Theme 1

1)The subject, aims

The history is science which is in constant development. Everyone knows the expression: there is no nation without history. The study of historical experience forms historical consciousness, culture, tradition, continuity of generations. The history gives an opportunity to comprehend the scale of what is happening today, it plants the seeds of the future. It is the basis of understanding of the civilization phenomenon, the dialectics of contemporary global problems by a human. History of Kazakhstan deals with the processes of the mankind origin and development, social relations, the formation and development of states, the social and economic relations, the relationship with neighboring countries and people, the national liberation struggle, the Kazakh steppe tribes’ and peoplecontribution to the world civilization. History of Kazakh people, and their ancestors, all nations and nationalities living in Kazakhstan today is a component of a world history, its studying is important for the formation of youth historical consciousness. Today the historical science of Kazakhstan is facing huge and important objectives. One of the major objectives of history of Kazakhstan is promoting of Kazakhstan patriotism. This aim has become one of the main among nominated in the message to the people " Kazakhstan - 2050" by the President of Republic of Kazakhstan, Leader of the Nation N.Nazarbayev. The patriotism is impossible without the formation of the historical consciousness, conjunctive present society with its past, therefore objective studying of history and its popularization are education’s important aim.

2) The sources on the history of Kazakhstan

Historical sources are the complex of documents and material culture subjects, directly reflected the historical process, separate facts and taking place events, on the basis of which a notion about definite historical epochis created. Following types of historical sources are existed:

1. Corporeal (archeological) source. Historical knowledge about the mankind formation and development stages are formed on the basis of culture monuments researching, left by ancient people.

2. Written (writing) source. These includes antique books, chronicles, works of personal origin (memoirs, remembrance), scientific works, legislative codes, writings, statistical materials, periodicals, diplomatic protocols, diaries and reports of travelleres, etc. Written sources can be divided into several groups.

The first group includes written reports of antique authors. Among them there are works of ancient Greek Historian Herodotus (“The History”) and Geographer Strabo (“The Geography”), Roman Historian Pliny, where can be found some data about Saka and Turkic tribes, which inhabited the territory of Kazakhstan in ancient period. A Chinese dynasty chronicles consist many important materials on the ancient history of Kazakhstan. For example, the reports of Chshan Tsyan, who personally visited Zhetysu in the II c. BC and “The historical reports” of Chinese historian Syma Thyan. Ancient Persian written sources such as sacred book of zoroastians “Avesta”, Persian cuneiform texts, in particular “The Behistun Inscription of Dariy” (522-486 BC) also includes valuable data about ancient inhabitants of Modern Kazakhstan. The most important materials on the late Medieval history (the XIII-XVIII centuries) were written mainly in Arabic, Persian, Chagatay, old Uzbek, Russian, old Kazakh languages. Among them is “Tarikh -i Rashidi” by M. H. Duglati in Persian. The author in the first chapter gives more detailed information about the history of Moghulistan state, its territory, the ethnic structure, the administrative-military structure, way of life, customs, military art, foreign policy and relations with neighbours. In the second chapter M.H. Duglati gives interesting and important information on the history of Eastern “Deshti Qipchaq”: the territory of Kazakh khanate and the features of Kazakh society. The author believes, that Kazakh khanate was formed in 1465/1466.

The most complete information on the Kazakh khanate formation and its development is given in the Persian author Ibn Ruzbikhan (ХVІІ c), Kadirgaly Zhalairi (the beginning of the ХVІІ c.) works, also some data are in the reports by Britan traveler Jenkinson, etc. There are wide range of written sources, which contain the information, reflecting the historical events and facts of the XVIII, XIX и ХХ cc. taken place on the territory of Kazakhstan. 3. Oral (verbal) source. Oral literature (legends, tales, historical eposes, proverbs and etc) is an ancient form of historical information transmission which existing among all people. Through the oral transmission some details can be distorted and perished.

3) Historiography is one of auxiliary historical science, which researches extent of studying some historical problems, historical events or phenomena. It is totality of the researches devoted to the specific theme, problem and epoch, on the other hand it is the development of methods, approaches, principles of historical researches.An important place among the Russian orientalists has been taken by V.V. Barthold. As the prominent Russian orientalist S.G.Klyashtornyi pointed out “his researches on the history of Turkic tribes differ by a wider chronology and a problem range”. V.V.Barthold translated the sources of Persian authors and his works are devoted to Arabic invasion, towns of Zhetysu, Karahanids state and etc. He is the author of the basic researches “History of Turkestan”, “Studies of Semirech’e history”.Next important monography on the history of the Golden Horde belongs to B.O. Grekov and A.I.Yakubowski “The Golden Horde”, published in 1937. This research is in fact the first resumptive work on history of the Golden Horde. The monography consists of three parts. The first part “The formation and development of the Golden Horde in the XIII-XIVcc” includes 8 chapters, the second part “The Golden Horde and Russia” – 7 chapters and third part “Disintegration of the Golden Horde”- 5 chapters. Next important monography on the late medieval history of Kazakhstan is the research in 4 volumes of the prominent orientalist N.V.Veljaminov-Zernov (1830-1904). The work is called “The researches about Kasimov tsars and princes”. The author in series stated the history of the Kazakh khanate, gave his opinion about the formation of the Kazakh khanate, covered foreign policy-relationships of Kazakh khans. He is the first, who used original materials from oriental sources. Among them there were such sources as the works of M.H.Duglati, K.Zhalairi, Zahir - ad din Batur and Hafiz Tanish.In the second half of the XX – at the beginning of the XXI centuries dozen works were published by leading historians of the country. Among them there are R.Suleimenov, K.Akishev, M. Kozybaeb, K. Nurpeisov, T.Sultanov, B.Kumekov, O.Ismagulov, Zh. Kasimbaev, K.Baipakov, M.Koigeldyev, T.Omarbekov, P.Belan, S.Kinayatuly, Kh.Abzhanov, Kh. Aldazhumanov, Zh.Abylkhozhin and others.