In June, 1648, during the uprising of the Cossacks under Bohdan Khmelnytsky (Chmielnicky), the most bloodthirsty of his leaders—Maksym Kryvonis—conquered Bershad and slew all the Jews and Catholics.
Many of the songs are about Cossack heroes from Ukraine such as Morozenko, Baida (Cossack), Doroshenko, Sahaidachny, Bohdan Khmelnytsky, Maksym Kryvonis, and Danylo Nechay.