In the news1810
Military Colonies Established in 1810
Military colonies were created in 1810, aiming to combine army life with agricultural labor, which essentially turned the peasants' daily existence into a structured, barracks-like routine.
Yaroslavl, 26 Aug 1812 – Saint Petersburg, 14 May 1881
9 facts3 sources
26 Aug 1812
Born in Yaroslavl
1838–1852
4 children are born
14 May 1881
Dies in Saint Petersburg, aged 68
He lived through 8 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around Yaroslavl.
General history, not a record about the family: each item says where it comes from.
In the news1810
Military colonies were created in 1810, aiming to combine army life with agricultural labor, which essentially turned the peasants' daily existence into a structured, barracks-like routine.
Getting around
Travel by horse-drawn relay transport
Between 1800 and 1824, ordinary people traveled between towns primarily using horse-drawn carriages, wagons, or sledges, often relying on the state-run relay system to secure fresh horses at designated postal stations. Travelers were required to carry an official permit called a podorozhnaya to document their route and status at these stations.
At the table
Meat as a rare luxury
Meat was a luxury for many families, typically consumed only on major religious holidays like Christmas and Easter.
In Europe · 1803–1815The Napoleonic Wars. Napoleon’s armies redrew the map of Europe from Spain to Moscow; his invasion of Portugal sent its court to Rio de Janeiro.
What people wore
Lifelong festive peasant clothing
A peasant family would prepare a festive outfit meant to last a lifetime, which was stored carefully and worn only on the most important holidays.
Music
Church ban on folk musical instruments
Russian Orthodoxy officially rejected folk instruments, and the church once famously burned five carriages filled with them in the 17th century. Consequently, no musical instruments were permitted in Orthodox church services during this period.
Daily life
Children's home education
Many merchant and commoner children were educated at home by local sextons or clerks, with the Psalter and Book of Hours serving as their primary textbooks. Formal schooling remained rare for these groups, as even many noble children relied on varied levels of home instruction.