Development of a map of rural settlements of the Russian population of the Tara County in the 16th–19th centuries

The purpose of the research is to identify the factors that determine the process of forming a map of rural settlements of the Tara County in the 16th – 19th centuries and stages of development and settlement of the territory. Among the factors, the author singles out the policy of the state in the field of settling Siberia in general and the Tara County in particular, and the desire of peasants to develop new territories in search of solid arable land. The stages of the emergence of new Russian villages on the map of the Irtysh region are revealed: late 16th century –early 17th century, when the main task was to defend the borders of the territory; 17th – the first half of the 19th century, when the growth of the Siberian population led to an increase in the need for bread and, as a result, the need to develop new lands; the second half of the 19th century, when the emergence of new settlements is the result of the state's resettlement policy. We analyze different points of view on the appearance of new villages on the map, their placement relative to the oldtimers' territories. The results of the study will be useful and interesting to scientists involved in the study of rural history, teachers of educational organizations of all levels of education and a wide range of readers who are passionate about the history of the Fatherland.