The article considers the issue of using a historical document in the external evaluation of the history of Ukraine in the context of modern educational challenges. At the present stage of Ukraine’s development, the state's educational policy is aimed at bringing it into line with the world-class educational system and should be focused on obtaining a quality learning outcome. In order to obtain objective and reliable data on the level of student achievement in Ukraine, an external independent evaluation is conducted, which is impartial, as it is carried out by institutions independent of educational institutions, using standardized test tasks. Considerable attention is paid to the formation of the content of tests on the history of Ukraine. Tests are designed to determine the level of knowledge of students in the subject, the formation of skills and abilities to characterize, explain, justify, find cause-and-effect relationships. Involvement in the analysis of historical documents will also help to form students' historical competence (chronological, spatial, logical, axiological, informational). This ability to navigate in historical time, to consider social phenomena in specific historical conditions, to find relationships in the development of society, economy, culture, religion, to understand the multiplicity of interpretations of the past and compare its different interpretations, ask questions and seek answers, be able to explain theoretical concepts , to characterize historical figures, to critically evaluate sources, to analyze differences in the positions of authors of sources, to comprehend connections between history and modern life. The texts of historical sources offered at the external evaluation should be adapted for students to understand. The content of the document must meet the main scientific criteria, such as historicism, objectivity, integrity, alternative in the opinions, positions, views of the authors. The historical document should serve as a means of acquiring historical knowledge by students, help solve problems and creative tasks, and provide information about new facts, events, phenomena, illustrate and specify theoretical material. Students should learn to express their own opinions about the statements reflected in the document, to draw conclusions about the extent to which the document objectively reflects the problem raised in it and corresponds to the historical circumstances being studied. It should be noted that most often the documents provide information about historical facts, rather than the historical process, so students for the reconstruction of historical reality should involve fiction, household and biographical material that contains the characteristics of historical figures. Through this interdisciplinary connection, students gain the opportunity to gain knowledge in history, literature, law and other subjects

historical source, external independent evaluation, history of Ukraine, competence