the importance of learning history

[poopnoodle]

while i believe that history to a nation (or planet) is as significant as memory is to an individual, i'm curious about your thoughts. is the study of history relevant to you? do you think history class should be a basic, mandatory course or an elective?

discuss ~_~

 

[donavannj]

I'd think more people would enjoy it if it were an elective or if the teachers who taught it engaged the students in discussions better, but I feel its too important to be relegated to an elective course in schools.

 

[Livewire]

History is extremely important to a diverse understanding of our world. It offers many life lessons and it tells the story of how we got to were we are today.

As far as I know, History is a requirement for graduation from High School in the USA. As it should be.

 

[Timbjerr]

I looved U.S. History when I was in high school. To me, it was like a well-written dramatic play. It has everything...politics, war, romanticism, and science. :D

However, I can see where people can find it boring, not to mention that it's hardly practical knowledge, so I would love to see it as an elective in high schools as opposed to something mandatory.

 

[Rogue planet]

It can teach us so many things about science, society, and I think most importantly, politics; which I think is an area far too often overlooked these days, and it shouldn't be seeing as our governments have an incredibly large impact on what happens in the world.
The past has shaped the world around us, it can help us learn from previous mistakes and it can help us predict the future.

Unless someone actually wants to be ignorant about how the world around them was shaped and created, then I think everyone should learn history. At the very least I expect people to know modern history (aka the past century).

not to mention that it's hardly practical knowledge

Those that are practical become the tools of those that are in power, the politicians.

 

[Spherical Ice]

[jq]Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.[/jq]
~ George Santayana

Yeah, that quote basically sums it up for me. And it's fun to find out about the past anyway.

 

[Fyreflies]

Basic history, yes, though the rest should be optional.

 

[Her]

History is a beautiful subject , it really is. It teaches about how we as a world came from the smallest beginnings to the enormous society we are today. It shows us the mistakes we have made and how we have learned from them, but also the triumphs we have made. It gives us lessons to which we can all learn from and teach to others.

Basically, history is something that we all should know. Only ignorant people would ever pass up the opportunity to learn about where they came from and ultimately what makes the world around them...go round.

 

[Yuoaman]

Every person should at least learn basic history, though I wish more people were interested in delving deeper; it can help people in so many ways to know where we came from and why we are like we are in the present.

 

[Weeaboo Name]

I preferred natural history ahead of social history but still it is very important. Knowing what previous generations have been through is important to me.

 

[PlatinumDude]

I would've liked it if History was an elective; if it was mandatory, it wouldn't be as fun, and be treated as "serious business." Learning about things is more fun if you're interested in them.

 

[Mario The World Champion]

I've always enjoyed history and how the U.S. came to be. However, my history classes always focused on Columbus discovering America, the Revolutionary War all the way to the Civil War and nothing about the the great expansion of the West and the 20th century. It was only in my Senior year in school that we talked about 20th century events like both World Wars up until the 1970's and by that time, I knew some nuggets of that timeframe by other means.

That's my main gripe, but I do see that learning about how the county was first formed will somehow make us learn more about other American history events. Keep it mandatory, but at least delve deeper into the 20th century. It had its fair share of historic events as the centuries before.

Good thing I like to watch History International when they are not showing all that Nostradamus crap.

 

[Livewire]

I've always enjoyed history and how the U.S. came to be. However, my history classes always focused on Columbus discovering America, the Revolutionary War all the way to the Civil War and nothing about the the great expansion of the West and the 20th century. It was only in my Senior year in school that we talked about 20th century events like both World Wars up until the 1970's and by that time, I knew some nuggets of that timeframe by other means.

That's my main gripe, but I do see that learning about how the county was first formed will somehow make us learn more about other American history events. Keep it mandatory, but at least delve deeper into the 20th century. It had its fair share of historic events as the centuries before.

Good thing I like to watch History International when they are not showing all that Nostradamus crap.

This. ^

Exactly. Unfortuanatly for me, I had to wait until college to take the very detailed classes. I had a class, HST 231, which focused on the 20th century entirely. Great Class, too.

 

[Spinor]

In my opinion, all people need is basic history. We shouldn't be forced to learn the freaking details if we don't want to. And yes, there are a few people that want to, otherwise there'd be no history teachers.

Right, I have a lot against High School History.

I swear I wanted to die after 6th grade social studies because after that point it's names, dates, names, wars, religions, more names, silly wars, and more dates! to cram into your head! Did I mention names?

You know what I could use that space I have to force cram history into my head for a year? For Physics and Calculus. History is for the people inclined to our past. I am inclined for the present with Math and English and I aim for the future with Engineering.

Right, there's going to be people that disagree with me. But I am not saying that advanced math and sciences should be forced, but it should at least have much more priority than history subjects. If World History was an elective and later US history was an elective, everyone would be happy.

 

[Livewire]

In my opinion, all people need is basic history. We shouldn't be forced to learn the freaking details if we don't want to. And yes, there are a few people that want to, otherwise there'd be no history teachers.

Right, I have a lot against High School History.

I swear I wanted to die after 6th grade social studies because after that point it's names, dates, names, wars, religions, more names, silly wars, and more dates! to cram into your head! Did I mention names?

You know what I could use that space I have to force cram history into my head for a year? For Physics and Calculus. History is for the people inclined to our past. I am inclined for the present with Math and English and I aim for the future with Engineering.

Right, there's going to be people that disagree with me. But I am not saying that advanced math and sciences should be forced, but it should at least have much more priority than history subjects. If World History was an elective and later US history was an elective, everyone would be happy.

There isn't any point to learn history if you don't learn the details. That is History, right there.

Math and science are important, but they don't have any greater purpose. You won't find answers to why the world is the way it is, and important life lessons on culture, people, politics, and the entire world in Calculus or Physics. All the subjects are there for a reason. All of them are important.

 

[Yuoaman]

I'm actually not as interested with recent history than I am with the earlier history. Anything after the Renaissance doesn't hold my interest as well as learning about the Romans and the early Dark Ages.

 

[Spinor]

Right, all subjects have their degree of importance. But in the end it should be what the learner is interested. If I'm not interested in learning about other cultures besides just live happily with the people that do stuff differently than you, then I really shouldn't. Can I pop a question or two on why the hell you eat your pizza with a fork? Of course. But I don't want to know how many degrees you have to kneel your knees to some random gods while eating this mixture of cat intestines and cow hearts while doing some ninja hand sign or else you'll go to hell or something. Not like religion conflicts much with me. I'm apparently baptized Catholic, and right, I'll accept the teachings of Jesus that I know, but I want to live my life the way I feel it should be lived, and not spend every waking Sunday in masses. So what? I don't conflict with other people's religions, and I should not care most of the time either.

I don't want answers to why the world is the way it is, I just want answers for my test so I can get these damn subjects over with.

 

[Livewire]

I'm actually not as interested with recent history than I am with the earlier history. Anything after the Renaissance doesn't hold my interest as well as learning about the Romans and the early Dark Ages.

Yeah, the Rennaisance is usually my cut off. Then I get interested again in the 1800's.

 

[donavannj]

This. ^

Exactly. Unfortuanatly for me, I had to wait until college to take the very detailed classes. I had a class, HST 231, which focused on the 20th century entirely. Great Class, too.

Your schools were obviously doing US History wrong, then, if you had to take it in college to get anything decent. In the school district I attended, in the 7th grade (12/13 year olds) US History was covered from the first peoples to inhabit the Americas all the way to World War I. 3 years later, in 10th grade (15/16 year olds), US History went from World War II to the 1970s. Much more in-depth with that latter one because the students were older and there was a lot more occurring in that time period that's still relevant today, and in my case it was because we had so many discussions about that era that we couldn't make it to the 1980s/1990s/2000s. ^-^;;

 

[Livewire]

Your schools were obviously doing US History wrong, then, if you had to take it in college to get anything decent. In the school district I attended, in the 7th grade (12/13 year olds) US History was covered from the first peoples to inhabit the Americas all the way to World War I. 3 years later, in 10th grade (15/16 year olds), US History went from World War II to the 1970s. Much more in-depth with that latter one because the students were older and there was a lot more occurring in that time period that's still relevant today, and in my case it was because we had so many discussions about that era that we couldn't make it to the 1980s/1990s/2000s. ^-^;;

Yes, very wrong I might add. I had one World history class, from K-12 grade. Only one, ever until I took HST 175 my Frosh year in college.

The History classes we take are very cut and dry. The basic stuff, the Revolution, the Civil War, WWI and II, then the Cold War and Vietnam. Very basic.

EDIT: It appears that i forgot AP European History Junior year. Aside from that class, which was awesome, the school didn't have any other upper level history classes. We did have a nice Gov class though.