Independence did not fall from the sky - the state tradition has lived in our lands since Scythian times and in fact was not interrupted until 1991. A short and clear account of the events of the past together with illustrated stories will allow readers to easily navigate in such a complex issue as the origin of the Ukrainian state and the struggle for its establishment, and the pantheon of heroes will set an example to follow. This is a book for adults and children, for parents who want their descendants to grow up to be Ukrainians. People have always been interested in the past. Monk Nestor, for example, studied the writings of his predecessors and wrote The Tale of Bygone Years, and Archimandrite Peter the Great excavated the ruins of the Tithe Church. History and archeology always go hand in hand, giving us knowledge of how and why our ancestors lived, what they fought for, what they dreamed of. And they help to find the answer to the question - why are we on this earth. Because the present grows out of the past. Just as we will continue our lives in future generations. History is not a set of facts and dates. It is a continuous process that does not stop for a moment. Anyone who understands it will be able to make the right choice today. That is why, based on the work of the giants of Ukrainian history, archeology and ethnography, we built this single chain of events of the past, which eventually led to the appearance on the world map of an independent state called Ukraine. Our Motherland.