The first most clear mention about Cherkassy was made in 1394 when it was fortified town in South boundary of Kiev Russ. Cherkassy belonged to Kiev share principality before its liquidation and later to Kiev voevodstvo(administrative and territorial unit ). Since XV century the town became a center of Cherkassy Leadership. There constantly was starosta who represented Great Lithuanian prince and Poland King after Lublin Agreement in 1569.
The role of the town as a center of resistance movement greatly increased since the end of XV century. At that time the quantity of predatory raids of Crimean State on Ukraine increased . Inhabitants often had to fight against Tartar hordes. They successful beat off the raid of enemy’s army. At the beginning of XVI century the castle was strengthen. It helped to stand horde’s siege within 30 days in 1532.
In 1549 a new castle was built. This one was more firm than previous. It was situated on the high mountain near Dniper river. The town was building near castle. It also had a fortification - a wall with 2 gates. Kozak movement played the great role in history of Cherkassy. It began to form in the second half of XV century. It was formed by peasants and poor townsmen who escaped from increasing feudal pressure to the South regions of Ukraine. Inhabitants dealt with fishing, hunting, beekeeping and served at the detachments in boundary castles. Because the name of the Cherkassy town where kozaks settled they got their name - cherkassy. In Russian documents of the XVI-XVII century cherkassy was the name for Ukrainian people at all.
Inhabitants of Cherkassy took an active part in peasant and kozak rebellions in the period from the end of the XVI till the beginning of the XVII. There was a hard battle of the detachment under direction of K.Kosinsky in May 1593.
During war of liberation (1648-1654) Cherkassy was in the center of activity. Bogdan Khmelnitsky wrote a letter to Russian tsar from here in June 8 1648 informing him about the gotten victories over
Poland nobility and wish of Ukrainian people to join Russia.
Liquidation of nobility’s government had a good influence on the developing of the town. Big undertakings appeared, cigarette plant was the biggest of them. Trade reached noticeable level in the middle of the XIX century. There were 7 fairs in a year and market places every week. Commodity of the wharf on the Dniper river highly increased. Cherkassy became one of the major passing station of the timber from the North regions by Dniper river. Developing of an economy stimulated the growing of the town. Building of Cherkassy was made by the plan of 1815 which foresee construction of the blocs with the straight streets.
Cherkassy was described in creativity of Taras Shevchenko. Shevchenko studied and new Cherkassy’s history very well. He singed the praise of Cherkassy as one of the centers of great peasants rebellion in 1768. T. Shevchenko had been several times to Cherkassy in the period of 1845-1846. His truly friends lived here where he spent a time with a great pleasure. Being in the town poet wrote down national songs. Here the poem “Sisters” was written. The poem described hard fate of dependent people.
During celebration of 150 years from the day of birth of the great poet and artist Shevchenko in the center of Cherkassy the monument was built. The name of Shevchenko was given to region drama theater and the main street of the town.
Cherkassy, photo of 1914 year