According to historical sources, around the 6th century Common Slavonic unity starts to split into three branches.Thus, a Southern, Western and Eastern Slavs.In ancient times, the latter got a huge area.The descendants of these tribes were the Russian, Belarusian, Ukrainian.
Eastern Slavs in ancient times, the settling that occurs between the White, Baltic and Black Seas, for nearly five hundred years, engaged in the development of these lands.The first information about the formation of tribes obtained from the chronicle "Tale of Bygone Years".Information confirmed and archaeological finds.
Eastern Slavs in ancient times went on various areas of the "sitting on the Danube."
move in the middle reaches of the Dnieper River near Kiev tribes were called "meadows."To the north of their settlements they lived "Northerners."To the northwest of the field formed tribes "Drevlyane."They got their name from the territory on which settled - deep forests.The Center became the city Iskorosten Drevlyane.
between the Dvina and Pripyat settled tribes, who were called "Dregovichi."Settled at the confluence of the Danube river in a Polota Slavs were called "Polochans."The upper reaches of the Western Dvina, Dnieper and Volga settled "krivichi."They became the center of Smolensk.According to chronicles
information from the Poles ("Poles") occurred "vyatichi" and "radzimichy."On the Sozh (a tributary of the Dnieper River) settled "radzimichy", "vyatichi" occupied territory on the Oka River.
Duleby or buzhans populated area of the Bug.Occupied the territory near Lake Ilmen settlement became known as Slovenia Novgorod (Ilmensky).It became the center of their city of Novgorod.
Eastern Slavs in ancient times, formed not just families.Relocated and occupying certain territories, they formed a military and political alliances, which included in its membership about a hundred small villages.Name the most numerous and strong village called whole Union.
In each such formation had its own prince.There is no exact information about the selected power at the time, or inherited.According to historians, the Eastern Slavs in ancient times created the preconditions for the formation of state later, as they formed the Union is an "embryonic" form of government.
For a long time people lived, according to their military traditions.Thus, the class of the Eastern Slavs was not only in the fields of peace, but also in military production.However, the main activity of the people was agriculture.
Located mainly along the shores of lakes, rivers, the areas suitable for agriculture, people cultivated wheat, rye, beans, barley, millet, oats, peas.On the ground, grown hemp and flax, vegetables (garlic, turnips, radishes, cabbage).In the Northern Territory farming conducted by slash and burn.They cut down the forest in the first year and allowed to dry.In the second year uprooted and burned stumps.Then he sat in the ash produced.Earth is sometimes plowed beforehand, sometimes sown fallow territory.Vintage Slavs from such areas received over three to four years.As a result, the Slavs had to handle a huge amount of territory, and they were forced to form a relatively small settlements.
In southern agriculture was developed higher.This was mainly contributed to the weather and more fertile soil than in the north.
Along with agriculture in the eastern Slavs widely developed animal husbandry.Slavs bred cows, goats, poultry, pigs, sheep.They grew and horses for farming and horse riding.
quite common among the population has been hunting and fishing.An additional economic activity, to perform a secondary role, the Slavs considered the collection of honey (bee-keeping).
