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Bolsheretsk

Bolsheretsk ( ) or Bolsheretsky jail is an abandoned village on the west coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia. Over a 200-year period, Bolsheretsk was a military fort, a prison, a port, and a village. Bolsheretsk was founded in 1703 as a fort on the Plotnikova River. In 1707, rebels destroyed the fort. In 1711, it was rebuilt where the Bystraya and Plotnikova rivers join to form the Bolshaya River, from the river mouth on the Sea of Okhotsk. Bolsheretsk had square earthworks with a side of on a crest. The fort had a palisade of poles. In 1715, the poles were replaced by a log fence. The fortifications lasted until the beginning of the 1770s. Bolsheretsk contained state buildings, churches, stores, a monastery, and houses. In 1726, there were 17 residential yards. Starting in 1823, Bolsheretsk went into decline and only consisted of a ramshackle church and 10 residential yards. In 1909, there were 19 yards. The village was situated on several islands separated by channels. In the 18th century, the population was military: in 1727, around 40 people; in 1759, 79; in 1775, 152; and in 1799, 24. By 1810, they had grown to 150 people. The main occupations of the inhabitants were fishing, hunting, gardening, and cattle breeding. Bolsheretsk was an important transit point on the sea route from Okhotsk to Kamchatka during this time.…

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Article summary

Bolsheretsk ( ) or Bolsheretsky jail is an abandoned village on the west coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia. Over a 200-year period, Bolsheretsk was a military fort, a prison, a port, and a village. Bolsheretsk was founded in 1703 as a fort on the Plotnikova River. In 1707, rebels destroyed the fort. In 1711, it was rebuilt where the Bystraya and Plotnikova rivers join to form the Bolshaya River, from the river mouth on the Sea of Okhotsk. Bolsheretsk had square earthworks with a side of on a crest. The fort had a palisade of poles. In 1715, the poles were replaced by a log fence. The fortifications lasted until the beginning of the 1770s. Bolsheretsk contained state buildings, churches, stores, a monastery, and houses. In 1726, there were 17 residential yards. Starting in 1823, Bolsheretsk went into decline and only consisted of a ramshackle church and 10 residential yards. In 1909, there were 19 yards. The village was situated on several islands separated by channels. In the 18th century, the population was military: in 1727, around 40 people; in 1759, 79; in 1775, 152; and in 1799, 24. By 1810, they had grown to 150 people. The main occupations of the inhabitants were fishing, hunting, gardening, and cattle breeding. Bolsheretsk was an important transit point on the sea route from Okhotsk to Kamchatka during this time.…

Key claims

  1. date of foundation: 1703 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
  2. population: 40 people — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95

Discussion questions

  1. Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
  2. The record states that the date of foundation is "1703". What evidence would count against this claim?
  3. The record states that the population is "40 people". What evidence would count against this claim?
  4. Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
  5. If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?

Bibliography

  1. Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1255960889

Key claims and bibliography are generated from the same tracked claims and sources as the article page.