The history of Primorsky Krai has a long period of approximately 30 thousand years. This is confirmed by ancient finds of archaeologists. In later Chinese annals, you can find information about the population of Primorsky Krai. According to them, this territory was quite densely populated. Ancient people engaged in fishing, gathering, hunting, raised pigs and dogs. In the Middle Ages, there were centers of civilization - the Tungus states of Bohai and Zhurchzheni.
Monuments of the prehistoric period
The earliest monument of the prehistoric period of the history of the Primorsky Territory is the cave of the Geographical Society, located in the rock of the Catherine Massif, which historians date back to the early Paleolithic age, 32 thousand years old. It is located in the Partizansky district near the village of Ekaterinovka.
The ancient history of Primorsky Krai is confirmed by finds made by archaeologists. Monuments of the Osinovskaya culture, located near the village of Osinovka, Mikhailovsky district, and Ustinovskaya culture, located near the village of Ustinovka, Kavalerovsky district, also belong to this time. They were opened in 1953.
The Neolithic includes monuments of several cultures, such as Zaysanovskaya, Boysmanskaya, Imanskaya, Vetka, Rudninskaya. They are represented by finds of pottery and textile products. The most significant are located in the Chertovy Vorota cave , in burial grounds on the banks of the Boysman Bay. Representatives of the Zaysan culture that settled in the southern regions of the Primorsky Territory were engaged in agriculture.
The Bronze Age in the history of the Primorsky Territory is characterized by the appearance of fortified settlements, which speaks of armed conflicts. Monuments of Margarita culture are located in the eastern region of the region, in the bays of the Sailor-fisherman, Olga, Transfiguration, Eustache.
Age of Iron
With the advent of the Iron Age (800 BC), settlements arise. Their inhabitants are representatives of the Yankov culture. These are the first ancient people in the history of Primorsky Krai who were engaged in growing crops. They planted millet and barley, made pottery and metal tools, engaged in fishing, gathering.
Almost at the same time, in the West of Primorye there lived representatives of another culture - the Crowns. These are the Woju tribes.
First states
The following can be briefly said about this period in the history of the Primorsky Territory. In the 500 years of our era, Primorye is inhabited by the sumo moeh tribes, which form the first state in the history of the region. It began to be called Bohai in the 8th century, but did not exist for long (698–926). This period of history is characterized by the fact that the stratification of society begins, and estates appear, bodies of power based on legitimate violence.
Qualitatively different forms of management appear in the economy: plow farming, crafts, such as blacksmithing, pottery, and weaving, are emerging. The appearance of the first cities. At the beginning of the X century, the state of Bohai was destroyed by the nomadic Mongol tribes Khitan. The territory was looted and lay in ruins.
As a result of the unification of the heishui moeh, which have been called the Jurchen since the 10th century, a new Jin state, or Golden Empire, has been formed. Time of existence - from 1115 to 1234. This state pursued a warlike policy. In 1125, she defeated the Liao - Khitan empire, waged wars with the Chinese Song empire, as a result of which she managed to subjugate Northern China. The decline of the Jin Empire came in the XIII century due to the Mongol invasions. To say briefly: in the history of Primorsky Krai, the time of ancient cities was over.
The eastern remnants of the empire, which maintained their independence, formed the state of East Xia, which existed until 1233. After the third campaign of the Mongols, it ceased to exist. After the fourth invasion of the Mongols, who forcibly took the male population to the army, and the remaining inhabitants were resettled in the Liaohe river valley, making them slaves. The presence of other states on the territory of the Primorsky Territory historians have not found.
The history of the development of Primorsky Krai by Russian pioneers
It is documented that the appearance of Russians in the Primorsky Territory dates from 1655. This is the time of development of Siberia. The Cossacks moved further east through a vast practically uninhabited territory until they reached the Pacific coast. The first detachment, which reached northern Primorye, came under the command of O. Stepanov. Gradually, the advance of the Russians to the East became increasingly noticeable. Runaway peasants, convicts, adventurers, schismatics, who played a significant role in the history of the development of the Primorsky Territory, made their way from central Russia.
The obstacle was impassable land. But the establishment of centralized power in Siberia was the reason for the movement of the Russian population to the East. The Primorsky Territory was of interest not only to Russian researchers, but also to the French. At the beginning of the 18th century, in 1787, cartographic expeditions from France worked in Primorye.
The east coast was explored by the famous French traveler Jean Laperouz. Their research has left a significant mark in the history of the development and study of the Primorsky Territory. Maps compiled by the French for a long time were used by Russian pioneers.
To officially secure the territory of the Primorsky Territory, the Russian government decides to legalize it, forming the Primorsky Region. It included the coastal lands of Eastern Siberia, including Kamchatka. A year later, in 1857, the Amur Region stood out from the Primorsky Region.
The inclusion of Primorye in Russia
The sovereign territory of any state has borders. After Primorye was incorporated into Russia, the border with China was legally formalized by the Aigun Treaty (1858) and confirmed and expanded by the Beijing (1860). The territory defined by the treaties has become almost the same as at present. I would like to note that the Chinese consider the treaties to be unfair and are confident that sooner or later the territory, including Vladivostok, will pass to them.
Foundation of Vladivostok
The main central settlement was the city of Nikolaevsk, which is currently part of the Khabarovsk Territory. The Pacific Fleet was based in this area. Governor-General of Eastern Siberia N. Muravyov-Amursky in 1859 examined the coastal area on his ship in order to choose a convenient bay for the construction of the port. He found her - this is the protected Golden Horn Bay. Exactly one year later a military post was established here, and subsequently the city of Vladivostok was built. This year he will be 158 years old.
The base of Ussuriysk
One of the major cities of the Far East is the city of Ussuriysk, Primorsky Territory. The history of his formation is one of many similar stories of other settlements of Primorye. Initially, the settlement, founded by immigrants, was called Nikolsk in honor of Nikolai Ugodnik. It was founded in 1866 by immigrants from the Voronezh and Astrakhan provinces.
Subsequently, immigrants from Ukraine were resettled here. The largest garrison was based here. After 30 years from the date of foundation, the number of inhabitants was more than 8 thousand people. Initially, the city was called Nikolsk-Ussuri, until 1957 it was called Voroshilov. Currently it is Ussuriysk.
Settlement of the Primorsky Territory
The Cossacks played the most significant role in the history of the Primorsky Territory. It was they who created the first villages and military posts in the bays of the Sea of Japan. Before them, the government set two most important tasks: to settle on new lands, build new settlements and maintain protection on their territory.
The pioneers were the units of the newly formed battalion of the Cossack army of the Ussuri district of the Amur region. They were forcibly resettled from other Cossack parts of Russia in the summer of 1889. According to the order received, those who were to leave the homeland forever by casting lots were determined. Therefore, the Cossacks perceived the resettlement as a link. This lasted a long four years - from 1858 to 1862.
The Government of the Russian Empire developed and published special Rules that determined the procedure for settlement of Russian citizens and foreigners in the Primorsky and Amur regions, open for settlement. The history of the opening of the Primorsky Territory shows that the resettlement to the Far East stirred up the whole of Russia. There were many who wanted to, but not quite enough for a huge empty territory. From 1861 to 1917 269 thousand people were resettled in Primorsky Krai. The process itself can be divided into three stages.
Three stages of settlement of the Primorsky Territory
The first stage includes the resettlement of Cossacks and the military, as well as peasants from the central regions of Russia and Ukraine. People went on their journeys in families, and sometimes whole villages moved to the East on foot, in carts loaded with years of acquired belongings.
The inefficiency of this method forced the government to organize a sea route through which people in a few months reached their place of permanent residence. In 1882, a regular flight Odessa - Vladivostok was opened. In this way, residents of Ukrainian provinces got to a greater extent. The percentage of Ukrainian immigrants ranged from 70 to 80% of the total. The history of the villages of Primorsky Krai can be traced by their names.
The completion of the Trans-Siberian Railway in 1901 reduced the travel time to 18 days. This path worked until 1904. The outbreak of the Russo-Japanese War stopped the relocation. But subsequently it continued until 1917.
Reasons for Relocation
The history of the formation of the Primorsky Territory is an interesting material for research. Hundreds of thousands of people were torn from their permanent place of residence and moved to the East. Someone walked of their own free will. Cossacks and the military were forcibly resettled. There were several reasons for the interest of the government in this matter.
- The first, most important, is a small number of people living in a vast territory. Plus, the lack of settlements: cities, villages. After all, it was with the arrival of immigrants that the history of the development of the Primorsky Territory began. Large and small settlements appeared. Virgin land has been plowed up, workshops have appeared, commercial fishing has begun, mining has begun, trade has intensified.
- The second reason is the abolition of serfdom, which caused the appearance of thousands of landless peasants who began to move to cities, where even without them the situation became increasingly tense. This was facilitated by the difficult economic situation, the revolutionary mood of the people, the deplorable results of the Russo-Japanese war.
- The strategic importance of access to the Pacific Ocean. Strengthening Russia's position on the Pacific coast was impossible due to the sparsely populated territory, the great distance from populated and economically developed areas, and the lack of transport routes.
The number of resettled amounted to 269 thousand people. It would have been more productive, but World War I and the 1917 revolution prevented this.
First settlements
In 1859, the first Cossack villages appeared Knyazhesky, Ilyinsky, Verkhne-Mikhailovsky and others, which later became villages. In 1861, the village of Fudin was built - the first in the history of relocation. The list of villages in the Primorsky Territory was replenished every year - the village of Voronezh, the villages of Vladimir Andreevskoye, Razdolnoye, Astrakhan, Nikolskoye, which later became the city of Ussuriysk.
In Southern Primorye, on the Khanka River, Cossacks created 10 villages. Gradually, people settled down, villages developed. An example is the history of Ussuriysk, Primorsky Territory, which has become one of the largest cities in the Far East.
At the initial stage of settlement, people were engaged in fishing: logging, fishing, hunting, picking berries, mushrooms, ginseng. In Vladivostok, whaling appeared . The history of cities, settlements, villages in the Primorsky Territory has replenished with a number of significant events. At the beginning of the 20th century, the world was hit by a crisis. In Russia, this was compounded by political instability. This did not go unnoticed in Primorye, as it affected the construction of railways, the number of immigrants, reduced investment, subsidies. Primorye enterprises have reduced the volume of work.
The outbreak of the Russo-Japanese War placed a heavy burden on the shoulders of the inhabitants of Primorye. Lack of food and essential goods, high cost, morale after a crushing defeat in the Russo-Japanese war, isolation from the main territory of Russia made the situation of the inhabitants of Primorye depressing. Improvement came only in 1908. But a new war, this time World War I, brought new disappointments and hardships.
Primorsky Territory in 1917-1922
After the Bolsheviks came to power, a peace decree was issued and a truce was concluded with Germany. This did not suit the Entente countries at all, which took retaliatory measures - intervention against Russia. In the Far East in 1918, the British landed, who would host it until 1922.
The lack of protected borders opened the way for foreign migrants who freely entered the territory of Russia. The Koreans formed their settlements here, the Chinese also flooded the border areas, freely passing inland. The political life of the region continued, 04.04.1920 announced the creation of the Far Eastern Republic (FER), which included the Primorsky region.
In May 1921, in the south of Primorsky Territory, as a result of the overthrow of Soviet power, the Amur Zemsky Territory was formed, which existed until the army took the city of Vladivostok in 1922. The history of the regions of the Primorsky Territory continued, experiencing more and more new events.
Soviet period
The Far Eastern Republic joined the RSFSR in 1922. Having come to power, the Bolshevik government faced the same problem as the tsarist government — the sparsely populated territory. The estates were abolished, and this served as a result of tens of thousands of acres of land of the Ussuri Cossack army, whose owners died or fled abroad.
From 1926 to 1928 immigrants from the Volga cities that survived the famine arrived in the Primorsky Territory and were sent to the development of the Khankai plain. It was they who formed the backbone of collectivization. Another part of the migrants is the demobilized military, who remained after serving in the Primorsky Territory. There was a reason for their staying here.
The fact is that in 1932 passports were introduced. At that time, only citizens in the USSR received them. The villagers were issued passports by decision of the Village Councils, which agreed in exceptional cases. Formally, the villagers were assigned to a specific place. But the military issued a passport at the place of demobilization. Therefore, many decided to stay in Primorye in order to receive the document, first for a year, then for five years.
A large number of young and healthy guys created another problem - the lack of a female population. And then the wife of Major Khetagurov calls on all the girls of the country to come to the Far East. Five thousand young girls responded to him.
Primorsky Krai
The region was formed by the government of the USSR in 1938. Its administrative center is Vladivostok. The history of the regions of the Primorsky Territory is also interesting. Their development depended on climatic conditions. Most of them are in the temperate monsoon zone. The majority of the population lives here. Four districts belong to the Far North. 2 million people live in the region. In 1922, the total population was about 600 thousand people.
Development of the Far East
During the Great Patriotic War and immediately after it, life in the Primorsky district froze. But in 1950-1960, the USSR government developed a number of measures for the development of the Far Eastern region. These were effective measures that allowed attracting and securing a large number of volunteers there, the number of which tripled the number of people living in Primorye. The main task was to create comfortable working and living conditions, which we managed to do.
The defense, fishing, and construction industries developed in the region. The government provided a number of benefits. People went here for permanent residence. In the 90s, a radical change occurred. The benefits were canceled, the defense industry almost ceased to exist. Closed factories, industrial enterprises. This provoked a reverse outflow of people, which has not been stopped to date.