Abstract
The preservation of national identity, history and culture of peoples occupies a central place in social development. History is one of the main elements of statehood, restoring and preserving the connection of times, the continuity of history and traditions of statehood. From this point of view, the scientific legacy of the outstanding Russian scientist of the first half of the XIX century Alexei Iraklievich Levshin (1797-1879) has acquired great importance for researchers of the Kazakh statehood, the history of the Kazakh people. This article presents the experience of using, studying and understanding the creative heritage of A. I. Levshin, as the primary primary source of the history of the Kazakh state, in the context of our other sources of knowledge about Kazakhstan and the Kazakhs in order to create a voluminous and objective historical picture.Goals.The purpose of the study is to study the creative heritage of A. I. Levshin, as well as its use and understanding as a valuable source on the history of the Kazakh state. Results.The most valuable in a scientific sense is the formed A. I. Levshin, the concept of studying the history of peoples. Levshin collected huge factual data from this position, very extensive information, were intertwined with the ethnopolitical history of Kazakhstan and the Kazakh people. Conclusions. The scientific heritage of A. I. Levshin can be attributed to the most valuable sources for researchers of the ethnopolitical history of the Kazakh people. The historical data collected by him confirms the presence in the Kazakh Khanate of common features inherent in all states: territory, people, government.