroundings. Researchers estimate that more than eight thousand people took part in the raid. The Byzantines did not expect an attack from the Black Sea at all, so they were unable to give a worthy rebuff. “The Rus left with impunity,” the chronicler reports.

The next important date was 862. This is one of the most significant events. According to the Tale of Bygone Years, it was at that time that representatives of the Slavic tribes invited Rurik to reign.

The chronicle says that they were tired of constant quarrels and civil strife, which only a visiting ruler could put an end to.

Like 862, the next year, 863, became important in the history of Russia. This year, according to chroniclers, the Slavic alphabet - Cyrillic - is being created. It was from this time that the official written history of Rus' begins.

In 882, Prince Oleg, Rurik’s successor, conquered Kyiv and made it the “capital city”. This ruler did a lot for the state. He began to unite the tribes, went against the Khazars, recapturing many lands. Now the northerners, Drevlyans, Radimichi pay tribute not to the Kaganate, but to the Kyiv prince.

We are considering only the main dates in the history of Russia. Therefore, we dwell only on some key events.

So, the 10th century was marked by a powerful expansion of the Rus into neighboring countries and tribes. So, Igor went against the Pechenegs (920) and Constantinople (944). Prince Svyatoslav defeated in 965, which significantly strengthened the position of Kievan Rus in the south and southeast.

In 970, Vladimir Svyatoslavovich became the prince of Kyiv. He, together with his uncle Dobrynya, whose image was later reflected in the epic hero, is preparing a campaign against the Bulgarians. He managed to defeat the Serbian and Bulgarian tribes on the Danube, as a result of which an alliance was concluded.

However, during the mentioned campaigns, the prince becomes imbued with Christianity. Previously, his grandmother, Princess Olga, was the first to accept this faith and found herself misunderstood by those around her. Now Vladimir the Great decides to baptize the entire state.

Thus, in 988, a series of ceremonies were carried out designed to baptize the majority of the tribes. Those who refused to change their faith voluntarily were forced to do so.

The last important date in the 10th century is considered to be the construction of the Tithe Church. It was with the help of this building that Christianity was finally established at the state level in Kyiv.

11th century

The eleventh century was marked by a large number of military conflicts between princes. Immediately after the death of Vladimir Svyatoslavovich, civil strife began.

This devastation continued until 1019, when Prince Yaroslav, who was later nicknamed the Wise, sat on the throne in Kyiv. He reigned for thirty-five years. It is noteworthy that during the years of his reign, Kievan Rus practically reached the level of European states.

Since we are talking briefly about the history of Russia, the most important dates of the eleventh century are associated with the reign of Yaroslav (in the first half of the century) and the period of unrest (in the second half of the century).

So, from 1019 until his death in 1054, Prince Yaroslav the Wise compiled one of the most famous codes - “The Truth of Yaroslav”. This is the oldest part of “Russian Truth”.

Over five years, starting in 1030, he built the Transfiguration Cathedral in Chernigov.

In the capital, in 1037, construction of the famous temple - Sophia of Kyiv - began. It was completed in 1041.

After the campaign against Byzantium, in 1043, Yaroslav built a similar cathedral in Novgorod.

The death of the Kyiv prince marked the beginning of the struggle for the capital between his sons. From 1054 to 1068 Izyaslav ruled. Then, with the help of an uprising, he is replaced by the Polotsk prince Vseslav. In epics he is mentioned as Volga.

Due to the fact that this ruler still adhered to pagan views in matters of faith, in folk tales the properties of a werewolf are attributed to him. In epics he becomes either a wolf or a falcon. In official history, he was given the nickname Sorcerer.

When listing the main dates in the history of Russia in the eleventh century, it is worth mentioning the creation of the “Pravda of the Yaroslavichs” in 1072 and the “Izbornik of Svyatoslav” in 1073. The latter contains descriptions of the lives of the saints, as well as their important teachings.

A more interesting document is “Russian Truth”. It consists of two parts. The first was written during the reign of Yaroslav the Wise, and the second in 1072. This collection contains norms of criminal, procedural, commercial and inheritance legislation.

The last event worth mentioning within the eleventh century was the princes. He marked the beginning of the fragmentation of the Old Russian state. There it was decided that everyone should manage only their own estate.

12th century

Oddly enough, the Polovtsians played an important role in the reunification of the ancient Russian princes. Speaking about the main dates in the history of Russia in the twelfth century, one cannot fail to mention the campaigns against these nomads in 1103, 1107 and 1111. It was these three military campaigns that united the Eastern Slavs and created the preconditions for the reign of Vladimir Monomakh in 1113. His successor was his son Mstislav Vladimirovich.

During the reign of these princes, the Tale of Bygone Years was finally edited, and there was also an increase in discontent among the people, which was expressed in the uprisings of 1113 and 1127.

After the death of Yaroslav the Wise, the political history of Europe and the history of Russia gradually became distant. The dates and events of the twelfth century fully confirm this.

While there was a struggle for power here caused by the collapse of the Kyiv state, the unification of Spain and several crusades were being carried out in Western Europe.

The following happened in Rus'. In 1136, as a result of the uprising and expulsion of Vsevolod Mstislavovich, a republic was established in Novgorod.

In 1147, chronicles first mention the name Moscow. It was from this time that the gradual rise of the city began, which was subsequently destined to become the capital of the united state.

The end of the twelfth century was marked by even greater fragmentation of the state and the weakening of the principalities. All this led to the fact that Rus' is deprived of freedom, falling into the yoke of the Mongol-Tatars.

Since these events took place in the thirteenth century, we will talk about them further.

XIII century

In this century, the independent history of Russia is temporarily interrupted. The dates, the table of Batu’s campaigns, which is given below, as well as maps of battles with the Mongols, indicate the incompetence of many princes in matters of military operations.

There are several stories where city residents were able to heroically repel invaders (for example, Kozelsk). But not a single event is mentioned when the princes defeated the Mongol army.

Regarding Kozelsk, this is simply a unique story. The campaign of the invincible army of Khan Batu, who ravaged North-Eastern Rus' from 1237 to 1240, was stopped near the walls of a small fortress.

This town was the capital of the principality on the land of the former Vyatichi tribe. According to scientists, the number of his defenders did not exceed four hundred people. However, the Mongols were able to take the fortress only after seven weeks of siege and the loss of more than four thousand soldiers.

It is noteworthy that the defense was held by ordinary residents, without a prince or governor. At this time, Mstislav’s grandson, twelve-year-old Vasily, “ruled” in Kozelsk. Nevertheless, the townspeople decided to protect him and defend the city.

After the fortress was captured by the Mongols, it was razed to the ground and all the inhabitants were killed. Neither infants nor frail old people were spared.

After this battle, the remaining important dates in the history of Russia associated with the Mongol invasion concern exclusively the southern principalities.

So, in 1238, a little earlier, a battle takes place near the Kolomna River. In 1239, Chernigov and Pereyaslavl were plundered. And in 1240 Kyiv also fell.

In 1243, the Mongol state - the Golden Horde - was formed. Now Russian princes are obliged to take the “label to reign” from the khans.

In the northern lands at this time a completely different picture occurs. Swedish and German troops are approaching Rus'. They are opposed by the Novgorod prince Alexander Nevsky.

In 1240, he defeated the Swedes on the Neva River, and in 1242 he completely defeated the German knights (the so-called Battle of the Ice).

In the second half of the thirteenth century, several punitive campaigns of the Mongols against Rus' took place. They were directed against unwanted princes who did not receive a label to rule. So, in 1252 and 1293, Khan Duden destroyed fourteen large settlements of North-Eastern Rus'.

Due to difficult events and the gradual transfer of control to the northern lands, in 1299 the patriarch moved from Kyiv to Vladimir.

XIV century

More significant dates in the history of Russia date back to the fourteenth century. In 1325, Ivan Kalita came to power. He begins to gather all the principalities into a single state. So, by 1340, some lands were annexed to Moscow, and in 1328 Kalita became the Grand Duke.

In 1326, Metropolitan Peter of Vladimir moved his residence to Moscow as a more promising city.

The plague (“Black Death”) that began in 1347 in Western Europe reached Rus' in 1352. She destroyed many people.

When mentioning important dates in the history of Russia, it is especially worth focusing on events related to Moscow. In 1359, Dmitry Ivanovich Donskoy ascended the throne. Over the course of two years, starting in 1367, the construction of the stone Kremlin in Moscow took place. It was because of this that it was later called “white stone”.

By the end of the fourteenth century, Rus' finally emerged from the rule of the Golden Horde khans. So, in this vein, important events are the battle near the Vozha River (1378) and the Battle of Kulikovo (1380). These victories showed the Mongol-Tatars that a powerful state was beginning to take shape in the north, which would not be under anyone’s authority.

However, the Golden Horde did not want to lose its tributaries so easily. In 1382 he gathered a large army and ravaged Moscow.

This was the last disaster associated with the Mongol-Tatars. Although Rus' finally freed itself from their yoke only a century later. But during this time no one else disturbed its borders.

Moreover, in 1395 Tamerlane finally destroyed the Golden Horde. But the yoke over Russia continued to exist.

15th century

The main dates in the history of Russia in the fifteenth century relate mainly to the unification of lands into a single Moscow state.

The first half of the century passed in civil strife. During these years, Vasily I and Vasily II the Dark, Yuri Zvenigorodsky and Dmitry Shemyaka were in power.

The events of the first half of the fifteenth century are a little reminiscent of 1917 in the history of Russia. The civil war that followed the revolution also revealed many appanage princelings, gang leaders, who were subsequently destroyed by Moscow.

The reason for the civil strife lay in the choice of ways to strengthen the state. Externally, the political activities of the provisional rulers were connected with the Tatars and Lithuanians, who sometimes carried out raids. Some princes were guided by the support of the East, others trusted the West more.

The moral of decades of civil strife was that those who did not rely on external support, but strengthened the country from within, won. Thus, the result was the unification of many small appanage lands under the rule of the Grand Duke of Moscow.

An important step was the establishment of autocephaly in the Russian Orthodox Church. Now the metropolitans of Kyiv and all Rus' were proclaimed here. That is, dependence on Byzantium and the Patriarch of Constantinople was destroyed.

In the course of feudal wars and religious misunderstandings, the separation of the Moscow Metropolis from the Kyiv Metropolis took place in 1458.

The discord between the princes ended with the accession of John III. In 1471 he defeated the Novgorodians in the Battle of Shelon, and in 1478 he finally annexed Veliky Novgorod to the Moscow Principality.

In 1480 one of the most significant events of the fifteenth century took place. It is known in the chronicles under the name This is a very interesting story, which contemporaries considered “the mystical intercession of the Virgin Mary.” gathered a large army and opposed Ivan III, who was in alliance with the Crimean Khan.

But there was no battle. After the troops stood against each other for a long time, both armies turned back. Researchers in our time have found that this was caused by the weakness of the Great Horde and the actions of sabotage detachments in the rear of Akhmat.

Thus, in 1480, the Moscow Principality became a completely sovereign state.

The year 1552 was similar in importance in the history of Russia. We'll talk about it a little later.

In 1497, the Code of Laws, a set of laws for all residents of the state, was officially adopted and approved.

16th century

The sixteenth century is characterized by powerful processes of centralization of the country. During the reign of Vasily III, Pskov (1510), Smolensk (1514) and Ryazan (1521) were annexed to Moscow. Also for the first time in 1517 it was mentioned as a state governing body.

With the death of Vasily III, a slight decline of Muscovy begins. The rules at this time were Elena Glinskaya, who was replaced by Boyar power. But the grown-up son of the deceased prince, Ivan Vasilyevich, put an end to arbitrariness.

He ascended the throne in 1547. Ivan the Terrible began with foreign policy. In the state itself, in fact, until 1565, the prince relied on zemsky councils and boyars. During these eighteen years, he was able to annex many territories.

The year 1552 is noteworthy in the history of Russia. Then Ivan the Terrible captures Kazan and annexes the Khanate to the Moscow state. In addition to it, such territories as the Astrakhan Khanate (1556) and the city of Polotsk (1562) were conquered.

The Siberian Khan in 1555 recognized himself as a vassal of Ivan Vasilyevich. However, in 1563, Khan Kuchum, who replaced him on the throne, breaks off all relations with Muscovy.

After a decade and a half of conquests, the Grand Duke turns his attention to the internal situation in the country. In 1565, the oprichnina was established and persecution and terror began. All boyar families that began to attach themselves to power are destroyed, and their property is confiscated. Executions continued until 1572.

In 1582, Ermak began his famous campaign in Siberia, which lasted a year.

In 1583, peace was signed with Sweden, returning to the latter all the lands conquered during the war.

In 1584, Ivan Vasilyevich dies and Boris Godunov actually comes to power. He became a real tsar only in 1598, after the death of Fedor, the son of Ivan the Terrible.

In 1598, the Rurikovich line was interrupted, and after the death of Boris (in 1605), the Time of Troubles and the Seven Boyars began.

17th century

The most important event was 1613 in the history of Russia. He influenced not only this century, but the next three hundred years. This year the turmoil ended and Mikhail, the founder of the Romanov dynasty, came to power.

The seventeenth century is characterized by the processes of formation and development of the Muscovite kingdom. In foreign policy, conflicts occur with Poland (1654) and Sweden (1656). From 1648 to 1654 there was an uprising in Ukraine led by Khmelnytsky.

There were riots in the Moscow kingdom itself in 1648 (Solyanoy), 1662 (Medny), 1698 (Streletsky). In 1668-1676 there was an uprising on the Solovetsky Islands. And from 1670 to 1671, the Cossacks rebelled under the leadership of Stenka Razin.

In addition to political and economic turmoil, religious turmoil and schism were brewing in the mid-seventeenth century. tried to reform the spiritual life of society, but was not accepted by the Old Believers. In 1667 he was convicted and sent into exile.

Thus, over the course of seven decades, the process of forming a single state took place, in which different institutions “grinded in” to each other. It ends with the accession of Peter I.

It turns out that 1613 in the history of Russia marked the beginning of a departure from feudalism. And Pyotr Alekseevich turned the kingdom into an empire and brought Russia to the international level.

XVIII century

The century of the most powerful rise that the history of Russia has ever known - the 18th century. The dates of the founding of new cities, universities, academies and other places speak for themselves.

So, in 1703 St. Petersburg was built. In 1711 the Senate was established, and in 1721 the Synod. In 1724 the Academy of Sciences was founded. In 1734 - the main military educational institution of the country, the Land Noble Corps. In 1755, Moscow University was created. These are just some of the events that show powerful cultural growth in the state.

In 1712, the capital was moved from “old” Moscow to “young” St. Petersburg. In addition, in 1721, Russia was proclaimed an empire, and Peter Alekseevich was the first to receive the corresponding title.

The eighteenth century will be of particular interest to those interested in the military history of Russia. The dates and events of this century show the unprecedented power of the Russian army and navy, as well as the wonders of engineering.

The country entered the nineteenth century as a powerful empire that defeated Turkey, Sweden, and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

19th century

If a feature of the previous century was the cultural and military growth of the state, then in the next period there is a slight reorientation of interests. Rapid economic development and the separation of the government from the people - all this is the history of Russia, the 19th century.

The dates of significant events of that time tell us about the growth of bribery among officials, as well as about the authorities’ attempts to create thoughtless performers from the lower strata of society.

The main military conflicts of this century were the Patriotic War (1812) and the confrontation between Russia and Turkey (1806, 1828, 1853, 1877).

In domestic politics, many reforms are taking place aimed at further enslaving ordinary people. These are Speransky's reforms (1809), great reforms (1862), judicial reform (1864), censorship reform (1865), and universal military service (1874).

Even if we take into account the abolition of serfdom in 1861, it is still clear that the bureaucracy strives for maximum exploitation of the common people.
The response to this policy was a series of uprisings. 1825 - Decembrists. 1830 and 1863 - uprising in Poland. In 1881, the Narodnaya Volya killed Alexander II.

In the wake of general dissatisfaction with the government, the position of the Social Democrats is strengthening. The first congress took place in 1898.

XX century

Despite the wars, disasters and other horrors discussed above, some dates of the 20th century are especially terrible. Until that time, the history of Russia had not known such a nightmare as the Bolsheviks created in the first quarter of the century.

The 1905 revolution and participation in the First World War (1914-1917) were the last straw for ordinary workers and peasants.

The year 1917 will be remembered for a long time in the history of Russia. After the October Revolution and the abdication of Nicholas II, his family was captured and executed in July 1918. A civil war begins, which lasted until 1922, when the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was formed. A similar revolution and devastation marked 1991 in the history of Russia.

The first years of the existence of the new state were marked by social disasters of enormous proportions. These are famine in 1932-1933 and repression in 1936-1939.

In 1941, the USSR entered World War II. In our historical tradition, this conflict is called the Great Patriotic War. After the victory in 1945, the restoration and short-term rise of the country began.

1991 became a turning point in the history of Russia. The Soviet Union collapsed, leaving all dreams of a “bright future” under the rubble. In fact, people had to learn how to live from scratch in a market economy in a new state.

Thus, you and I, dear friends, briefly went through the most significant events in the history of Russia.

Good luck, and remember that the answers to the future are stored in the lessons of the past.

Over the course of its history, the world has experienced many different events that changed it and influenced the course of history. If they had not happened, our modern world would be completely different now. But history decreed otherwise.

Events that influenced the course of world history

Many researchers consider such events to be turning points in world history. Let's take a closer look at the ten most important of them.

1. Invention of the wheel. Surprisingly, it was its appearance that became the starting point for the rapid development of cities, agriculture and population growth. Appearing back in the third millennium BC, it made it possible to more efficiently transport crops to cities, hunger ceased to threaten humanity, and the population began to increase. Thanks to the circular motion, namely flywheels and blocks, it became possible to lift heavy stones, and construction began to develop at a rapid pace.

2. Plague epidemic. In less than seven months, the population of Western Europe has almost halved, causing irreparable damage to the socio-economic structure of the countries. The feudal system suffered a blow from which it could not recover. At the same time, people's views on such concepts as illness, death, as well as faith in God have changed greatly.

3. Discovery of America made Christopher Columbus one of the key figures in history. Thanks to him, people learned that there were other unknown lands, although before that everyone relied on the geographical ideas of the ancient Greeks. Columbus made the greatest discovery, which completely changed people's understanding of the world, not thanks to the latest technologies at that time, but only with the help of a compass, which was invented three centuries earlier.

4. Scientific revolution. The 16th-17th centuries were marked by the rampant Inquisition. Thousands of innocents were burned at the stake for “association with the devil and witchcraft.” And only in the 17th century was it possible to partially dispel superstitions, because scientists appeared who, with great difficulty, and sometimes at the cost of their own lives, gave the world new knowledge.

5. The advent of electricity. Electricity was precisely the fruit of scientific research, although it was known about in Ancient Greece. But by historical standards, it was invented and reinterpreted not so long ago, only 200 years ago and, as usual, faced active rejection by the church, but now we cannot imagine our life without it.

6. Vaccine. This invention saved millions of human lives and continues to do so to this day. Now it is difficult to imagine our world if it were not for the invention of Louis Pasteur. Thanks to him, we only know about terrible diseases from history.

7. World War I. 19-year-old Serbian high school student Gavrila Princip did not even suspect that his single shot in Sarajevo would lead to a complete reorganization of the world - four empires disappeared from the map of Europe at once, dozens of new states appeared in their place, tens of millions of dead were left on the battlefields, no less was There were at least 50 million wounded and civilian casualties. There was a catastrophic decline in living standards everywhere. During these years, European fascism was born, which would later become another bloody page in world history.

8. The Second World War. Many states were involved in it - again, millions were killed, cities were destroyed, wiped off the face of the Earth, terrible crimes against humanity, which the world had never known before. Terrible weapons of mass destruction have been invented.

9. Atomic bomb. Its invention and testing showed humanity that it could disappear from the face of the Earth in a matter of minutes. The world trembled and thought about tomorrow. Since then, humanity has repeatedly found itself on the verge of nuclear war, but so far wisdom has prevailed.

10. Space exploration- a real breakthrough in the history of mankind. Research is still ongoing, we already know a lot of new things, and many unexpected discoveries are still ahead.

These, in our opinion, are important events in world history, thanks to which we now enjoy the benefits of civilization, do not die from terrible diseases, but still rarely think about the fragility of the world.

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We are in the editorial office website We were surprised when we learned an interesting fact about two symbols of the same era, and this inspired us to look for other parallels.

We present to you a selection of historical episodes that you probably know about, but did not suspect that these were events of the same time.

Van Gogh's Starry Night / Eiffel Tower

The Eiffel Tower is a fairly young attraction, but it is considered the most visited in the world. Initially, there was an idea that the entrance arch to the Paris World Exhibition of 1889 would be a temporary structure. But, as you know, there is nothing more permanent than temporary. Van Gogh's painting "The Starry Night" was born around the same time that designer Gustave Eiffel completed the work.

Invented the touchpad / Time Person of the Year - Planet Earth

In 1988, the world saw the first type of touch panel. George Gerfeide invented the touchpad, and from that time on he quickly and confidently replaced trackballs and strain gauge joysticks, becoming the most common mouse pointer control device for laptops. In the same year, Time magazine's Person of the Year was Planet Earth in danger, who could have died due to the threat of nuclear war.

Shipwreck of the Titanic / Vitamins discovered

Until 1912, there was no concept of “”; it was identified by the Polish scientist Casimir Funk. Of course, the importance of certain types of food for preventing certain diseases was known back in Ancient Egypt, but the concept itself appeared only at the beginning of the 20th century. In the same year, the famous ship Titanic set out on its first and last voyage.

Opening of the London Underground / Abolition of slavery in the USA

The first proposals for the construction of the London Underground appeared in the 30s of the 19th century, and in 1855 the construction of the Metropolitan Railway began. The first subway line opened on January 10, 1863, at which time the Civil War in the United States had not yet subsided. And only in December 1865, the overseas rulers adopted the famous Thirteenth Amendment to the US Constitution, which meant the abolition of slavery.

Periodic table / Heinz brand

The periodic system of chemical elements has a rich history, but 1869 is still considered fateful, when Dmitry Mendeleev established the dependence of the properties of elements on their atomic weight. At the same time, on the other side of the world, entrepreneur Heinz and his friend decide sell grated horseradish according to your mother's recipe. The world famous ketchup under this brand was released only 7 years later.

Marilyn Monroe / Queen Elizabeth

The sex symbol of the 50s and the reigning Queen of Great Britain are the same age. However, these are not all the celebrities that 1926 presented. The same year, the founder of Playboy magazine, Hugh Hefner, and the leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro, were born.

Abolition of serfdom in the Russian Empire / The first color photograph in Great Britain

In 1861, a significant event took place in the Russian Empire - the peasant reform, which abolished serfdom in the largest state in Eastern Europe. In the same year, in Western Europe, that is, in England, the British physicist James Clerk Maxwell received the first reliable color photo of the Tartan Ribbon.

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.