In the last years of his life Alexander Pushkin focused on the life of the Russian peasantry. What prompted this interest was the rising tide of peasant unrest. All over Russia the peasants were protesting against their state of serfdom and the cruelty of the land gentry. 

Pushkin felt an urge to study the history of peasant wars in Russia, notably, the largest 18^th century war under the leadership of Cossack Yemelyan Pugachev. To do so he made a trip through the regions where Pugachev had had operated. 

After seeing the regions through which Pugachev had led his army and studying thousands archival documents, Pushkin wrote two novels – The History of Pugachev’s Rebellion and The Captain’s Daughter. Both are priceless historical and literary pieces.