what good comes out of studying history?

Question

i am interested in what other people think... why is it important for people to study history? so, we learn from the past... how? we learn not to let people like Hitler in power... that is obvious. what other reasons are there for studying history?

(keep in mind that i am an art history major, so i do love history. i am just curious to see what other people think is the point of studying history)

ok, wait... Hitler was a bad example because he did a lot of manipulation to get where he was....

hummmm...

Answer 1

I am a recent college graduate with a B.A. in history. History and the learning of history is a great passion of mine, I love getting to know people from the past and trying to pass their stories on to others. It surprises me sometimes at how much people don't really know. I had a friend ask me once who won the Civil War and I asked her well who do you think? And she responded the Confederacy. For me, learning history is so important. People are supposed to learn from the mistakes and the achievements of the past and either try not to make those same mistakes or try and repeat the achievements.

But that's not all. I think it helps to bring generations closer together. I'm writing this today on December 7, a day that will forever live on in infamy. If people don't understand what happened at Pearl Harbor they are never going to appreciate the sacrifices made by so many in a generation that is deemed "the greatest generation". Soon these great men and women will be gone and only their piece of stories will remain.

History has a tendency to repeat itself, just at a different time, a different place, and with different people. There are so many similarities between so many different events (Vietman War and Iraq?) If something cannot be learned from the past then the future is grim.

Answer 2

The events that take place throughout history help shape cultures and beliefs. For instance, in Art, the Dada movement and Surrealism emerged after WWI. I'm sure you are familiar with those styles of art since you are an art history major. But aside from art, you can't really get a full understanding of Sociology without studying history...History is like the foundation for all studies. How can you understand a subject, if you don't know the origin or the reason for its creation? I'm a History major and this is the best I can explain it...Good question by the way.

Answer 3

For me anyway the most important gain from the study of history is knowledge and understanding. Lack of understanding is the root cause of many of the worlds problems. I prize the ability to think for myself over all my other attributes.
I am a history major myself, I decided to go into education. If there is one thing I cant stand about people is when they refuse to draw their own conclusions.

Answer 4

Its like science. If you perform an expirament a few dozen times, and you get essentially the same result every single time, you can predict with ease what will happen if you try that expirament again. Learning from history helps us improve society and prevent big mistakes. One of these days our government might figure that out!

Answer 5

talking as an athiest, i visit claim that I do study human historic past. i study the countless religions that historic guy had. I also do not ignore that Christian's have a tendency to imagine that their faith is the first and in common words precise one, even with the undeniable fact that, many faiths the position in exsistance earlier christianity, Jesus, a christian god, and so on. only because someone doesn't trust in God doesn't advise that that individual is a foul one, or doesn't carry some "non secular" beliefs. No, i do not trust in heaven or hell or a more beneficial capacity in line with say, even with the undeniable fact that, I do trust in such issues as Karma. you realize, Karma, a conception from many jap religions. As for human beings interior the 14th century being smarter than "this stupid technology", i'd might want to assert it extremely is an quite synical situation to assert. convinced, this technology has it really is pitfalls, a twin of anybody earlier us and after us. human beings living interior the 14th century were smart for his or her time, a twin of human beings now are. human beings then being smarter than human beings now's an agruement in symantics. there is no thanks to compair both. besides, only a line to grant you some suggestion. take a at the same time as to open your thoughts to others' aspect of perspectives. you do not might want to believe them, only see you later as you do not ignore that everybody has the right to a special one, even if it really isn't any longer yours. human beings have different non secular beliefs, and the final public you meet received't percentage yours. even with the undeniable fact that, we are all nonetheless human. Your faith does say that you may want to not choose, isn't that God's pastime?

Answer 6

It helps us understand life as it currently is by understanding the basics, like how we got to where we are today. Without it, it would be much like trying to do calculus integrals without even being able to add. Many like to say it is to learn from out mistakes to learn what we did wrong, but do we ever seem to do anything about it?

For instance, the American colonists defeated the British by using guerilla and unconventional warfare against an enemy using traditional tactics. Well, in Vietnam, America tried to do what the British did in 1774. And again, America is trying to do the same thing now in Iraq. Will we not ever learn?

Wisdom is the best thing to come out of using history. Instead of using history in its literal context, we can analyze it and apply the principles we learned to our everyday lives.

Answer 7

Perhaps to me, at least, the most interesting and worthwhile thing about studying history, is in learning not to repeat it. Not just saying "Oh, we will never do that again" but, saying "We will never do that again, instead we will do this." Not repeating history is less significant if we do not have innovative, problem solving techniques to put the past to work to preserve a better future.

Answer 8

I would not be truly fulfilled if I didn't know of my family's history or the Souths history or the American history nor the worlds history.to some extent.some peoples personal history has inspired me greatly. Its is all a part of me as my breath is. my blood is. my mind is.my soul is.Hope you have a very Merry Christmas

Answer 9

Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to make the same errors recorded in history. Somebody famous once said something like that, and I agree.

Answer 10

The British have a saying, "Those who fail ot learn from history are doomed to repeat it." Evidence? Look at my counrty of the Philippines. We have short memory of our past mistakes. As a result, we keep doing it again and agian and again and agian and again and again...