History of Belarus. Ancient history of Belarus

This article presents a chronology of important historical events that took place on the territory of Belarus.

Stone Age (100,000 - early 3,000 BC)

100-35 thousand years BC - the appearance of a primitive man on the territory of Belarus. The most ancient human settlements were found in the Gomel region (near the villages of Yurovichi and Berdyzh), they date back to 26-23 millennia BC. In other areas, traces of prehistoric cultures have also been found.

The era of the Bronze Age (the turn of the 3rd and 2nd millennia -VIII– VIcenturies BC.)

Archaeological finds dating back to the Bronze Age take place throughout Belarus.

Iron Age and Early Middle Ages (VIII– VIIcenturies BC. -VIIIin. AD)

During this period, on the territory occupied by modern Belarus in the basins of the largest rivers: the Dnieper, Dvina, Pripyat, there were settlements of archaeological cultures: Milogradskaya, Pomorskaya, Dnieper-Dvinskaya, culture of hatched ceramics.

The first political associations on the territory of Belarus (VI - XIII centuries)

At the beginning of the first millennium AD, the territory of modern Belarus began to be populated by Slavic tribes. Over several centuries, they spread to the entire region, gradually assimilating the tribes of the Balts who lived on these lands.

VI-IX centuries - the formation of the first political associations among the Eastern Slavs - tribal unions. On the territory of Belarus: Krivichi, Dregovichi, Radimichi.

9th century - the first mention in the annals of the city of Polotsk and the Principality of Polotsk, which was located on the territory of modern Vitebsk and the northern part of the Minsk region.

Con. 10th century - a short period of unification of most of the Eastern Slavic lands under the rule of Kyiv, and then until the turn of the XIII - XIV centuries. - a period of feudal fragmentation. The same time was marked by the adoption of Orthodox Christianity as the state religion and the gradual displacement of paganism by it.

Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Russia and Zhemoytskoe (XIII-XVI centuries)

The Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Russia and Zhemoytskoe (GDL) began to be created in the second half of the 13th century. under Prince Mindovga and over a century and a half, it turned into a very powerful state, which included the lands of modern Belarus, Lithuania, Kyiv, Chernigov and Volyn regions of Ukraine, as well as western Russia. The borders of the state stretched from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea.

For several centuries, the GDL played an important role in the politics of Europe; its influence weakened only after the devastating wars of the 16th century.

In 1569, the Union of Lublin was signed between the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Kingdom of Poland: the two states united into a federation - the Commonwealth.

Rzeczpospolita (1569–1795)

The country, constantly torn apart by internal contradictions, was constantly drawn into wars, the most destructive of which for the Belarusian lands: 1654–1667. - war with the Moscow kingdom, 1700-1721. - North War. As a result, the Commonwealth lost its independent politics and ceased to exist as a state during the three partitions (1772, 1793 and 1795) between Russia, Austria and Prussia.

Russian Empire (1772–1917)

Almost all Belarusian lands were part of the Russian Empire by 1793.

From the end of the XVIII century. and until the middle of the XIX century. a wave of large military conflicts passed through the territory of Belarus: the uprising led by Tadeusz Kosciuszko in 1794, the invasion of Napoleon's army in 1812, the Polish uprising in 1830–1831, the uprising led by Kastus Kalinouski in 1863–1864.

Then followed a long period of peace, interrupted by the First World War (1914–1918), during which a front line between German and Russian troops was established on the lands of Belarus for a long time, and bloody battles took place. On March 3, 1918, after the signing of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, Soviet Russia withdrew from the First World War. Belarus was under German occupation until December 1918.

From Revolutions to World War II (1917–1941)

March 1917 - revolution in Russia, abdication of Emperor Nicholas II from the throne.

November 1917 - October Revolution - the Bolshevik Party takes power in Russia.

March 1918 - the proclamation of the Belarusian People's Republic (BNR). It lasted less than a year until the end of the German occupation.

1919–1921 - War between Soviet Russia and Poland.

1921 - the signing of the Riga Peace Treaty, following which the western territory of Belarus became part of Poland.

1922 - The BSSR is part of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR).

1921–1928 - the New Economic Policy (NEP) is being carried out.

1921–1939 - The Polish authorities in Western Belarus are actively pursuing a policy of Polonization.

1932–1933 – organization of collective agriculture (collective farms).

World War II and the Great Patriotic War (1939–1945)

September 17, 1939 - after the liquidation of the Polish state, Western Belarus became part of the BSSR.

Since September 1941 Belarus has been completely under the occupation of the German army. The beginning of the establishment of a new order based on terror.

end of 1941 - an active partisan movement begins to unfold, which by 1944 has become the most massive in all of Europe.

end of June - July 1944 - operation "Bagration", during which the troops of the Red Army completely liberated the territory of Belarus from the Nazi invaders.

May 9, 1945 - the end of the Great Patriotic War of the Soviet people against the Nazi invaders.

recent history

The post-war period marked the rapid development of Belarus as an industrial and agricultural country.

1945 - admission of Belarus to the founding members of the United Nations (UN).

1954 - Belarus joins the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

April 1986 - the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, part of the territory of Belarus was subjected to radioactive contamination.

July 27, 1990 - The Supreme Council of the BSSR adopts the Declaration on State Sovereignty of the BSSR, which was given the status of a constitutional law on August 25, 1991, which actually proclaimed the independence of the BSSR.

March 15, 1994 - the adoption by the Supreme Council of the Republic of Belarus of a new Constitution of the Republic of Belarus, through which the institution of the presidency was introduced.

1994 - elections of the President of the Republic of Belarus. Alexander Grigoryevich Lukashenko was elected to this post. The inauguration of the head of state took place on July 20, 1994.

May 14, 1995 - holding parliamentary elections and a referendum, which resolved the issues of giving the Russian language the status of a state language on a par with Belarusian, the establishment of a new State flag and the State Emblem of the Republic of Belarus, economic integration with the Russian Federation.

April 2, 1996 - the Presidents of Belarus and Russia Alexander Lukashenko and Boris Yeltsin signed the Treaty on the Formation of the Community of Belarus and Russia, April 2, 1997 the Treaty of Union between the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation.

December 8, 1999 - signing of the Treaty on the Establishment of the Union State of Belarus and Russia, adoption of the Action Program for the implementation of its provisions.

October 10, 2000 - Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan signed an agreement on the creation of the Eurasian Economic Community (EurAsEC).

November 27, 2009 - the leaders of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan signed documents on the creation of the Customs Union from January 1, 2010.

July 22, 2012 - at the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, a Belarusian satellite for remote sensing of the Earth (BKA) was launched. Belarus is a space power.

May 29, 2014 - Presidents of the Republic of Belarus, the Russian Federation and Kazakhstan Alexander Lukashenko, Vladimir Putin and Nursultan Nazarbayev signed an agreement on the establishment of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), which replaced the pre-existing EurAsEC. The agreement entered into force on January 1, 2015.

October 11, 2015 - the next presidential election was held, in which the incumbent head of state scored a record 82.49% in the first round and took the highest state post for the fifth time in a row.

Belarus within the Russian Empire (1772–1917)

A more detailed description of the historical period of Belarus being part of the Russian Empire. The formation of provinces that existed until the October Revolution.

The history of Belarus was very difficult, full of bloody wars and power shifts.

Due to the geographical position between large states, troops constantly passed through the territory of Belarus, taking away all the supplies from the locals, as well as wars destroying cities. In this article we will tell you about the whole difficult history of Belarus.

First state: Principality of Polotsk

The history of statehood in the Belarusian lands was laid back in the distant tenth century. The first formation with centralized administration in this territory was the first principality, founded by the Krivichi.

The importance of these lands was due to the fact that it was through them that the famous trade route "from the Varangians to the Greeks" passed. The beginning of the history of this principality was laid by the Izyaslavich family (named after the grandson of Rogvolod, the first Polotsk prince, Izyaslav).

In the 11th century, the growth of the principality continued, the territory of which covered a third of present-day Belarus, and by the end of the century already half. This century entered the history of the Principality of Polotsk with campaigns against Novgorod, as well as wars with the Ruriks, which took place against the background of the establishment of ever stronger ties with Scandinavia. Sophia Cathedral was built in Polotsk, which still stands in its place and is the main attraction of the city.

Under the article you can see where all the historical capitals of Belarus are located on the map.

Formation of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania

The next period of history was marked by feudal fragmentation and constant wars between local princes, characteristic of European countries. As a result, the Polotsk state was divided into seven small principalities, and its power was lost. In the thirteenth century, the Principality of Lithuania was formed with its capital in (over time, it was moved to Vilna).

The period of the history of Belarus from 1223 to 1291 in both principalities was a constant struggle for the throne due to the lack of direct heirs. As a result, only the Lithuanian prince Gediminas managed to peacefully unite the Polotsk and Lithuanian principalities and, thus, put an end to the endless strife. Thanks to him, and later to his son Olgerd, the Belarusian lands were finally collected in a single Grand Duchy of Lithuania. It was during this period that Belarusians began to form as a nationality.

Olgerd, having defeated the Mongol-Tatar Horde, annexed the lands of the former Kyiv principality to his lands, thereby turning his state into the largest in Europe.

"Golden Age" of the history of Belarus

In the fifteenth century, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania entered the "Golden Age" of its history.. The state reaches its power both in territorial and economic terms, culture at this time is also on the rise. In the same century, the Litvins (current) are finally formed into a separate ethnic group.

The next period in the history of Belarus was marked by the unification of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Kingdom of Poland into a single state and the creation of the Commonwealth in order to jointly defend against Moscow and other threats. Also, the Union of Brest was signed between them, which solved the problem of religious strife.

period of wars

The seventeenth century is one of the darkest in the history of Belarus. One war followed another. As a result of the endless, exhausting struggle with Muscovy, Sweden, the Ottoman Empire and the Zaporizhian army, the population of the state was halved. The result of such upheavals was another territorial split, after which the time came for magnate anarchy.

Constant civil wars, the creation of gentry confederations (the gentry accounted for 10% of the country's population) further weakened the Commonwealth. On May 3, 1791, the first constitution of Europe was adopted, but this did not save the state either: the 18th century ends with the division of the Commonwealth and the Kosciuszko uprising. Since the nineteenth century, the Belarusian lands have already been part of the Russian Empire and are called the North-Western Territory.

On the eve of a possible war with Napoleon, in March 1810, a plan was prepared to prepare the western regions of the Russian Empire for war and build new defensive fortifications. The Bobruisk fortress was built, which played a significant role in the Patriotic War of 1812.

In 1863, there was an uprising of the united gentry and peasantry of Belarus, Lithuania, Poland against the Empire, which went down in the history of Belarus as the Kalinouski uprising. Also at this time, patriotic circles of students and activists are created and conduct their activities.

The hard way to the independence of the Republic of Belarus

In the twentieth century, Belarus faced even more difficult trials. Two exhausting world wars, during which millions of inhabitants died, and dozens of cities and villages were destroyed (it was almost completely destroyed).

But, nevertheless, this is also the era of the collapse of the Russian Empire, which led to the formation of the Belarusian People's Republic, which became an important stage in preparation for the collapse of the Soviet Union and the creation of a new, independent Belarus.

In 1990, the Declaration on State Sovereignty of the Byelorussian SSR was adopted, the following year it was given the status of a constitutional law, and on September 19, 1991, the BSSR was renamed the "Republic of Belarus", the USSR finally ceased to exist.

After the collapse of the USSR and gaining independence, Belarus was a parliamentary republic: the Belarusian ruble was introduced, the formation of its own armed forces began, the Belarusian Greek Catholic Church was legalized. In 1994, the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus, the main law of the country, was adopted, and the first presidential elections took place.

Such was the difficult and eventful history of Belarus. Today, you can touch it by seeing the medieval and palaces, as well as learn more about the general history and fate of the individual by visiting numerous museums located throughout the country.

If we talk about the brief history of Belarus, it will suffice to mention a few key events. So, the first state that was observed where Belarus is located today was the Principality of Polotsk, which later turned into the Grand Duchy Lithuanian. It is the Lithuanians who are the real ancestors of the Belarusians of our time, which is why blond hair is so common here - the Belarusians have practically nothing in common with the Slavs.
However, in 1569 the Lithuanian state became part of the Commonwealth. However, already in 1795, the Russian Empire took these lands from the weakened Poles during several wars. Belarus received a new chance to gain independence in 1917, after the death of the Russian Empire, but the Bolsheviks destroyed it along with other young states that dreamed of independence.
If we talk about modern Belarus briefly, then this is a sovereign state that gained its independence in 1991. Here, the native Belarusian and Russian languages ​​are used, and one of the largest cities, Minsk, remained the capital. The area of ​​the country is relatively small - 207.5 square kilometers. km, and 10 million people live here. Do not be surprised to see simple goods with a multi-valued value on the grocery counter - the Belarusian ruble is a very cheap currency.

Belarus is a wooded country, so the climate here is quite moderate, severe frosts, as well as dry heat, are rare here. Brest and Minsk are rather ancient cities, and many architectural monuments left over from the times of Tsarist Russia and the USSR have been preserved here. The Brest Fortress, which keeps the memory of the war, is still the object of attention of tourists. However, the nature here is also extremely rich - many people are drawn away from noisy cities to take a walk through the ancient forests of Polissya, under which the tribes of the Drevlyans once lived.

History of the Republic of Belarus.

In the eastern part of Europe is the Republic of Belarus, covering an area of ​​207,600 km2, it is home to more than nine million indigenous people.
The article tells about the history of this multinational (130 nationalities) state, at the moment it is a member of the UN, the Eurasian Economic Community (EurAsEC) and many other international organizations.

The beginning of the formation of the Belarusian lands

Archaeological excavations show that approximately in 500 BC Slavic tribes, who came from the south, settled on the territory of the modern state, later they became the indigenous population.
In those days, the nomads who moved from Central Asia to Europe (Huns and Avars) could not force the ancient Slavs of the Krivichi and Radimichi to leave these territories.
At the end of the 9th century in Europe, after the unification of the East Slavic and Finno-Ugric tribes by the princes of the Rurik dynasty, an ancient Russian state appeared, founded by Prince Vladimir.
Historical documents that have survived to our time indicate that the formation of Belarus is associated with Kievan Rus.
It was during the development of the sea route of the Russian state from the Baltic Sea to the Byzantine Empire through Eastern Europe, called "from the Varangians to the Greeks", part of it passed through the territory of the modern Republic of Belarus.
Thanks to this, in 992, the Principality of Polotsk appeared, the first socio-political association on the territory of Belarus, it then occupied the modern Vitebsk region. This feudal state also included the lands of the northern part of the Minsk region.
At the time of its formation, the Principality of Polotsk was part of Kievan Rus.
But under Prince Izyaslav (son of Kyiv Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavovich), it freed itself from its influence and became an independent state entity.
This was the period of the XI century, during which the development of the state continued. By this time, the principality covered a significant part of modern Belarus.
By the beginning of the 12th century, thanks to the establishment of political ties with the countries of northern Europe and military victories with the troops of Ancient Russia, the principality already included half of the territory of the future Republic of Belarus.
The first voivode among the princes of Polotsk, who inherited this territory, Vseslav, during his reign divided the principality between his six sons, who throughout their activities constantly redrawn the territory of the state.
As a result, seven small principalities were formed: Minsk - the center of Minesk (the modern name is Minsk), Vitebsk principality with the main city of Vitebsk, Drutskoye, located on the Drun River (the capital is the city of Drun). Izyaslavskoye with the center of Izyaslavl (now - the city of Zaslavl); Logoiskoe, with its center in the city of Loglisk, Strezhevskoe, with the central city of Strezhev, which, according to one version, was located on the shores of Lake Strezhev and the Gorodtsovsky princely inheritance.
The city of Polotsk became the capital of the Principality of Polotsk, and was given to the eldest son of Vseslav David.
Due to fragmentation, the first feudal state on the territory of Belarus fell into decay, and its power was lost.

Grand Duchy of Lithuania

The next stage in the history of the Republic is associated with the formation of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania (XIII - 1795). This state arose at the beginning of the 13th century as a result of the conquest of large territories of the Eastern European principalities,
for various reasons they were separated.
From 1223 and for more than sixty years in those days, there was a constant struggle between the princes for land ownership. Only Gedimin, the Grand Duke of Lithuania, the founder of the Gediminovich dynasty, managed through diplomacy to unite the small Polotsk and Lithuanian principalities, and from 1392 the Polotsk principality became part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and after 112 years the principality was transformed into the Polotsk Voivodeship.
During the reign of Prince Olgerd (son of Prince Gediminas), the formation of the indigenous population of the Belarusian lands into a nationality with a common language, culture and self-consciousness began.

Formation of the state "Rzeczpospolita" and its division

For the purpose of general protection against various political and military threats from Kievan Rus, in 1569 the Grand Duchy of Lithuania united with the Kingdom of Poland, and thus the state of the Commonwealth was created.
This huge in size, the state occupied certain parts of the territories of modern states: Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Moldova, Slovakia and Russia.
In the same year, a document was signed, which refers to the merger of the Catholic and Orthodox churches ("Brest Union"). This alliance between Catholics and Orthodox solved the problem of religious hostility.
Throughout the 17th century, military conflicts took place on the territory of Belarus in the struggle with Russia, Sweden and the Ottoman Empire for their independence.
As a result of constant wars, the Commonwealth gradually lost its international significance from the beginning of the 18th century, and the monarchies of Austria, Prussia and Russia took advantage of this position, which led to three divisions of the state, which included the territory of Belarus.
The year 1770 belongs to the first section. Then Prussia and Austria brought in their troops. Two years later, on the basis of an agreement (convention) signed in St. Petersburg, the Commonwealth was forced to give Russia the eastern part of Belarus, Prussia - part of the Polish lands, and Austria annexed the territory of modern western Ukraine (Galicia).
In 1793, a peace treaty was concluded between Prussia (Germany) and Russia, as a result of which the central part of Belarus and the Right-bank part of Ukraine went to Russia, and the cities of Poznan, Torun and Gdansk became part of the Prussian state.
The second partition was the cause of the national liberation struggle that began in 1794 under the leadership of General Tadeusz Kosciuszko. By order of the Russian Empress Catherine II, the troops of Field Marshal Alexander Suvorov stormed Warsaw, as a result of which the uprising was crushed. Kosciuszko was captured, taken to Russia and imprisoned in the Peter and Paul Fortress.
The Kosciuszko uprising was the reason for the third division of the Commonwealth (1794), which resulted in the final liquidation of the Polish-Lithuanian state, and practically disappeared from the map of Europe.
During this period of history, the entire territory of Belarus finally became part of Russia and officially became known as the "North-Western Territory"

Military conflicts on the territory of Belarus in the 19th century

At the beginning of the 19th century, Russia was on the brink of war with France. The reason was the refusal of the Russian Empire to support the political and economic blockade of Napoleon I against England.
In order to strengthen the western borders, Russia in 1810 began the construction of a military fortification in the form of a fort in Bobruisk. The fortress, built by 1812 on the banks of the Berezina River (the left tributary of the Dnieper), occupied an area of ​​1.5 km2, and was considered one of the largest in Europe. Powerful fortifications for that time allowed the garrison of the Russian army to withstand a 4-month blockade of the French troops.
On June 12, 1812, the army units of the French army crossed the Neman River and invaded the territory of Belarus.
This period in the history of Russia is called the "Patriotic War of 1812", it brought enormous disasters to the Belarusian people. Many districts were destroyed, other settlements were burned and plundered, and the city of Bobruisk was completely destroyed during the blockade of the Bobruisk fortress.
After the end of the Patriotic War of 1812, 51 years later, the united forces of the privileged estates of Poland (the gentry), the peasantry of Belarus and Lithuania, rebelled against the Russian Empire. The leader of the uprising was the first Belarusian revolutionary Vikenty Kalinovsky.
In 1864, the bourgeois-democratic revolution was suppressed by the tsarist troops under the command of the Governor-General Muravyov, Kalinovsky was arrested and, after a trial, executed on the central square of the capital of Lithuania, the city of Vilna (now the city of Vilnius).
The beginning of the First World War (1914) is accompanied by the occupation of Belarus by German troops, which lasted until 1918.

Belarus after 1917

During this period, a revolution took place in Russia (1917), and the Belarusian People's Republic was proclaimed in Belarus. The BNR lasted until the withdrawal of German troops from all over Belarus in March 1918.
According to the Riga Agreement, signed in 1921, the western part of Belarus was annexed to Poland, and the Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republic was formed in the eastern territories, which became part of the USSR a year later.

Formation of the BSSR and the Second World War

Based on the official request of the People's Assembly of western Belarus to reunite with the eastern part and include it in the USSR, in 1939 the troops of the Red Army entered the territory of western Belarus, and thus the unification of the Belarusian lands took place.
In the same year, on September 1, the Second World War began, and 22 months later the Great Patriotic War, and the German troops of Germany entered the territory of the whole of Belarus and established an occupation regime that lasted more than three years. During this time, many settlements and cities were devastated and burned. And the capital of the BSSR, the city of Minsk, was practically destroyed. In 1945, during the military operation "Bagration", Belarus was liberated, and the restoration of the national economy began.
It is noteworthy that, since Minsk was almost completely destroyed (only 20% of the surviving buildings remained), it was proposed to build the capital in a new place. Belarusians unanimously decided to build a new city on the old historical site.

51 years after the unification of the eastern and western parts of Belarus into a single state of the BSSR, a regulatory legal act (declaration) was adopted, which spoke of the state sovereignty of the Belarusian SSR.
On September 19, 1991, on the basis of a referendum, the BSSR was renamed the "Republic of Belarus" and joined the international organization - the "Commonwealth of Independent States" (CIS).

Belarus today

Now Belarus is a modern state, where mechanical engineering, woodworking, food, chemical, energy, light and other industries are developed, the products of which are exported to many European countries.
The country's leadership pays great attention to the educational system.
More than eight thousand educational institutions operate on the territory of Belarus. Of these, 54 higher institutions, 240 technical schools and colleges. As a result, the state is considered to have the highest adult literacy rate worldwide (97.7%).
In recent years, tourism has been one of the main components in the Belarusian economy.
Tourists from many European countries are attracted by the unique nature of this region (Belovezhskaya Pushcha), a large number of historical cultural monuments (Novogrudok Mir Nesvizh castles) and other monuments related to the history of this state.

1. Belarus is the birthplace of two Israeli presidents: Chaim Weizmann and Shimon Peres.
2. The National Park "Belovezhskaya Pushcha" is the oldest park in Europe.
3. The world's largest dump truck "Bel AZ 75710" is produced at the Belarusian Automobile Plant, has a carrying capacity of 360 tons, in the back of which 6 wagons of coal can fit.
4. Belarus is the only country in Europe where there is no change to "winter time".
5. All tourists and guests of the republic are amazed by the clean, verdant settlements, and their high safety.
6. Belgium, Holland, Hungary and Switzerland can simultaneously accommodate on the territory of Belarus.
7. A monument was erected in Polotsk, symbolizing the geographical center of Europe, since the city is the alleged center of the European continent.
8. For 17 years of the 20th century, Russian, Belarusian, Hebrew and Polish were considered the state languages. After the adoption of the Constitution (1994), the first two were approved.
9. The longest street in the country is Independence Avenue (15 km). It is considered the longest in Europe and since 2006 has been claiming to be included in the UNESCO list as a world cultural heritage.
10. Belarusians are hardworking, hospitable and friendly people. These character traits are emphasized by tourists and guests of the Republic of Belarus.

The origin of the term "White Russia" refers to the eastern regions of present-day Belarus - Smolenshchia, Vitebsk region and the Mogilev region.

Already by the 10th century, the first principalities appeared in the history of Belarus, the main of which was Polotsk. In addition to the Principality of Polotsk, on the territory of Belarus there were also Turov and Smolensk principalities. All these principalities were part of Kievan Rus.

The Principality of Polotsk recognized the power of Kyiv for a relatively short time and soon became an independent state entity. The Principality of Polotsk had its own administration, veche, its own prince, its own army and its own monetary system.

In the X-XI centuries, the Principality of Polotsk covered large territories of modern Belarus, as well as part of the lands of Latvia, Lithuania and the Smolensk region.

During this period, new cities appeared, so in 1005 the city of Volkovysk was mentioned for the first time in the annals. Also at this time, Brest, Minsk, Orsha, Pinsk, Borisov, Slutsk, Grodno and Gomel were founded.

At the end of the 10th century, with the advent of Christianity in Russia, the Cyrillic alphabet began to spread in Belarus.

History of Belarus in the period of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania

In the 13th century, the Lithuanian prince Mindovig united the East Slavic and Lithuanian lands under his rule, establishing the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The main reason for the unification of the Belarusian and Lithuanian lands was the desire to resist the growing pressure from the Teutonic and Livonian orders. As a written language in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, the Old Belarusian language became widespread.

In this language, the educator, writer and scientist Francysk Skaryna in 1517-1525. publishes the Bible.

However, by the end of the XV century, the heyday of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania ends, when, as a result of a series of ongoing wars with the Grand Duchy of Moscow. The key moment of this period in the history of Belarus and the entire Lithuanian principality was the Battle of Vedrosh, as a result of which the combined Polish-Lithuanian troops suffered a crushing defeat.

History of Belarus in the period of the Commonwealth

During the Livonian War, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania supported the Livonian Order, which fought against the Moscow State. In response to this, in 1563 Ivan the Terrible captures one of the largest cities in the principality - Polotsk.

In search of allies, the Principality of Lithuania turns to for help. The result of lengthy negotiations was the conclusion in 1569 of the Union of Lublin, according to which the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania were united into one state - the Commonwealth.

In 1575, the King of Poland and the Grand Duke of Lithuania, Stefan Batory, retook Polotsk and other cities captured by Ivan the Terrible.

The middle of the 16th century was marked for the history of Belarus by the strengthening of the influence of the Catholic Church, which led to the Brest Church Union of 1596, which subordinated the Orthodox Church in the Commonwealth to the Pope of Rome.

History of Belarus as part of the Russian Empire

As a result of the division of the Commonwealth at the end of the 18th century, most of the Belarusian lands were annexed to the Russian Empire.

As a result of the transition to Russian citizenship, the long-awaited peace reigned on Belarusian soil, interrupted by the French invasion of 1812. This invasion in the history of Belarus was one of the most destructive, many people died and suffered.

The middle of the 19th century was marked for Belarusian history by the Polish uprising of 1863 led by Vincent Kalinowski. The uprising was brutally suppressed, and many of its participants were exiled or executed.

The end of the 19th century was marked by reforms that led to the emergence and development of capitalism.

History of Belarus during the Civil War

The First World War was a difficult time in the history of Belarus. In 1915, German troops carried out a powerful offensive and occupied all the western regions. The situation worsened even more after the Brest Treaty, according to which all Belarusian lands passed under the control of Germany.

In March 1918, being under occupation, representatives of several Belarusian parties announced the creation of the Belarusian People's Republic. However, immediately after the departure of the German army, the territory of Belarus without major resistance was occupied by the Red Army. The government of the People's Republic emigrated abroad.

In November 1920, the Slutsk uprising broke out in Belarus, the purpose of which was to create an independent Belarus. As a result of several battles, the rebels were defeated by the forces of the Red Army.

History of Belarus as part of the USSR

After the Civil War, Belarus became part of the USSR, and part of the Belarusian lands were ceded.

In the mid-20s of the XX century, an active policy was pursued to strengthen the Belarusian language and expand the scope of the Belarusian language. Also, this period in the history of Belarus is characterized by the growth of industrialization and collectivization.

Accession of Western Belarus

As a result of the "Non-Aggression Pact between the USSR and Germany", Soviet troops occupied Western Belarus in September 1939.

On October 28, 1939, a meeting of the People's Assembly of Western Belarus was held, which decided on the entry of Western Belarus into the Byelorussian SSR. Western Belarus was divided into 5 parts - Baranovichi, Bialystok, Brest, Vileika and Pinsk.

History of Belarus during the Great Patriotic War

Already at the very beginning of the war, the territory of Belarus was occupied by German troops. The occupied Belarusian lands are part of the Reich Commissariat Ostland.

However, the occupation led to the rapid growth of the partisan movement, which forced the German troops to keep many military units in Belarus. Belarusian partisans made a significant contribution to the Victory over the Nazi troops.

The beginning of the liberation of Belarus from German troops was laid in the autumn of 1943, when Soviet troops liberated the eastern and southeastern regions of Belarus. Belarus was completely liberated in 1944 as a result of Operation Bagration.

History of Belarus after the war

The post-war history of Belarus was the time of the rise of the republic after the Great Patriotic War.

The Belarusian USSR became one of the founders, and then became part of the United Nations (UN).

The 50-70s were the heyday of the Belarusian economy. Mechanical engineering and the chemical industry received the most active development.

History of Belarus after the collapse of the USSR

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Belarus becomes an independent state and on December 8, 1991 becomes part of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).

On March 15, 1994, the Constitution of Belarus was adopted, declaring the republic a legal unitary state.

In 1995, a referendum was held, which adopted a new coat of arms and flag.