2. The Oldest population in the territory of Ukraine and its culture

The Polianians were the largest and most developed

their prince Kyi founded the city of Kyiv in the 6th century

the first Varangian rulers of Rus’ were Askol and Dyr

In 882 they were killed by Prince Oleh Oleh laid the foundation for the powerful state of

Kievan Rus Oleg was supreme ruler of the Rus from 882 to

912

Oleh’s son Prince Ihor followed him after Igor's death, his wife Olha ruled Kievan

Rus as regent for their son, Svyatoslav she was the first Rus ruler to convert to

Christianity, either in 945 or in 957. the reign of Sviatoslav I Ihorovych (962–72)

was marked by warfare. in 980, Prince Volodymyr unified the country

• he adopted Christianity in 988 • he converted the population into Christianity

• in history he is known as Volodymyr the Great or Saint Volodymyr

Yaroslav the Great :• promoted family ties with other kingdoms

• built many churches• improved Kyiv's fortifications

• introduced laws and established courts• was a patron of book culture and learning

• sponsored the construction of the Saint Sophia Cathedral in 1037

after death of Monomakh in 1125 Ukraine remained fragmented into the numerous principalities

Kyiv lost it's power and influence the invasion of the Mongols in 1236–40 finally

destroyed the state

Danylo was succeeded by his son Lev• moved the capital to Lviv in 1272

• maintained the strength of Galicia–Volhynia• worked closely with the Mongols

Yuriy I lost Lublin to the Poles and Transcarpathia to the Hungarians

Yuriy’s sons died together in 1323 the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of

Lithuania divided up Galicia-Volhynia between them

1. Декларація про державний суверенітет України. Прийнята Верховною РадоюУкраїнської РСР 16 липня 1990 року. - К. 1991.

2.  Акт проголошення незалежності України, прийнятий Верховною РадоюУкраїни 24 серпня 1991 року. - К. 1991.

3.  Конституція України. Прийнята  на п'ятій сесії Верховної Ради України 28червня 1996 року. - К. 1996.

4.   Крип'якевич І. П. Історія України. - Львів, 1990. 5.   Полонська-Василенко Н. Історія України. Т. 1-2.-К. 1992. 6. Andrew Wilson. The Ukrainians: Unexpected Nation. Yale University

Press; 2nd edition (2002). 7. Anna Reid. Borderland: A Journey Through the History of Ukraine.

London, Orion Books; 4th impression (1998, preface 2003). 8. Mykhailo Hrushevsky. History of Ukraine-Rus’ in 9 volumes. 9. Orest Subtelny. Ukraine: A History. Toronto: University of Toronto

Press (1988). 10. Paul Robert Magocsi. A History of Ukraine. Toronto: University of

Toronto Press (1996).