People tend to remember significant dates for society: over time, if the date is joyful, cities or even countries make it a national holiday. For example, this number is the date of liberation from the German troops of Odessa - April 10, and Nikolaev - March 28. And although these numbers remain common throughout the world, for the inhabitants of these cities they are memorable and are the so-called landmarks. There are more global events. Consider what the milestones are, what they are in history using the example of Kievan Rus, and later Russia, and in relation to which this word can still be applied.
Key in the meaning
This word is described in more detail in the dictionaries of Ozhegov, Ushakov and Efremova. The most common definition is as follows: “Milestones in history are significant incidents, events and decisions in a person’s life, the development of an enterprise or the history of an entire country.” Their number can be varied depending on the density of what happened in a single year or in the whole history of the existence of a person, enterprise, country.
With a cursory examination of the issue, without particularly delving into what milestones are, one can be satisfied with the answer that these are dates that are important to someone. And if we talk about global history, then such dates can be considered moments that influenced future history.
Milestones in the history of Russia
It is best to analyze this concept using the example of one’s own country. Before the formation of the Russian Federation, the USSR and tsarist Russia, there was one more state from which the milestone count should begin. Naturally, we mean Kievan Rus. Here are some dates that best show what milestones are:
- IX century - the formation of a state with a code of laws, borders and a prince at the head.
- X century - Oleg’s rule up to Olga, her reforms in the state, adoption of Christianity, religious reform.
- XI century - the throne of Vladimir, Yaroslav, the formation of the code of laws as a written document ("Russian Truth").
- XII-XIII centuries - from the beginning of Monomakh’s reign to the end, “Teaching to Children”, the division of Kievan Rus into principalities and internecine wars.
- XV-XVI centuries - the continuation of the feudal war, the annexation of the khanates, the implementation of reforms and the introduction of the oprichnina.
- XVII century - the reign of Shuisky, the beginning of the uprising and its defeat, the abolition of copper coins and the split of the church in connection with the disagreement of their members with politics.
- XVIII century - the reign of Peter I, Catherine, Peter II, Elizabeth, Peter III, palace coups, the Northern War.
- XIX century - the reign of Alexander I, Nicholas I, the Decembrists, the reforms of Alexander II, the end of serfdom by order of Nicholas II, the October Revolution
- XX century - the formation of the USSR, war (civil, Great Patriotic War, World War I, World War II), the rule of Stalin, Lenin, Khrushchev, Brezhnev, the collapse of the USSR, the formation of the Russian Federation.
- XXI century - the rule of Medvedev, Putin, the annexation of Crimea.
Life is also a milestone
The years of the beginning of the reign and its end of the abovementioned people can also be counted among the milestones. But you do not need to be a famous astronaut, writers, ruler, so that years are reckoned among the milestones of life. For a grandmother, special moments may be those when her grandson said the first word, went, went to school, and later to college.
For some people, milestones may be the dates of their first meeting with soul mates, promotion, graduation, or moving to another country. Also, no one forgets the dates of their birth and the birth of relatives - these are also milestones in certain circles, but these dates mean nothing to all of humanity.
Interestingly, the milestones in literature can serve as the writings of writers. So, similar events in the life and work of Pushkin can be considered the writing of “Eugene Onegin”, “Belkin Belkin”, “Ruslan and Lyudmila”, since it was they who later became the most recognizable works of the author.
Remembering your milestones is important
Knowing what milestones are and what role they play in everyday life will give an advantage over those who ignore them, acting at their discretion. Why? First of all, important events influence the course of history, and it would be good for future generations to take into account the sad experience of the past. In addition, those who remember important events in the lives of loved ones gain a reputation for being more sensitive and caring than those who are not focused on this.
Summing up, we can also say that it depends on a person whether he will "change the milestones" of his life (that is, radically transform something) and, in the end, change the milestones of history with his life or leave everything to discretion of other heroes.