the importance of learning history

[Trap-Eds]

I enjoy my AP American History class. Before my history classes would just barely cover the basics, but now I'm finally learning the details. Plus my teacher is great at NOT boring us to tears.

History is an important subject-if we didn't know how stuff occurred beforehand how can we prepare for the future?

 

[Zet]

History is a very important subject to learn in my opinion, otherwise people won't know how many great things came into existence like sliced bread. Though from what I've learned from history is that war is a human nature that we can't avoid. :(

 

[Guillermo]

Most History is tampered with anyway, but it's a pretty interesting topic.

 

[Tryst]

Some people are saying that we do not need to study history since studying events in the past is no use. However, learning history is very worthwhile and has a significant meaning to us. :] ..There are several reasons why I believe this.

To begin with, we are living in a part of history now. It means that the present, which is to become the past as the moment passes, can not be apart from history. Some people may assume that the past is something happened long time ago. However, it is only partially true. Yesterday, or even a minute ago becomes a part of history. Thus, if we believe that studying history is no use, we admit that we are living lives which will become meaningless in the future.

In addition, we learn many things from the past. History is not an obsolete thing. Rather, it gives us valuable lessons which help to make our lives better. For instance, we definitely know how tragic the result of the war is from the cases of World War and Civil war in the history. From the devastating events in the past, we come to know the war can never be justified whatever causes are.

Finally, history reveals who we really are. There is an old saying 'Like father, like son', which indicates the importance of knowing who our forefathers are like. Our lives are so much the reflection of theirs. That is, by carefully looking at their ways of thinking or their attitudes, we will have a better understanding of ourselves.

In conclusion, we should appreciate learning history since it has significant value itself. First, the moment we are living now is a part of history. Also, history teaches us valuable lessons, so that we will not do the same thing wrong ever again! Lastly, we learn more about ourselves through history by seeing the lives of our forefathers. Therefore, studying history should be encouraged at all coats.

 

[Sinnoh_Freak]

British/European history I find is really interesting. I took history as an option, seeing as I want to teach it as a career. Anyway, I've been watching a weekly documentary about U.S. History and I find it really interesting.

I don't know if they tell you this over there, but did you know the U.S. was founded on Tobacco, and from 1614 - 1764 it was the countries greatest export? :o

 

[Ayselipera]

Well I'm a lover of History so I can without a doubt say that it's very important to learn! I know I'm probably going to sound like everyone else who have already touched upon my points, but I guess it doesn't hurt to enforce them. :)

History is extremely important to learn. It teaches us the mistakes and successes of people's ideas and actions from the past. If anything, you can learn a lot from the past. It teaches us not to repeat the same type of bad situations. While also teaching us that some actions are very beneficial to mankind.

I always hear the saying that people learn from their mistakes. The history of the world is a giant book of people's mistakes. I would think we could only benefit from learning not from just our own mistakes, but from many generations of mistakes too. You can also look at it in a positive light and say that history teaches us how to make good decisions that are helpful to many. Either way I can only see the good when it comes to learning about any kind of History and I think everyone should have at least a basic knowledge of it.

 

[donavannj]

Most History is tampered with anyway, but it's a pretty interesting topic.

History gets written by the victor. (b'-')b

I don't know if they tell you this over there, but did you know the U.S. was founded on Tobacco, and from 1614 - 1764 it was the countries greatest export? :o

I don't know about other schools, but they talked about it in my area, and then taught us how it completely ruins the soil after a few years of planting it.

 

[Gabri]

I think that knowing the human history is important for someone's general culture and for people to have an idea of how humanity was shaped.

I find European history pretty interesting, specially the Middle Ages.

History gets written by the victor. (b'-')b

One of the most true statements I've seen in my life.
It also means that history's filled with liars.

 

[Elite Overlord LeSabre™]

Yes, history is important to learn. I don't have a keen interest in "general" history, but I do see how it's important in order for us to see how society has developed over the years and the important, world-changing decisions made by those who came before us, as well as the consequences of those decisions.

 

[Nick]

Most of the history classes I've had were merely focused on memorizing dates, and I really had no intention of learning a good majority of those (apart from ones I felt were important). I think it's more important for history classes to really take more of an initiative at actually focusing more on what happened than the date it happened on. I know I'm much more likely to care about something and understand it more with that information than when it happened. That's really my only criticism about history, and since 3/4ths of my teachers focused on that, history was one of the classes I hated going to.

 

[donavannj]

Most of the history classes I've had were merely focused on memorizing dates, and I really had no intention of learning a good majority of those (apart from ones I felt were important). I think it's more important for history classes to really take more of an initiative at actually focusing more on what happened than the date it happened on. I know I'm much more likely to care about something and understand it more with that information than when it happened. That's really my only criticism about history, and since 3/4ths of my teachers focused on that, history was one of the classes I hated going to.

I think knowing dates is just as important as why something happened, so you can place it on a timeline relative to other events in history and see how little or how much cultures had changed within a given period of time, and gain some general perspective on why the events are significant.

 

[Rogue planet]

I think knowing dates is just as important as why something happened, so you can place it on a timeline relative to other events in history and see how little or how much cultures had changed within a given period of time, and gain some general perspective on why the events are significant.

I think his point was that teachers solely concentrated on cramming facts and figures into his mind. Which is probably the worst way to teach history.
The whole emphasis should be placed on why things happened and analysing & interpreting events. Anyone can soak up facts like a sponge, going deeper than that is what makes history actually useful.

 

[solarowl]

I overall like History (with my new teacher) but I do agree it is mostly remembering dates. I think it could be an elective, but I don't want it to. History is interesting to me, I guess.

 

[Future Arceus]

hmm........the only thing i like about history is the teacher.........i hate that class...mostly because i don't see a use for it... any1 hav a VERY GOOD EXTRA-ORDINARY argument for y it's useful in my life?

 

[donavannj]

hmm........the only thing i like about history is the teacher.........i hate that class...mostly because i don't see a use for it... any1 hav an argument for y it's useful in my life?

Try reading every post in this thread, and you'll see an overwhelming reason why it's important.

 

[solarowl]

I guess not every single date is important, but there are a few you should know.

 

[Livewire]

hmm........the only thing i like about history is the teacher.........i hate that class...mostly because i don't see a use for it... any1 hav an argument for y it's useful in my life?

Spam is bad.

Like Don Don eloquently put it, look at literally every post in this thread, and that will provide you with the necessary information. ^^

 

[Future Arceus]

srry i spammed but i don't agree with this main argument!

History is extremely important to learn. It teaches us the mistakes and successes of people's ideas and actions from the past. If anything, you can learn a lot from the past. It teaches us not to repeat the same type of bad situations. While also teaching us that some actions are very beneficial to mankind.

I always hear the saying that people learn from their mistakes. The history of the world is a giant book of people's mistakes. I would think we could only benefit from learning not from just our own mistakes, but from many generations of mistakes too. You can also look at it in a positive light and say that history teaches us how to make good decisions that are helpful to many. Either way I can only see the good when it comes to learning about any kind of History and I think everyone should have at least a basic knowledge of it.

i dont believe that most people learn from their mistakes (we still have wars and we still kill people)... in my opinion history doesn't matter mostly because "Humans are doomed to live a relatively short life, and to have the bulk of their attention focused on the immediate present."

also what about "ignorance is bliss" ? I would like life much more if i was being happy idiot than anything else. to survive man must simple learn not to kill each-other for no reason!

in all i don't think i need to learn history.

(im srry if i made a fool out of myself or annoyed anyone)

 

[poopnoodle]

Spam is bad.

Like Don Don eloquently put it, look at literally every post in this thread, and that will provide you with the necessary information. ^^

there is nothing Stupid, Pointless, or Annoying about his Message. it's totally relevant and i believe necessary to this thread. there are a ton of people like this person who find the study of history totally worthless, so let's make a goal for this thread- to spread enlightenment.

with a certain level of historical comprehension your entire world perspective is built; history is not only a knowledge-building entity but a character-developing one. i know memorizing a few numbers and events doesn't seem useful to you, but allowing yourself to feel some degree of appreciation for the past and what you can learn from it will take away the notion that history is some personally irrelevant assignment and replace it with the understanding that history a tool for guidance. reflecting on the past is healthy- to the individual, the nation, and the world. the more you reflect on the past, the more likely you are to avoid heavily consequential blunders.

 

[donavannj]

i dont believe that most people learn from their mistakes (we still have wars and we still kill people)... in my opinion history doesn't matter mostly because "Humans are doomed to live a relatively short life, and to have the bulk of their attention focused on the immediate present."

There is considerable evidence to the contrary, though numerous people may take the wrong lesson from history's mistakes.

also what about "ignorance is bliss" ? I would be better off being happy idiot than anything else. to survive man must simple learn not to kill each-other for no reason

That's just stated as a reason not to tell someone something, usually, and can end up backfiring. And, no you wouldn't be better off, as envy and greed are natural human traits that an education/history lesson is needed to teach one how to control them.