How to write an essay on history. An approximate outline of an essay on history, topics. How to write an essay on history Essay periods on the history of the exam

The difference between the creative task and its significance for the student

Writing an essay on history contributes to the development of the student's personality, teaches them to develop their own opinion, a value judgment about a particular historical event, and to form value priorities.

An essay on history not only tests the author's knowledge of historical events, but also the ability to systematize information, present results in a free form, and understand the historical significance of events and phenomena.

Criteria for evaluating an essay on the exam

A historical essay is evaluated according to certain criteria, based on which several rules for writing an essay can be distinguished.

The essay must contain the following elements:

more than two historical events or phenomena;
two historical figures and their significance in a certain period;
causal relationships between historical phenomena in a certain period;
assessment of the significance of the historical period;
correct use of concepts and terms on the subject.

What is a history essay

The first step in writing a historical essay is to choose a period in history and determine its features. At the beginning of the essay, one should indicate what characterizes this period, its specifics, and then select the relevant facts.

Historical facts

Facts in history are divided into historical and scientific-historical. The first are those that really took place in history, possessing objectivity and localization in time and space. Scientific and historical facts usually reflect the opinions of scientists, their conclusions about historical events, based on historical sources.

When selecting facts, it is necessary not only to list the events that took place in the described period, but to highlight the main, most significant events that fully correspond to and reflect the specifics of the period.

Estimated Knowledge

Further, it is required to reflect the evaluative knowledge about the subject, which is manifested in the knowledge of various scientific points of view, versions of the description of historical events and phenomena. When evaluating, the depth of the disclosure of the issue and the soundness of the judgments are taken into account.

Characteristics of a historical personality

One of the evaluation criteria is the description of a historical personality. However, to get a high score, a simple description of a person's activities, even a very detailed and detailed one, is not enough. The task is required to describe the role of these historical figures in a particular period, based on historical facts. The fulfillment of this particular requirement allows you to evaluate the essay according to this criterion for a higher score.

Causal relationships

The ability to identify causal relationships is also one of the criteria for a good historical essay. All historical events or phenomena give rise to other events and phenomena, and, at the same time, they themselves were born by certain events and phenomena. The student must be able to analyze facts, establish causes and effects, draw appropriate conclusions, which is indeed quite a complex mental work.

At the same time, an important role is played by the existing knowledge of all the facts related to the described period, their chronological sequence. It is necessary to build a logical scheme or a chain of events that are sequentially connected to each other. Most often it happens that an event provokes several reasons. In this case, it is necessary to be able to highlight the most significant events.

Typical mistakes:

incorrect allocation of primary causes and the least important;
substitution of the disclosure of the cause by the description of the fact;
description of facts without comprehending cause-and-effect relationships.

Algorithm for writing an essay on history

The sequence of work on an essay on history, which will help to issue a high-quality essay, without missing important points.

Step 1. We choose a period.

Step 2 We confirm the correctness of the choice.

Step 3 Choose a name for the period that reflects its specifics.

Step 4 Determine the events related to this period; identify the most important and secondary.

Step 5 We recall historical figures whose activities relate to this period, their role and influence on the historical course of events.

Step 6 We identify the causes of events occurring in this period.

Step 7 We select the appropriate historical concepts and terms.

Step 8 We determine the historical facts that reveal the significance of the period, while using the opinions of scientists.

Step 9 Organize and organize information.

Step 10 We draw up a plan and write an essay in accordance with it:

Introduction (a brief description of the essence of the selected period);

Main part;

Conclusion (assessment of the significance of the period).

Step 11 Reviewing and editing essays.

Methodological development "Historical essay on a given period of government"

Explanatory note.
In 2016, as you know, cardinal changes took place in the Unified State Examination in History: the previous tasks were complicated, new tasks were added. Of particular difficulty for students are tasks of high complexity with their own detailed argumentation, including an essay on a given period from the history of the Russian state. Teachers, students asked the question: how to write an essay? The first year is always difficult, until there are some "intelligible" developments, tips. I developed an essay writing algorithm based on the evaluation criteria from the demo version. In addition, you can borrow developments from the previous assignment - an essay about a historical figure. Below is the algorithm for an essay and a sample essay on the period of the reign of Yaroslav the Wise.

Algorithm for writing the task "Historical essay by period"

Evaluation criteria

K1. Events, phenomena, processes are indicated - 2 points
K2. Two historical figures and their role in events - 2 points
K3. Causal relationships between events - 2 points
K4. Historical assessment of the period - 1 point
K5. Historical terms, concepts - 1 point
K6. Factual errors - 2 points
K7. Form, style of presentation - 1 point
K1 + K4 = must be at least 4 points for K6 and K7 to be scored! (total - 11 points.)

This period refers to the era ...
During this period, important processes and phenomena took place (the formation of the Old Russian state, feudal fragmentation, the unification and gathering of Russian lands, the Rebellious Age, Palace coups ...).
In this period, the great (outstanding, remarkable) ruler in the Russian state was ... (1st historical figure).
During this period, the great (outstanding, remarkable) statesman (politician, research scientist) in the Russian state was ... (2nd historical figure).
The ruler (prince, emperor) managed to carry out many transformations that seriously influenced the life of the Russian state and society.
Due to the process / phenomenon, the ruler undertakes:

In domestic politics:

1. reform of government bodies, state. and local government
2. peasant reform,
3. reform of education, encouragement of scientific research, book publishing,
4. active lawmaking, codification of laws,
5. reform and reorganization of the army,
6. socio-economic transformation, tax reform...

In foreign policy:

1. diplomacy, cultural, trade, economic relations with foreign states,
2. dynastic marriages,
3. expansion of territorial boundaries,
4. military campaigns, wars, repelling external aggression, foreign intervention.
The role of this ruler/actor is huge, great, indelible (ambiguous).

Results of activity:

1. thanks to reforms in the field of management, a more perfect state was created. apparatus of power, reforms contributed to the strengthening and centralization of the state. authorities.
2. growth, development of the economy was observed, economic indicators increased, specialization of regions, development of trade, commodity-money relations developed.
3. a strong impetus to the development of science, art, culture, education, the opening of new educational and educational institutions.
4. The international prestige of Russia has increased, Russia has become one of the leading European powers.
5. the territory of the Russian state has significantly expanded, new lands have been acquired ...

K3. Causal relationships between events, processes, phenomena

The reasons for the process (baptism, fragmentation, uprising, defeat-victory in the war, revolution ...) were ....
For the reason ... a war was unleashed with ... . The result, the consequence of the war was ... .
Due to … and urgent need, the following reforms were implemented … . As a result, it happened….

K4. Historical assessment of the period based on historical facts and opinions of historians

This period is important, critical, significant in the history of the Russian state...
Well-known historians (such as Solovyov, Klyuchevsky, Lomonosov, Tatishchev ...) evaluate this reign as a difficult, ambiguous period that influenced further events and the entire subsequent history of the country. On the one hand, he strengthened / weakened the state, but on the other hand ...

Composition on the period 1019-1054.
This period of government refers to the heyday of the Old Russian state. The ruler of the state during these years was the outstanding prince Yaroslav the Wise, who made a huge contribution to the development and prosperity of the Russian state. He actively carried out transformative reform activities, which seriously influenced the life of the state and society.
The coming of the prince to power was not easy. The civil strife between the sons-heirs of Prince Vladimir dragged on for many years. In the struggle for the throne of Kyiv, the main rival of the Novgorod prince Yaroslav was brother Svyatopolk, nicknamed the Accursed for the brutal reprisal against his brothers Boris and Gleb. Yaroslav emerged victorious from this strife and began to rule wisely for many years.
So, under his leadership, the 1st code of laws was first created - "Russian Truth" in 1051. The reason for the creation of the code was the need to streamline, systematize the numerous customs and rules that existed previously (some of them were quite barbaric, for example, the custom of blood feud, which was replaced by a more humane one - fine).
In order to strengthen the power, a reform of the governing bodies was carried out: the positions of a posadnik and governor were introduced. In foreign policy, Prince Yaroslav tried to expand the international relations of Russia with foreign states, which was greatly facilitated by the dynastic marriages of relatives with Western rulers. So, he married his daughters to the kings of Norway and France, and, as you know, he married the daughter of the king of Sweden, Ingegerda. Thus, the international prestige of Russia increased, ties and contacts with the Western powers expanded. The prince did not forget about the protection of his borders, he actively repelled the military threat in the face of the raids of the steppe nomads, the Pechenegs. Under his leadership, the Pechenegs were finally defeated.
The growth of the power and authority of Russia allowed Yaroslav to appoint the first Russian metropolitan for the first time. In 1051, the outstanding writer and activist Hilarion became the Metropolitan of Kyiv. He is the author of the religious-journalistic character "Sermon on the Law and Grace of God". The role of this state and religious figure is great. He contributed to the strengthening of the positions of the Russian Church, the spread of literacy and education in humane customs.
Yaroslav, nicknamed the Wise, was indeed an educated versatile personality of his time. He patronized culture and education, under him Christianity spread, literacy, book publishing, and libraries grew. Beautiful temples were erected - St. Sophia Cathedrals in Kyiv and Novgorod (1037, 1045), Kiev-Pechersky Monastery. New cities were built - Yaroslavl, Yuryev.
The role of this ruler in the history of the Old Russian state is great. Thanks to his reforms, Russia increased its prestige in the international arena. Reforms of power contributed to centralization and its strengthening. This ruler gave a strong impetus to the development of culture, art, chronicle writing, and education. The foundations of Russian legislation were laid.
Many historians, such as Klyuchevsky, Solovyov, evaluate this period as a significant era in the history of our state. These years accounted for the flourishing and power of the Old Russian state. During these years, Russia grew stronger, acquired a reserve of spirit, stamina, wisdom and was able to reserve strength to meet the era of fragmentation and new trials.

An essay is a mini-essay on a specific topic. But very often writing it causes some difficulties for children, so I decided to put a little methodological material to help teachers and students how to write an essay on history

when writing an essay, I used sites

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To facilitate the work of preparing students for writing an essay, we offer various options for clichés that are appropriate to use in the examination paper.

http://www. edu. en/- federal portal "Russian education". Contains an overview of the educational resources of the Internet, regulations, educational standards and much more.

http://www. rusolymp. ru - the federal portal of Russian Olympiads for schoolchildren

http://ecsocman. edu. ru/ - federal educational portal "Economics, sociology, management". Collected materials on the social and economic history of Russia, including journal articles and materials of round tables devoted to the problems of the historical path of Russia.

http://www. mospat. ru/index. html - the official Web-server of the Moscow Patriarchate.

http://his.1september. ru/index. php - electronic version of the newspaper "History" - an appendix to the newspaper "First of September".

http://www. history. en/- Russian electronic journal "World of History".

http://www. shm. ru/ - the website of the State Historical Museum presents the materials of the main exposition dedicated to the history of Russia, including those covering its initial period.

http://hermitage. museum. ru/ - the site of one of the largest museums in the world - the Hermitage offers a virtual tour of its halls, including exhibits illustrating the initial period of world and Russian history.

http://archeology. kiev. ua/cultures/ - a multimedia portal containing comprehensive information about archaeological sites in Eastern Europe, materials of reconstruction of the stages and nature of Russian-Scandinavian relations.

http://www. master. msk. ru/library/history/history1.htm - the site contains basic materials for studying Russian history. Here you can find the following texts: N. M. Karamzin. History of Russian Goverment; V. O. Klyuchevsky. Russian history course; N. I. Kostomarov. Russian history in the biographies of its main figures; S. M. SOLOVIEV History of Russia since ancient times; V. N. Tatishchev. Russian history; Metropolitan Macarius. History of the Russian Church; S. F. Platonov. A complete course of lectures on Russian history.

http://www. sib. net/n_russia/ - the site contains materials about the Scythians who inhabited the steppe part of Eurasia in the Greco-Roman era: dates; names; titles; description of dwellings, clothes, customs.

http://oldslav. chat. ru - the history of the settlement of Slavic agricultural tribes and their relationship with nomadic tribes from Asia.

http://paganism. en/a-cloth. htm - the history of the ancient Russian costume: outerwear, headdresses, neck torcs. Illustrations.

http://lants. tellur. ru/history/danilevsky/ - lectures by the famous historian I. N. Danilevsky on the origin of the Eastern Slavs and the formation of the feudal state (including Kievan Rus, paganism, the adoption of Christianity, etc.).

http://his.1september. ru/2002/23/1.htm - materials from the new textbook by S. N. Bledny, I. V. Lebedev "History of Russia". Presented are excerpts from the writings of Herodotus, Procopius of Caesarea; fragments of the works of Russian historians - Klyuchevsky, Solovyov, Platonov.

http://lants. tellur. ru/history/ - a library of links to informational articles and historical materials. Genealogical tree of Russian princes of the 9th - 11th centuries, brief biographies of the Rurik princes, chronological table (9th - 17th centuries), maps of Ancient Russia. Several lectures from the course of I. N. Danilevsky "Ancient Russia through the eyes of contemporaries and descendants (IX - XII centuries)". Handbook on the history of Russia, etc.

http://lib. userline. ru/689?secid=8324&num=1 – electronic version of The Tale of Bygone Years.

http://www. chrono. en/libris/lib_p/index. html - electronic version of the course of lectures on Russian history by S. F. Platonov.

http://www. chrono. ru/libris/lib_s/skr00.html - the site contains an electronic version of the book "Old Russian State" by R. G. Skrynnikov.

http://www. chrono. ru/dokum/pravda72.html - the site contains two texts: "Russian Truth" in a short and lengthy version.

http://oldru. people. ru/ - electronic library: K. Egorov's monograph "Education of Kievan Rus", historical sources, articles. Collection of cards. Bibliography.

http://www. master. msk. ru/library/history/makary/makary. htm - full electronic version of the multi-volume work of Metropolitan Macarius "History of the Russian Church", written by him in 1866 - 1883. (covers the period from the tenth to the eighteenth century).

http://his.1september. ru/2001/42/no42_01.htm - domestic historians about the era of Ivan the Terrible.

http://ou. tsu. ru/hischool/his_JuF/ - the main stages in the history of the formation of the Russian state in the XIV - XVII centuries. Tables, diagrams, dictionary.

http://klio. webservis. ru/lec7_1.htm - lecture notes on the history of the reign of Ivan the Terrible. The formation of the autocratic system in Russia. Fragments of the memoirs of contemporaries, as well as assessments of this period in the works of Russian historians. Dictionary hyperlinks by person, term, etc.

http://www. chrono. ru/libris/lib_s/skrynn00.html - the site contains an electronic version of the book "The Third Rome" by R. G. Skrynnikov, dedicated to the history of Russia in the 15th - 16th centuries.

http://kursy. rsuh. ru/istoria/moskva/moskva. asp - site dedicated to the history of Moscow. The site provides information on the history of the city in the 17th century.

http://old-rus. people. ru/paper. html - this section of the site contains articles and studies that examine various periods of Russian history and ancient Russian literature, including those dedicated to the Time of Troubles.

http://sscadm. nsu. ru/deps/hum/readerhist10/smuta. html - electronic version of the anthology on the history of Russia (Grade 10). Time of Troubles in Russia at the beginning of the 17th century. through the eyes of contemporaries.

http://www. Moscow Kremlin. ru/romanovs. html - a virtual tour about the Romanov dynasty. Chronology. Personalities, contemporaries, major events, regalia and personal belongings. Collection of images and photographs. Created on the basis of the CD-ROM "Romanov Dynasty" of the Cominfo company.

http://www. chronos. km. ru/1700ru_lit. html - a chronological table of the main cultural events in Russia in the 18th century.

http://grandwar. kulichki. net/books/dubov01.html - Russia's war with France, Suvorov's campaign in Italy, Russia's policy in Europe. Map of Europe in 1799

http://rels. obninsk. com/Rels/Limited/Nsub/ml/9801/hist-1.htm - Catherine II: Charter to the cities of 1785

http://lichm. people. ru/Part4/411.htm - the era of Peter's reforms.

http://syw-cwg. people. ru/ - The Seven Years' War.

http://fstanitsa. ru/gla_pugachev. shtml - biography of Emelyan Pugachev - the leader of the peasant war of 1773 - 1775. Illustrations (reproductions of paintings).

http://his.1september. ru/2000/no09.htm - stories from Russian history of the 18th century. Fragments from the book of entertaining stories. Material for lessons in 6-9 grades. Texts about the events of the 18th century: transformations of Peter I, palace coups, etc.

http://dinastya.ru people. ru/ - the reign of Alexander III (1881 - 1894): coming to power, domestic and foreign policy, Russian national building, peacemaker tsar.

http://www. fiction book. ru/author/lyashenko_leonid_mihayilovich/aleksandr_ii_ili_istoriya_trehodinochestv/lyashenko_aleksandr_ii_ili_istoriya_treh_odinochestv. html - L. M. Lyashenko's book "Alexander II", a comprehensive description of the life of a man who occupies an exceptional place among Russian autocrats.

http://old-map. people. ru/all-17.html - a map of Russia and the tribes inhabiting it (1866).

http://www. hist. msu. ru/ER/Etext/PICT/russia. htm - library of electronic resources of Moscow State University.

http://www. nsu. ru/vk/info/d_205.htm#Heading - the site presents the material “Military reform of the 60s-70s” in a lecture form. 19th century.

http://dinastya.ru people. ru/ - a site dedicated to the personality of Alexander III. The site presents the materials of the monograph by N. D. Talberg "Alexander III".

http://chronos. km. ru/biograf/alexand3.html - project "Chronos", which presents the biography of Alexander III. Here you can also get acquainted with the letters of K. P. Pobedonostsev to Alexander I.

http://www. architecture. ru/peredvizh. htm - site dedicated to the history of fine arts. This page contains information about Russian Wanderers.

http://rusart. nm. ru/ - a site dedicated to the Wanderers.

http://www. Altai. fio. ru/projects/group3/potok69/site/moguchaya. htm - the site tells about the work of musicians who were part of the Mighty Handful.

http://www. encspb. ru/ - the site "Encyclopedia of St. Petersburg" tells about the architectural styles used by the architects of the city, including the styles of the second half of the 19th century.

http://www. alchemist. en/great/mendel. html - site "Great Chemists" tells about the outstanding discovery of D. A. Mendeleev. It also presents a biography of the great chemist.

http://www. gramma. ru; http://www. krugosvet. en – on these sites you can find interesting material about the essay.

"History does not teach anything, but only punishes for ignorance of the lessons."
(V.O. Klyuchevsky)

At first glance, it may seem that the outstanding Russian historian V. O. Klyuchevsky could not say that history teaches nothing. In my opinion, Klyuchevsky wanted to emphasize that if we do not know history, then we will be punished for this in life. And I agree with him.

History is one of the oldest sciences. It arose with the appearance of man on earth. Studying history, we consider the path of mankind over the millennia, i.e. we study the historical process. The historical process is a succession of successive events in which the activities of many generations of people have manifested themselves.

There are events behind history; certain past or passing phenomena, facts of social life. And each historical event has specific features inherent only to it, and the elucidation of these features makes it possible to present this or that event more fully, more colorfully. In addition, every historical event is important.

It is necessary to study historical events in order to learn the right lesson. Of course, history never repeats itself twice. After all, social sciences differ from natural sciences, where some physical phenomenon can be reproduced any number of times. But history also has its own patterns. Knowing them, it is easier to predict contemporary social development and prevent disaster. They say the French king Louis XUI before his execution read a book about the English king Charles I, who was also executed by the revolutionaries. And if he had read the book earlier, he might not have made the mistakes that provoked the revolution in France.

I would like to give examples from the history of Russia. Napoleon Bonaparte invaded the territory of Russia with the aim of capturing it. And it even seemed to him that with the capture of Moscow, Russia would be in his hands. And how shameful was his escape from Russia! In his memoirs, he warned others not to go to war with Russia. But the ambitious fascist leader Adolf Hitler decided to go to Russia again. How did it end?! The defeat of Nazi Germany in Berlin. Here it is - the punishment for ignorance of history, the inability to draw appropriate conclusions. The same thing happens in ordinary life.

So, we can conclude that history does not forgive her ignorance.

"World history is a course of development of the principle, the content of which is the consciousness of freedom" (G. Hegel).

What is the historical development? What is the essence of social progress? These questions have worried humanity for a long time and continue to worry to this day. Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, a German philosopher, one of the founders of German classical philosophy and the philosophy of romanticism, gives his answer to them. He believes that the entire course of history is a movement towards the recognition and protection of the rights and freedoms of the individual, and this movement is progress. And I fully agree with this point of view.

If you look back at history, then such a movement becomes obvious. Antiquity, with its republican institutions, the cult of the free citizen, was based on slavery. The Middle Ages "distributed" freedom more evenly: the difference between the feudal lord and the dependent peasant was great, but incomparable with the difference between master and slave, it should also be remembered that in the Middle Ages the path from one class to another was difficult, but open (small example: minister Philip the Handsome, Nogaret, came from merchants). In addition, there were free cities, and workshops, and communes, autonomous universities, and royal power in the mature Middle Ages was already limited to popular representations. Yes, a person was squeezed within the framework of his corporation, but within these frameworks he also received a certain freedom, and after all, a person’s freedom is always limited within some limits, the only question is in what. The framework of the Middle Ages was expanded by the new time. The estate system is being destroyed, the spiritual dictate of the church is coming to an end, restrictions continue, and in some countries royal power is being overthrown, the rights and freedoms of citizens are being expanded. And, finally, in our days, the person becomes at the forefront.

You might think. that this process is taking place only in Europe, but in fact such changes are characteristic of the whole world: in most countries today there is a republican system, in many Muslim states women are successfully fighting for their rights.

And the question whether the freedom of the individual, the possibility of her choosing her own path, the struggle for her happiness, is progress, does not need proof. It is like the axioms of geometry on which all theorems rest. Although the freedom of the individual, like everything in this world, has its downsides. Squeezed within his group, a person always had protection and support at the same time. Having gained great freedom, he simultaneously found her frequent companion - loneliness.

Thus, I came to the conclusion that the history of mankind is a development, which consists in moving towards freedom.

"A nation is a society of people who, through a common destiny, acquire a single character." (O. Power)

In addition to classes and other social groups, the social structure of society is made up of historically established communities of people: tribes, nationalities, nations. We will try to answer the question of what a nation means, and what definitions science gives to this concept. A nation is the most developed historical and cultural community of people. It develops over a long time as a result of the connection and interweaving of various tribes and nationalities. Among the properties of a nation, one can single out the commonality of the territory of residence, the national economy, self-government, and cultural features. Usually representatives of one nation speak and write the same language. But language is not an indisputable sign of a nation.

For example, the British and Americans speak English, but they are different nations. The unity of the nation is facilitated by the commonality of their historical path. Each nation has its roots in history, has passed its own unique way.
I agree with the author's statement and would like to give an example of the basic values of Russian culture. In Russia, unlike in the West, nature did not give a person the hope that one day it would be possible to “tame” and “domesticate” it. Nature has accustomed man to excessive short-term exertion of his forces, to work quickly and quickly. Not a single people in Europe was capable of such a strain of labor for a short time as the Russians.

It seems that there was no such unaccustomed to even, moderate and measured constant work, as in Russia. Until now, Russian people hope for "maybe", put off for tomorrow.

Or take another people - the Japanese. The situation after the Second World War forced them to give up holidays in order to get their economy back on its feet. Today they do not need this, but hard work is in their blood. It is interesting to see how historical fate can divide a single people. The South Slavs in the Middle Ages found themselves in different historical conditions. Croatia, which became part of the German Empire, was influenced by Western civilization, the Bosnians became Muslim, becoming part of the Turkish Empire. Now these are different peoples, although they have a common origin and language. So the differences between Western and Eastern Ukraine are explained by the difference in their historical destinies.

The list of examples could be continued, dwelling on each nation in detail. However, we believe that all of them will only confirm the correctness of the statement.

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SECOND ROUND

FIRST PART

HISTORICAL ESSAY

“The foundation of the Eagle was an event of state, all-Russian significance, and the whole life of the townspeople, their military and creative efforts, the strength of the spirit in the past centuries were proof of this” (“History of the city of Orel”).
“The Christianization of Russia and the kinship of the ruling family with the Byzantine court introduced Russia into the family of European peoples on absolutely equal grounds” (D.S. Likhachev).
“Under the name of St. Sergius, the people recall their moral revival, which made possible the political revival, and affirms the rule that a political fortress is strong only when it rests on moral strength” (V.O. Klyuchevsky).
“Ivan III is a ruler who, in terms of the scope of his activities, can only be compared with Peter I” (N.S. Borisov).
“Just as Peter laid new foundations for our entire state life, so Lomonosov transformed, and in part founded, almost all areas of science” (V.F. Khodasevich).
“It is easy to see that some of the undertakings of Peter III were of a progressive nature ... However, this progressive nature is crossed out by the methods by which he tried to carry them out, indicating his complete lack of such an important quality as political realism” (A.B. Kamensky).
“The main reason that prevented the release of the peasants and trying to change the political system already at the beginning of the 19th century was the resistance of the vast majority of the nobility” (S.V. Mironenko).
“Due to the current historical situation, Alexander II turned out to be, as it were, a reluctant reformer. Is it not from here that his most important political principle stemmed: ... reforms should not lead to the destabilization of society, and the progress they achieve should not damage the position of any strata ”(Sidorov A.V.).
“Having connected Russia to the world economy, Witte made the country experience not only booms, but also world crises” (G.A. Bordyugov).
“Russia was by no means defeated. The army couldfight on. But... St. Petersburg is "tired" of the war more than the army" (I.A. Denikin on the end of the Russo-Japanese War).
“The revolution of 1917 was not a historical accident, but realized the most probable potential for the development of Russian society with all its contradictions that Russia had accumulated by the beginning of the 20th century.” (A.S. Senyavsky).
“The second front in the broad sense of the word began long before its formal opening” (D.A. Medvedev).
“Our cosmonautics could not have achieved the successes known to the whole world without the high level of education and technical development that the country had in Soviet times” (N.I. Ryzhkov).
“The collapse of the Soviet Union was the greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the 20th century, primarily due to the destruction of the existing system of the bipolar world” (A.G. Lukashenko).
“The Belovezhskaya agreements did not dissolve the USSR, but only stated its actual disintegration by that time” (B.N. Yeltsin).

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SECOND ROUND,

Time to prepare the first and second parts - 3 hours.

FIRST PART

HISTORICAL ESSAY

Grade 11

Maximum score -50 points

You have to work with the statements of historians and contemporaries about the events and figures of national history. Choose one of them that will be the topic of your essay. Your task is to formulate your own attitude to this statement and substantiate it with the arguments that seem to you the most significant. When choosing a topic, proceed from the fact that you:

You clearly understand the meaning of the statement (it is not necessary to fully or even partially agree with the author, but it is necessary to understand what exactly he claims).
You can express your attitude to the statement (arguably agree with the author or completely or partially refute his statement).
Have specific knowledge (facts, statistics, examples) on the topic.
You know the terms necessary for a competent presentation of your point of view.

When writing your work, try to proceed from the fact that the Jury, evaluating your essay, will be guided by the following criteria:

The validity of the choice of topic (an explanation of the choice of topic and the tasks that the participant sets for himself in his work).
The creative nature of the perception of the topic, its comprehension.
Literacy in the use of historical facts and terms.
Clarity and evidence of the main provisions of the work.
Knowledge of different points of view on the chosen issue.

“The geographical position in the west of Russia predetermined the special role of Smolensk, the “key-city” to Moscow, and the Smolensk region as a whole in protecting the country” (Yu.G. Ivanov).
“The political successes of the peoples that became part of the Old Russian state ... became possible only under certain conditions of their internal development. It would be naive to think that the unification of the Eastern Slavs and non-Slavic peoples under the rule of Kyiv is the result of any external interference ”(B. D. Grekov).
“In all the actions of Svyatoslav, we see the hand of a commander and a statesman interested in the rise of Russia and the strengthening of its international position. A series of campaigns of Svyatoslav was wisely conceived and brilliantly carried out ”(B.A. Rybakov).
“Moscow princes develop a peculiar policy early, from the first steps they begin to act out of the ordinary, earlier and more decisively than others they leave the usual rut of princely relations, looking for new ways” (V.O. Klyuchevsky).
“Ivan III is a hero not only of Russian, but also of world history ... Under him, Russia, as an independent power, majestically raised its head on the borders of Europe and Asia, calm inside and not afraid of external enemies” (N.M. Karamzin).
“The naming of the Russian state as an empire, and Peter as the all-Russian emperor, reflected profound changes in the internal and international situation of the country. The state, whose participation in international affairs was limited to relations with the neighboring countries of Eastern and South-Eastern Europe, has now firmly entered the circle of European powers ”(N.I. Pavlenko).
“Catherine can be called the culprit of serfdom, not in the sense that she created it, but in the fact that this right under her from a fluctuating fact, justified by the temporary needs of the state, turned into a right recognized by law, not justified by anything” (V.O. Klyuchevsky).
“Although many Russians, especially at court and in the army, had every reason to forget about Paul, in fact, what Paul accomplished during the four years and three months of his reign turned out to be fundamental for Russia in the first half of the 19th century.” (Roderick McGrew, American historian).
“The government system of Emperor Nicholas I was one of the most consistent attempts to implement the idea of enlightened absolutism” (A.A. Kornilov).
" Politics Nicholas II always came down to making minimal concessions to society in extreme cases, and not fulfilling these solemn promises if there was the slightest opportunity for this ”(F.A. Golovin).
“The war probably postponed the explosion of the bourgeois-democratic revolution, but brought the socialist revolution closer” (P.V. Volobuev).
“It is hard not to admit that some kind of collectivization was dictated by the course of events. The old Russian peasant agriculture, by Western standards, was in the Middle Ages ”(C. Snow).
“Starting the war, the leadership of Germany proceeded from the fact that the Soviet multinational state would break up into warring national groups. However, this calculation did not materialize” (O.A. Rzheshevsky).
“Victory in the Great Patriotic War was achieved not so much thanks to Stalin, but in spite of him, despite his grave mistakes and crimes that cost our people so dearly” (G.Ya. Rudoy).
“What has been happening to Russia since 1991 cannot be called reforms. This is nothing but a "revolution from above" (V.V. Zhuravlev).

Preview:

SECOND ROUND

RESEARCH PROJECT

The most important thing in the profession of a historian is the analysis of a source, the ability to extract the necessary information from it. Before you is one of the Statutory Charters, the most important documents of the peasant reform of 1861. Based on it, write a short work on the topic:"Regulation of relations between the peasant and the landowner during the peasant reform of 1861".

REGULATIONS OF THE NIZHNY NOVGOROD PROVINCE, GORBATOBCKOGO UYZD, VILLAGE OF BARKINA, BY LIEUTENANT GENERAL AVDOTY SEMENOVNA ERSHOVOY'S LANDSHIP. DONE FEBRUARY 15, 1862.

I. 1) In the village of Barkina, according to the 10th national census, the souls of peasants are male - 44.

None of them were released after the audit.

2) From among those listed as peasants, they are not subject to allotment of land as having refused it on the basis of Art. 8. Local position - 5 souls.

3) Then, on the basis of the Regulations, thirty-nine revision male souls must receive for use a land allotment.

II. 1) The entire land was in the use of the peasants before the promulgation of the Regulations on the peasants 214 acres 1212 sazhens.

2) Of these, actually under the peasant estate settlement, five tithes, three hundred and sixty-six sazhens (including 1 tithe, 266 sazhens of pasture, which is used by the peasants). (…)

3) For the area where the village is located, the highest size of a per capita allotment is determined by the Local Regulations on the land arrangement of peasants - 4 acres, and the lowest - 1 acres 800 sazhens; and according to the number of souls in the village: the highest amount of allotment for the entire peasant society would be 156 acres, and the lowest 52 acres.

4) Although, on the basis of the figures of the highest size of the per capita allotment determined by the Local Regulations on Peasants, 156 tithes should remain for the use of the peasants of the village of Barkina, but as all the land with forest convenient on the estate is listed under the plan, 214 tithes 1212 sazhens, then according to the right granted to the owners on the basis 20 st. The local position to keep at its disposal up to one third of the total - the peasants are left in constant use of one hundred and forty-three acres 8 sazhens, the rest of the land should be cut off and placed at the disposal of the landowner. (…)

III. 1) A peasant building with an estate settled way of life is not subject to transfer to other places.

2) The watering hole located near the village remains in the common use of the landowner and peasants.

3) Driving cattle to a watering place from the land remaining at the disposal of the landowner to the pond should be along a country road leading to the village of Barkina.

4) The pasture located at the village remains in the use of the peasants.

IV. 1) For the land provided for the use of peasants in the amount of 3 tithes 1600 sazhens per capita, on the basis of the Regulations, dues from each shower plot are eight rubles sixty-two and a half kopecks a year, and from all 39 shower plots - three hundred and thirty-six rubles thirty-seven s half a kopeck in silver a year. But as the peasants, before the promulgation of the Regulations, paid from the whole society a quitrent of two hundred and seventy-four rubles and thirty-four kopecks, then on the basis of 170 Art. Locally, they must remain at the existing dues, which will amount to seven rubles, three and a half kopecks per year for each revision soul.

2) Peasants are obliged to pay dues in two terms: March 1 and October 1, 137 rubles each. 17 kopecks. (...)

4) The whole society of peasants is responsible for the proper service of duties with mutual responsibility on the basis of the rules established by the Local Regulations.

Lieutenant-General Avdotya Semyonovna Ershova had a hand in the original charter.

On October 20, 1862, the statutory charter of the village of Barkina was certified by the conciliator of the 1st section of the Gorbatovsky district. Signed by mediator Babkin 1862 November 24 days.

The statutory charter was approved by the Gorbatovsky district congress.

Signed by: mediator of the 2nd section Beklemishev, mediator of the 3rd section Astafiev and mediator of the 4th section Gutyar.

With a genuine statutory charter, it is true: the world mediator Babkin.

1. Statement of the problem, characterization of the historical moment described in the source

2. Characteristics of the source and the possibilities that it gives to illuminate the problem

3. Analysis of the position of the peasants and the essence of how the relationship between the landowner and the peasants is defined by the document.

4. Conclusions. Evaluation of their significance for understanding the implementation of the peasant reform.

We ask you to indicate with numbers the parts of the work that correspond to the points of this plan.

Keep in mind that the jury will focus on the ability to clearly formulate your positions and argue them with the help of a source - pay special attention to the third point of the plan.

THIRD ROUND

HISTORICAL ESSAY

Maximum score - 50 points

Here are the statements of historians and contemporaries about the events and figures of national history. Choose one of them that will be the topic of your essay. Your task is to formulate your own attitude to this statement and substantiate it with the arguments that seem to you the most significant. When choosing a topic, proceed from the fact that you:

You clearly understand the meaning of the statement (it is not necessary to fully or even partially agree with the author, but it is necessary to understand what exactly he claims).
You can express your attitude to the statement (arguably agree with the author or completely or partially refute his statement).
Have specific knowledge (facts, statistics, examples) on the topic.
You know the terms necessary for a competent presentation of your point of view.

Keep in mind that the Jury, evaluating your work, will be guided by the following criteria:

The validity of the choice of topic (an explanation of the choice of topic and the tasks that the participant sets for himself in his work).
The creative nature of the perception of the topic, its comprehension.
Literacy in the use of historical facts and terms.
Clarity and evidence of the main provisions of the work.
Knowledge of different points of view on the chosen issue.

ESSAY TOPICS

“After the death of Kalita, Russia remembered his reign for a long time, when for the first time in a hundred years of slavery she managed to breathe freely” (V.O. Klyuchevsky).
“Prudentness, slowness, caution, a strong aversion to decisive measures that could have won a lot, but also lost, and at the same time, steadfastness in bringing to the end what had been started, composure - these are the distinguishing features of his activity” (S.M. Solovyov about Ivan III).
“With one foot, he still firmly rested on his native Orthodox antiquity, and the other was already brought over the line, and he remained in this indecisive transitional position” (V.O. Klyuchevsky about Alexei Mikhailovich).
“The naming of the Russian state as an empire, and Peter as the all-Russian emperor, reflected profound changes in the internal and international situation of the country. The state, whose participation in international affairs was limited to relations with the neighboring countries of Eastern and South-Eastern Europe, has now firmly entered the circle of European powers. (N.I. Pavlenko).
“The Decembrists are a historical accident, overgrown with literature” (V.O. Klyuchevsky).
“It would be unfair to deny the enormous successes made during this 30-year reign (of Nicholas I) in all branches of the state structure of Russia; in everything that was done during this period, the Sovereign had personal, direct leadership ”(D.A. Milyutin).
“It was possible to completely disagree with many ideas of the Bolsheviks ... but one must be impartial and admit that the transfer of power into the hands of the proletariat in October 1917, carried out by Lenin and Trotsky, determined the salvation of the country, saving it from anarchy” (V. Ignatiev) .
“One of the main mistakes of the Germans is explained by the fact that they were deceived in their calculations about the lack of cohesion of the multinational Soviet state and underestimated the patriotic readiness of the Russians to fight for their homeland” (From an English magazine 1945).
“Having won a victory, despite colossal casualties and destruction, the Soviet Union increased its power and international prestige to an unprecedented degree” (V.P. Smirnov).
“Unfortunately, Kosygin was never able to complete the reform for a number of reasons, one of which - and the main one, in my opinion, was the lack of support from the majority of Politburo members.” (N.K. Baibakov).

SECOND ROUND

INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE JURY

Time to prepare the project and essay - 3 hours

Both tasks - the project and the essay - are given to the participants at the same time, they can independently allocate the time assigned for their implementation.

research project

The maximum total score for the project is 50. In accordance with the recommended work plan of paragraphs. 1, 2, 4 are worth a maximum of 10 points, point 3 (the main part of the work) - a maximum of 20 points. Evaluating each of the necessary elements of the essay, the jury should pay attention to the clarity and literary presentation, the ability to formulate their thoughts and operate with facts and excerpts from the source to prove it. Gross speech and grammatical errors that make it difficult to understand what is written can also be considered grounds for deducting points.

Statement of the problem, characterization of the historical moment (up to 10 points)

It is important that this part is precisely the statement of the problem, and not a presentation of the corresponding sections of the textbook. In the latter case, the assessment of the entire first part of the work is not higher than 4.

The question must necessarily be clearly posed that the land, according to the Regulations on peasants who emerged from serfdom, was recognized as landowners, while the peasants were legally assigned the right to redeem part of it. The size of the land to be redeemed was determined depending on the pre-reform peasant allotment, but if the pre-reform allotment exceeded the highest norm, cuts were made, and if it was less than the lowest, cuts were made. The amount of land was calculated based on the number of men included in the audit; women and children born after the audit were not taken into account. Yard people were not subject to allotment of land. It is also important that the participant knows the term “temporarily liable” and can explain its essence: until the time when the peasants make a redemption operation, they have the right to use allotment land, but must bear feudal duties for this - corvée or dues. The amount of duties was calculated on the basis of their pre-reform amount, adjusted upwards or downwards if it went beyond the higher or lower norms for the given locality specified in the law.

Characteristics of the source and the opportunities it provides for highlighting the problem (up to 10 points).

The participant must understand that the Statutory Charter determined the boundaries of peasant allotments and the size of duties and were drawn up by agreement between the landowner and the peasants with the participation of a conciliator. They recorded the relationship of peasants and landowners for the entire period of the temporary state. It is good if the participant knows that it was the signing of the statutory letters that caused the greatest difficulties in the first years of the reform: on January 1, 1863, the peasants refused to sign about 60% of the letters.

Analysis of the situation of the peasants and the essence of how the relationship between the landowner and peasants is defined by the document (up to 20 points).

The participant's reasoning may contain the following ideas:

On the situation of the peasants (up to 10 points). The village of Barkino, according to the charter, appears as a small quitrent estate, in which there was no lordly economy before the reform. Judging by the fact that all the land was in the use of the peasants, there was no estate either. At the same time, the village, apparently, was relatively poor, because. the dues paid earlier turned out to be lower than established by law. The participant must say very clearly that as a result of the reform, the economic situation of the peasants worsened, because. the size of the plots was reduced by a third, and the size of the quitrent remained the same. It is also good if he knows that such a situation is not typical for the Nizhny Novgorod province, where the cuts slightly prevailed over the cuts. At the same time, the author may note that the total size of allotments in the village of Barkino is still close to the maximum norm.

About the essence of relations between the landowner and peasants (up to 10 points). Works that contain at least attempts to determine the features of the area in which the village under study is located should be highly appreciated. Ideally, if the author is able to formulate the idea that in the Non-Black Earth Region, where the amount of dues depended not so much on the size of the peasants' field economy, but on the profitability of peasant crafts, the calculation of payment for the use of allotments based on the quitrent meant, in essence, the obligation of the peasants to redeem personal freedom . Judging by the fact that the letter was not signed by the peasants, this state of affairs caused their discontent.

It is very important that each of the stated provisions be formulated clearly and argued with citations from the source. Points should be reduced for fuzzy wording or weak argumentation.

If the participants propose original ideas that are not provided for in these instructions, the commission should make a collegial decision in each specific case. In this case, the number of experts reading the work cannot be less than four, and their decision must be approved by the general vote of the jury.

Findings. Evaluation of their significance for understanding the Peasant Reform (up to 10 points).

The jury must evaluate the depth of the findings and the clarity of their formulation. Assessing the significance of their results for understanding the implementation of the peasant reform, the participant must clearly understand that the studied document does not allow characterizing this process as a whole, it can only be used as an illustration, a special case.

Essay on history for the All-Russian Olympiads

year 2013

1. “Brutally cracking down on his opponents from among other Russian princes,

not disdaining Tatar help for this, Kalita achieved a significant gain

power of the Moscow principality"

(L.V. Cherepnin).

I never thought that I could be touched by the idea expressed by the famous historian L.V. Cherepnin that Ivan Kalita is a kind of "policeman", a traitor to the entire Russian people, a protege of the Mongol Khan Uzbek. On the one hand, we can agree with this point of view, because in 1237, when the Mongol Khan Uzbek decided to create a puppet state on the Russian lands occupied by the Horde, he needed people who could control the situation in such vast spaces. They could suppress the constant Russian anti-Mongol uprisings that threatened to result in the expulsion of the invaders from Russia. And such traitors, according to Cherepnin L.V. found - they were headed by the prince of the then provincial city of Moscow - Ivan Kalita. He decided, relying on Mongolian spears and bows, to expand his possessions at the cost of betraying the Russian liberation struggle. And he received for this from Uzbek a label (powers of the governor) and military assistance. In exchange, Ivan Kalita had to suppress all Russian anti-Mongolian uprisings, which he did with sophisticated cruelty, as is typical of all traitors to his people.In 1960, the capital work of L. V. Cherepnin saw the lightdedicated to the history of Russia in the XIV-XV centuries. There is in it and a characteristic of the personality of Ivan Kalita was given. “Kalita does not need to be idealized. (That’s what didn’t exist, that didn’t exist! - N. B.) He was the son of his time and class, a cruel, cunning, hypocritical ruler, but smart, stubborn and purposeful. ... "This prince (Kalita) brutally suppressed those spontaneous popular movements that undermined the foundations of the Horde's dominance over Russia ... Cruelly cracking down on his opponents from among other Russian princes, not disdaining Tatar help for this, Kalita achieved a significant increase in the power of the Moscow principality" .

Ivan Kalita, what can be said about the person who bore this name and this nickname? The first ruler of Moscow... A hoarding prince, nicknamed a "moneybag" for his stinginess... A cunning and unscrupulous hypocrite who managed to gain confidence in the Khan of the Golden Horde and, in the name of his personal interests, led the Tatars to Russian cities... So, it seems , and that's it. This is the usual image of Ivan Kalita. But this image is nothing more than a myth created for the needs of simple-minded curiosity. In the sources, we will not find its unconditional confirmation. However, we will not find its complete negation. As is often the case, brief historical documents leave room for a variety of interpretations. In such cases, much depends on the historian, on what he wants to see, peering into the foggy mirror of the past.

Although, indeed, there are some paradoxes here, which even the first Russian historian N. M. Karamzin noticed. “A miracle happened. The town, hardly known before the XIV century, raised the head and saved the fatherland. The ancient chronicler would have stopped there, bowing his head before the incomprehensibility of God's Providence. But Karamzin was a man of the new time. The miracle as such did not suit him anymore. He wanted to find a rational explanation for it. That is why he was the first to create a learned myth about Kalita.

Based on sources, Karamzin defined Prince Ivan with the words that one ancient Russian author found for him - "The Collector of the Russian Land." However, this was clearly not enough, because all the Russian princes of that time collected land and power as best they could.

Then Karamzin offered additional explanations. Kalita was "cunning". By this cunning, he "earned the special mercy of Uzbek and, along with it, the dignity of the Grand Duke." With the help of the same “cunning”, Ivan “lulled into caresses” the vigilance of the khan and convinced him, firstly, not to send his Baskaks to Russia anymore, but to transfer the collection of tribute to the Russian princes, and secondly, to turn a blind eye to the annexation of many new territories to area of the great princedom of Vladimir. Following the precepts of Kalita, his descendants gradually "gathered Russia." As a result, the power of Moscow, which allowed it to gain independence from the Tatars at the end of the 15th century, is “a force brought up by cunning.”

Another classic of Russian historiography, S. M. Solovyov, in contrast to Karamzin, was very restrained in his descriptions of historical figures in general and Ivan Kalita in particular. He only repeated the definition of Prince Ivan found by Karamzin as "the Collector of the Russian land" and noted, following the annals, that Kalita "delivered the Russian land from the thieves."
Some new thoughts about Kalita were expressed by N. I. Kostomarov in his well-known work "Russian history in the biographies of its main figures." He noted the unusually strong friendship between Yuri and Ivan Danilovich for the princes of that time, and said about Kalita himself: “The eighteen years of his reign were the era of the first lasting strengthening of Moscow and its rise above the Russian lands.” At the same time, Kostomarov could not resist repeating the stereotype created by Karamzin: Kalita was "a man of non-belligerent character, although cunning."

The famous student of Solovyov, V. O. Klyuchevsky, was a great lover of historical paradoxes. In essence, the whole history of Russia seemed to them like a long chain of big and small paradoxes. “Conditions of life,” Klyuchevsky said, “often develop so capriciously that big people are exchanged for small things, like Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky, and small people have to do big things, like the princes of Moscow.” This premise about "medium-sized people" predetermined his characterization of Kalita. According to Klyuchevsky, all Moscow princes, starting with Kalita, are cunning pragmatists who “diligently looked after the khan and made him an instrument of their plans».

So, to the portrait of the flatterer and cunning created by Karamzin, Klyuchevsky added a couple more dark strokes - hoarding and mediocrity. The resulting unattractive image, due to its artistic expressiveness and psychological authenticity, became widely known. It was imprinted in the memory of several generations of Russian people who studied according to the gymnasium history textbook of D. I. Ilovaisky.

The debunking and blaspheming of Ivan Kalita finally raised a legitimate question: could such a base person fulfill such a great historical task as the founding of the Muscovite state? The answer was twofold: either he was not the founder, or the image of Kalita created by historians is unreliable.

Nine-tenths of all the information that we have about Ivan Kalita is given by chronicles. These strange literary works, where there are only two characters - God and man, never ended. Each generation, with the hand of a scribe-monk, inscribed new pages in them. In the annals, opposite principles are surprisingly combined: the wisdom of the ages - and almost childish naivety; the crushing flow of the flow of time - and the invincibility of the fact; the insignificance of man in the face of Eternity - and his immeasurable greatness as "the image and likeness of God." At first glance, the chronicle is simple and unpretentious. The weather presentation of events in the form of short reports is sometimes interrupted by inserts - independent literary works, diplomatic documents, legal acts. But behind this external simplicity lies an abyss of contradictions. Firstly, the chronicler sees the events and depicts them "from his own bell tower": from the point of view of the interests and "truth" of his prince, his city, his monastery. Beneath this layer of unconscious distortion of the truth is another one: the distortions that arose during the compilation of new chronicles based on the old ones. Usually, new chronicles (more precisely, chronicle "codes") were compiled on the occasion of some important events. The compiler of the new chronicle (the "svodchik") edited and arranged in his own way the content of several chronicles at his disposal, creating new text combinations. Therefore, the order of events in the text of an annalistic annual article does not always correspond to their real sequence. Finally, the chroniclers were always very brief in their reports, and when describing an event, they did not state its causes.

Summing up losses and problems, we note the main thing: our knowledge about Ivan Kalita and his time is fragmentary and fragmentary. His portrait is like an ancient fresco, wounded by time and hidden under a thick layer of late oil painting. The path of knowing Ivan Kalita is the path of painstaking restoration. But at the same time it is also a way of self-knowledge. After all, we are dealing with the builder of the Moscow state, whose hand has forever left its mark on its facade.

Ivan Kalita cannot be assessed only from a negative point of view, because at the end of his life he took monastic vows and wrote a will, after analyzing which, one can draw a conclusion about the moral qualities of the ruler: humility, kindness. It was Kalita who became the founder of Moscow's "big politics", defined its principles, goals and means. He gave a political order to his sons - to preserve by any means that "great silence", under the cover of which there was a slow "gathering of Russia" around Moscow. The two components of this "great silence" are peace with the Horde and peace with Lithuania.

In the annalistic report about the death of Prince Ivan, a sincere feeling of orphanhood breaks through the usual rhetoric of an obituary. “... And on the square near the temple crowded the weeping, frightened Moscow people, who had lost their protector and leader.”

This genre is now experiencing an obvious increase in its popularity. Now it is in demand not only by writers, but also by the high school graduation program. The French word "essay" in our language means "experience, attempt, essay." Indeed, this genre presupposes an unconditionally deep knowledge of the subject of his research by the author of such a work. But, besides knowledge, an original thought, an attractive style of presentation are important.

Essay genre features

As should be understood from the above, the retelling of history by this genre differs from what we can see in textbooks. There is no desire to present the subject of the presentation in a volume and systematic way. An essay on history has a clearly defined focus on revealing a certain plot, an episode of history. The author must present his original view, style of thinking, present weighty arguments.

How long should an essay be?

It should not be large, proportionate, for example, with a novel. Rather, it has a compact, limited character, if only because of the coverage of a rather limited topic. After all, this genre is faced with the task of highlighting a specific historical plot, showing a certain vision of the role of an individual. Usually, depending on the author's intention, it is commensurate with a story or a short story. Volume - from several to 20-30 pages. There are no uniform recommendations on how to write an essay on history. There is, as we have already mentioned, only a recommendation to adhere not to the colloquial, but to the academic style. The presentation of the plot can be the most diverse and even paradoxical. The main thing is different: to make the story "speak", to make it "alive", to awaken the reader's emotional attention to the events of "long gone days". It should be emphasized that in this case the subjectivity of the author is within certain limits: it cannot contradict real facts and events.

Essay on history: how to write?

Many of us like certain plots from history. They evoke associations and emotions, allow you to be proud of your country. How to write an essay on history?

Having received a topic, make a selection of material for it. Make sure you can express it vividly and out of the box. If the collected material does not allow this, it is better to change the topic. Based on your sample, make up your plan of reasoning. This is - very important - strict adherence to the chosen logic.

Structurally, essays on history begin with an introduction, where the main question is formulated that determines the direction of the presentation. Then - the main part, which is a detailed author's answer, reflecting his personal point of view on the proposed topic. The author should foresee the argumentation, all possible pros and cons. They must appear in the work. In the main part, at its intermediate stage, a brief concentrated answer to the question presented in the introduction is additionally positioned, as well as several hypothetical sub-conclusions. This is one of the genre features. The conclusion is the final decoding of the sub-conclusions.

History Essay Argumentation

The answer to the question, how to write an essay on history, will, of course, be incomplete without specifying how to use the argument in it. The essence of this genre is the proof of the truth of the views of the author. It uses more than just logical reasoning. It also includes associations associated with the moral norms existing in society and the feelings and emotions of people generated by them. Well-known logical terms are used: induction (a method of proof that involves logic: from the particular to the general conclusion); deduction (a private conclusion is formulated from a general conclusion); analogy (comparison of the logic of the passage of two historical events: the reference and the one being studied, followed by the formulation of conclusions). These are just some of the logical tricks used in history essays. "How to write a proof of his main thesis?" - this question implies multivariance, including evidence by contradiction, logical refutation, indirect evidence.

Planning an Essay on History

First, you should thoroughly study the material about the historical environment in which the formation of historical figures involved, the details, circumstances and chronology of the main events of your essay on history. “How to write about the course of historical events?” - you ask. The most common presentation is in chronological order. It is generally recommended for beginner writers. Speaking about, one should represent their personal characteristics: whose interests they stand guard over, what views on society they have, whether they personally contributed to progress or vice versa. The very topics of essays on history often contain a brief allusion to the thesis substantiated by the author.

The personality of the protagonist is an important element of the essay

What else about a historical hero can sound in such an essay? His preferences, intellectual level, organizational skills. Is his personality inconsistent? What is its significance: for improving the quality of life of the people, for the further development of the country. Particularly valuable in the essay is the author's emotional moral characterization of its main characters. It should logically proceed from the general thread of the narrative and be its most advantageous element in terms of influencing the reader. Essays on the history of Russia, therefore, are very often devoted to charismatic historical figures, real heroes and prominent statesmen - Alexander Nevsky, Peter I, Alexander Suvorov.

The brilliant battles of the twenty-two-two-year-old Prince Alexander served the great and holy cause - the preservation of Russian statehood, no less than his diplomatic successes in relations with the Golden Horde. Great reformism, a deep heightened understanding of the importance of progress, the ability to organize and inspire people distinguished Peter the Great. The brilliant and heroic Alpine campaign, the amazing and simply fantastic capture of the Izmail fortress glorified Russia and the great commander Alexander Suvorov. Our history contains many stories worthy of an essay.

Conclusion

The essay considered in the article is currently experiencing a renaissance. By cultivating patriotism, he helps to take a fresh look at the bright pages of history, to interest a wide range of people, and especially young people, in the history of their country. And as you know, without the past there is no future. It is important to remember: who we are and where we are from, to honor and remember our great countrymen. This is a guarantee of continuity and that the big and important things started by our predecessors will be continued.

As we can see, the outline of an essay on history is, of course, a necessary element for writing it, but far from sufficient. In addition to it, for writing such a work, a coherent logic of presentation, powerful undeniable documents in proof, and fundamental civil moral principles subtly conveyed to the reader are important.

Historical events or significant time periods are usually described in an essay on history. Before writing it, you should get an idea about the features, rules for the design of this work. Below we will talk about how to write an essay on history so that you get the highest score, as well as share some tips.

History Essay Features

What is the difference between an essay on history and other assignments, what is its significance?

When students write a historical essay, it develops their personality, teaches them to form their own point of view, evaluate past events, and set significant priorities for themselves. This work tests the level of knowledge of the history of the student, as well as his ability to bring historical data into the system, freely present conclusions, and understand the significance of certain phenomena / events.

Criteria for evaluating an essay on the exam

As a rule, during the exam, students are offered a choice of three periods of Russian history:

Ancient history of Russia and the Middle Ages.
New history (late XVII - late XIX).
Recent history (XX century).

It should be written taking into account the boundaries of the selected time period.
There are certain evaluation criteria for a historical essay on the exam, on the basis of which some rules are distinguished for writing it.
On the exam, an essay on history is written by students of secondary schools. It must contain:

two or more episodes/events of the past;
two significant personalities of a specific time period;
causality of historical phenomena of a certain period;
estimated significance of this stage of history;
tactful application of subject terms/concepts.

What is a history essay

To begin with, a historical time period is chosen, its feature is determined. That is, it is worth characterizing this stage of history, its specificity, and then choosing the facts that correspond to this time.

Historical facts

There are two types of past events: historical (they actually once existed, have an objective evidence base and temporal / spatial localization) and scientific-historical (historical events, confirmed by the research of scientists, their conclusions based on historical sources).

The facts are not selected in order to simply list the events that took place at the relevant time, but to highlight the main more significant episodes that fully convey the features of the described period and the impact on the development of the country in the future.

Estimated Knowledge

Next, you need to show evaluative subject knowledge. Here you need to show your knowledge of the opinions of representatives of the scientific community on the course of development of significant events in history. Historical writing is evaluated mainly by the depth of the issue and reasoned reasoning.

Characteristics of a historical personality

The characterization of a historical person is of great importance. To get the highest mark, you will need not only to talk in detail about the activities of the individual, but also to show his role in the history of a given period of time, based on reliable historical data. This information will help you get a high grade for your essay.

Causal relationships

Another criterion for a historical essay that claims to be “excellent” is to identify the connection between episodes of history, how one event influenced another. Students are required to learn how to analyze the discovered data, identify sources and consequences, and draw an appropriate conclusion with a conclusion. This is a rather complex intellectual activity.

In addition, the completeness of your knowledge about the described time period and its chronological sequence plays an essential role. It is necessary to determine the pattern of episodes that have occurred in history, which are consistently interconnected. As a rule, an event occurs due to several factors. In such cases, you need to know how to highlight more significant events.

To know how to write a historical essay without classic mistakes, consider the most common of them:

the primary or least important causes are incorrectly identified;
the cause of the described event is not disclosed, but simply replaced by some fact;
historical episodes are presented, without understanding their relationship.

Algorithm for writing an essay on history

You need to plan an essay on history. It will help to form a high-quality essay without losing sight of significant information.

Period selection.
We find confirmation that the choice is correct.
We name the period, taking into account its specificity.
We establish the facts that relate to the time of the selected period. We identify especially significant episodes and less important ones.
We indicate the historical persons who lived in this time period. We describe the nature of their activities and contribution to history.
The reasons for the occurrence of events of the period under consideration are indicated.
We find suitable terms and necessary concepts.
We select facts that reveal the significance of this time period, using the opinion of specialists.
The collected information is systematized.
A plan for writing an essay on history is being created, an example:

Introduction (briefly describe the essence of the time period chosen).
The main part (mainly a description of events, personalities, causes and consequences of development).
Conclusion (the importance of this period of time is assessed).

We check and make any necessary adjustments.

How to write an essay on history correctly

How to write an essay on history? Let's help with advice.

It is worth choosing the historical time about which you are most informed;
A preliminary plan for a historical work will not allow you to deviate from a logical and clear writing;
Break the text into semantic paragraphs;
We need specific, legible, concise writing, where there are many significant episodes without empty informational material;
Use terms that you know the meaning of.

A high-quality essay on history, examples of which can be found on the Internet, is necessary for clarity (at least ten different historical works). So you can practice writing an essay.

To navigate how to write a historical essay, first of all, pay attention to the evaluation criteria. The main thing is to open all the points qualitatively. Do not forget about the genre specifics of the essay.

Example and outline of an essay on history

Dates of the period and the name of a historical person, his contribution to the development of history.
Important episodes of this period of time with the personalities who participated in them (description of episodes and persons separately). It is necessary to sum up the events.
The relationship of these events and the causes of their occurrence.
Evaluation of a historical personality by scientists of the present and the past.
Summarize with words about the significance of the selected historical period.

For a clear and correct structuring, essays on history draw up a plan:

General characteristics of the time period of history.
Two episodes of a given time (causes, essence, effect; 2 main facts connecting these episodes; 2 historical figures of this time, their contribution).
Evaluation of the era of Russian history (the influence of this period on the further history of the country, the development of the economy / culture; foreign policy).
Conclusion (you can use the opinion of eminent historians).

Summing up

As we can see, for this kind of historical writing, clichés can be taken from a short template. Examples of historical essays can always be found on the Internet. It is well-written, correct and concise. The main part should be dominated by historical episodes and essays by scientists. This raises the score.
For a complete understanding, it is worth studying various examples of ready-made essays on history. In practice, it has been proven that this is a very effective method. Successful work!