Azerbaijan was the colony of Russia for a long period of time. Azerbaijan people always struggled for freedom and independence.
The 20th century is known in history not only as of the Age of science and techniques but also the age of freeing of the people from the colony and establishment of national states.
The revolution in 1917 in Russia put cut-line to the ruling of the Romanovs family and the Russian Empire collapsed. Nations had to determine their faith. Using this opportunity, patriotic sons of Azerbaijan declared the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan on May 28, 1918.
It was the first Democratic Republic in the whole East. ADR war a parliamentary state. It also had state attributes- the flag, the anthem and the arms. Three coloured flags symbolized Turkism, Islamism and European tendency. The ADR existed only 23 months. On April 28, 1920, the 11th army of the Bolsheviks occupied Azerbaijan and Republic collapsed.
The Day of the Republic- the day of regaining state independence has been celebrated as the state holiday since 1990.