«IZVESTIYA IRKUTSKOGO GOSUDARSTVENNOGO UNIVERSITETA». SERIYA «ISTORIYA»
«THE BULLETIN OF IRKUTSK STATE UNIVERSITY». SERIES «HISTORY»
ISSN 2222-9124 (Print)

List of issues > Series «History». 2025. Vol 52

Studying the History of Russian America in Siberia in the Pre-revolutionary Period

Author(s)
V. P. Shakherov
Abstract
The article describes the study of Russian America in Siberia in the pre-revolutionary period. It tells about the study of Russian America in Siberia in the pre-revolutionary period. There are two stages in its study. At the first stage, which was connected with merchant voyages to new islands and discoveries of new territories, interest in them contributed to the appearance of studies and notes, which were written by the participants themselves. It is emphasized that all this information was deposited in Irkutsk, which thus became a kind of information center for covering these events. It is noted that during the second stage, after the creation of the Russian-American Company (RAK) and the transfer of its Main Board to the capital, interest in this issue in Siberia is gradually decreasing. The Center for the Study of Russian Territories in America is moving to European Russia, where the notes of participants in circumnavigation voyages to the shores of Alaska and the first works on the activities of the CANCER are published. It is concluded that after the sale of Alaska and the liquidation of the Russian-American Company, the study of the history of Russian America in Siberia practically ceased. It is emphasized that the main attention and interests of Siberian society during this period were attracted to the issues of joining the Amur Basin and the development of the Far Eastern territories.
About the Authors
Shasherov Vadim Petrovich, Doctor of Sciences (History), Professor, Baikal State University, 11, Lenin st., Irkutsk, 664003, Russian Federation, Irkutsk State University, 1, K. Marx st., Irkutsk, 664003, Russian Federation, e-mail: wodalis@yandex.ru
For citation
Shakherov V.P. Studying the History of Russian America in the Pre-revolutionary Period. The Bulletin of Irkutsk State University. Series History, 2025, vol. 52, pp. 97-106. https://doi.org/10.26516/2222-9124.2025.52.97 (in Russian)
Keywords
Siberia, Irkutsk, Russian America, historiography, local lore, sea voyages, merchants, Russian-american company.
UDC
930 (519)
DOI
https://doi.org/10.26516/2222-9124.2025.52.97
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