摘要：The article discusses the internal structure and demographic processes in the Terek region in the post-reform period (1870–1880-ies). As materials there were used the archival documents of the Central state archive of the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania. In addition, there are reflected the scientific research on the topic of publishing. The methodological basis of research are the principles of historicism, objectivity and consistency, suggesting the consideration of each historical event in conjunction with other phenomena and events, taking into account the concrete historical situation and in chronological order; the freedom from addiction and a desire for maximum reliability; the study of all phenomena, events and processes as elements of a single historical process. With the beginning of the post-reform period, the economic activities and life organization of cossacks were as close to a peasant, which makes the cossacks at this time, a special group of peasants of Russia. The cossack society is gradually transformed into peasant communities with their focus on agriculture. However, the development of economic occupations was hampered by maintaining a long military service, which in new terms came to be regarded by the cossacks as a hindrance to normal life. The level of development of agriculture was constrained by low agro-technical culture and preservation, and routine equipment.
