Why Study History?

1. Why Study History?

2. Is History Useful? • It doesn’t help build schools, fight fires, perform operations, help sell merchandise, or launch a space shuttle. • So…why do we study history?

3. History Helps Us Understand OUR WORLD • You cannot understand people if you do not understand their past • You cannot understand our community if you do not know how it came to be • You cannot understand our nation without history • You cannot understand our world if you do not understand history

4. History Give Us Identity • Studying history gives people a sense of nationalism • It gives groups such as ethnic, organization, even schools a sense of identity • It gives family and personal identity as well

5. History Helps Us Understand People • People make up society and it is very hard to test how that kind of group behaves when it is made up of 4 billion people • History acts as a “social laboratory”, one of the few way we can help predict the future behavior of such a large group

6. Those That Study and Understand History Become Good Citizens • It provides national identity • Provides examples of success, morality and of course the examples of the opposite • Helps us understand current world affairs and conflicts by understanding the root of the problems • Provides support for making decisions and encourages, “responsible public behavior, whether as a national or community leader, an informed voter, a petitioner, or a simple observer. ”

7. Now that I have you all convinced history is important… How do you take the first steps to become a historian?

8. Jobs of the Historian • Historians have at least four different jobs • Each of these jobs is important to understand the past so we are able to understand ourselves, our society and our world

9. The Detective • Investigates the past • Determines what happened • Separates truth from falsehoods or misinterpretations • Separates out bias in historical writing to find the truth (or as close as possible)

10. The Storyteller • Tells the story of history to others • Imparts lessons, morals, and other learning of history • Entertains and fascinates with the epic story of our history

11. The Judge • Judges history and makes moral decisions. Example: was someone evil or just misunderstood? • Ever heard the saying, “We will see how history judges me?” • Sorts what should be emulated and what should be discarded

12. The Philosopher • Is a reflector and may also be speculating on what was right or wrong • Ponders important questions and attempts to pull out meaning from history • Not only speculates on the lessons of the past but also may attempt to predict the future

13. The End Is Just the Beginning • Are you willing to put on the four hats of historian and attempt to understand the past… • In order to ensure a brighter future for yourself, for your family, for your community, for your nation, and for your world?