Ukraine+History

*History*

__Native People__:
There has been much settling in Ukraine since 5000 BC. The natives to the land are the Slavic tribes, including the Polans, the Drevlyans, the Severians, the Ulichs, the Tiverians, the White Croats, and the Dulebes. They were situated along Kievan Rus (now the capital city) when it was inhabited by explorers and became the number one trade city in Europe, making it quickly prosper. ([|Wikipedia]).

=__Independence__: = The Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic was created in 1917. It was an outcome of the Bolshevik Revolution. As one of the 15 Soviet Socialist Republics, Ukraine gained its independence as a result of the disintegration of the Soviet Union in 1991. On August 24, 1991 the Act of the Declaration of Independence of Ukraine was accepted by the government and they became their own, independent country. ([|Cold War History]). =__Significant Day in History__: =
 * December 31-January 1: New Year's
 * March 8: International Women's Day
 * August 24: Independence Day

These are three very significant days in Ukraine's history. - On New Year's Day, people decorate trees. They also exchange gifts, have extravagant dinners, and exchange greeting cards. This day is the most important for making best wishes for the next year. They must make these wishes just minutes before midnight in order for them to come true for the new year. The new year comes twice a year in Ukraine because some of the people follow the new calendar (with the new year coming on December 31-January 1st) and other people follow the old calendar (with the new year arriving on January 13th).

- International Women's Day is important in Ukrainian history because it started as a political protest in 1857 by women who were protesting textile and clothing factories. This day is a mix of Mother's Day and Valentine's Day. It is the one day per year that women are recognized and treated as queens.

- Independence Day is celebrated on August 24th because that was the day that Ukraine became it's own individual country, separate from the Soviet Union. Large cities have military parades and festivals honoring the military. ([|Ukraine Travel Advisor]).

=__How the country came to be how it is today__: = The country of Ukraine has been settled many times since 5000 BC. This means that many different people have lived there over the ages. The first documented people to live there was the Neolithic Cucuteni-Trypillian Culture. They were there until around 3000 BC. Throughout the next thousands of years, many different cultures inhabited the land.

After the first world war, Ukraine was split into two different parts. The west became a part of Poland and the east became part of the Soviet Union, specifically named Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic. It was a part of the Soviet Union until 1991, when it became an independent country.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">The Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic went through a time where it was in great power. They spearheaded the military outpost for the Soviet Union in the Cold War.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">On April 26, 1986, the Chernobyl disaster happened in Pripya, Ukraine. This is where a nuclear plant exploded and contaminated large areas of the town and surrounding land. Because of this disaster, it spurred a local independence movement called the Rukh that helped to receive independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. ([|Wikipedia])

=<span style="color: #00ffff; font-family: Georgia,serif;">__<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Tale __: = =<span style="color: #00ffff; font-family: Georgia,serif;">media type="youtube" key="5au6UbfzXjQ?fs=1" height="385" width="480" = <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">"There Once was a Dog" is based on a Ukrainian Folk Tale. It was made in 1982 by Eduard Nazarov, a famous Soviet director/cartoonist. Many Ukrainian folk tales involve aspects of the Soviet Union since they were part of it for so long. Ukrainian folk tales are about friendship (like this one), overcoming hard times, and character. The tales show how the Ukrainian people have had to overcome adversity because they had been conquered so many times. These tales were often to "soften the blow" of the hard times that the Ukrainian people faced. ([|Ukraine])


 * General Information || Geography || History || Culture || Political System || Economics || Activities || Teacher's Page ||

Back to Ukraine Home Page