Why is History important?

Answer 1

Its important to see where we are in some ways, but knowing the past can cause many problems. Because of history's stories Hitler believed the germans were the ancestors of the Atlantean race, the perfect race. So he started mass murder and holocaust. So History can cause conflict, but it also helps you find out what not to do as well. Its not as important as people let out, it can normally cause more harm than good.

Answer 2

History is the only means through which we can understand human nature and mass psycology. I suppose also depending on what is taught in history classes - its a usefull tool for indoctrination into a society ( a way to promote values which are viewed as important).
Finally, the reason why its most important is that studying the actions and errors of previous generations allow us to avoid reinventing the wheel and to see further by "standing on the shoulders of giants."[1]

Answer 3

As a young teacher and a person who is "coming of age"...I believe that history is important because it shows you how things were done in the past, and how people reacted to it, or what kinds of events happened because of it. History influences much of what we do today and how we do it. People look to the past when making decisions in the present. If you think about your own decision making skills, often times you will look to past experiences in order to make a more educated choice.

Answer 4

History is important for two reasons. The first is that like any living, thinking and reacting being we learn from past experiences. In a person's life they look back on the things that happened to them, their history, and learn things like why did I do this, I should have done this a different way, this is the right way to do things and so forth. Experience is a very very good teacher. There is no substitute for it. Similarly with human history, humanity can learn from it's past, from it's experience-it's history. It is this learing that has enabled us to progress and make less of the mistakes that we have made in the past. We study history for the same reason that someone studies their past, or read accounts of travel brochures or maps or reports about experiences in strange places. So we may know the layout, avoid mistakes of the past and know the correct and best way to do things.

The second reason is that we acknowledge that which has been accomplished in the past, and by who, thus giving credit where credit is due-AND condemnation where comdemnation is due. Also that we learn what processes and possibilties are aviable to us. Learing from people who have done things in the past and either sucseeded or failed. For instance we learn that the Roman Colesium was organised such, that it had an adjustable roof for rainy days and a seating and entrance system(82 entrances) that it took only literally 200 seconds to empty the place. We learn how this was done. And if you are contimplating building a very good stadium today-this is handy. Similarly we learn other things in history such as if you are trying to build an empire and waste your recouses killing and mayhem-then your empire won't last for long. These things to learn and progress is one of the reasons why we study history.

Because human beings have a unique quality, unique to the animal kingdom. We can pass on organised information and much much more of it to sucseeding generations. This is why we progress from flint knives and axes to flying airoplanes and atom bombs. Knowledge is built upon knowledge. Hence we make it easy for future generations and ensure the continuous progress of humanity. We learn history to not only see what not to do, but to see what to do and learn, similarly , the way of social organisation, policy, direction, relationships and how to deal with other people sucsessfully. As well as all the practical things like buildings, argiculture, technology and tactics and stategy in war. For we as human beings have a capacity to not only learn tactically(from the direct experiences of ouselves or others) but strategically as well(the experiences and methods of people acting on the grand scale and societies as a whole). It is this what makes us human. It is this what gives us the great advantage. It is this that is part of our character. Why do we study history? We study history because we are human. Hope this helps.

Answer 5

History is imprtant because WE ARE the past: we are the sum of all the events--good, bad, and indifferent--that have happened to us. This sum product guides our actions in the present.

This is true not only for the individual (imagine what would have happened to you had your parents never met, or had your parents raised you with different values), but for large societies as well (how would the U.S. be different, for example, if it had lost the American Revolution, or if the Spanish had founded the colonies of North America that became the United States?). In both cases the United States as we know it would not exist.

The only way we can understand who we are and how we got to be that way is by studying the past. Similarly, the only way we can understand others is by studying their past. If we don't understand what made them who they are--in terms of how they think and act--we will make all sorts of mistakes in our interactions with them. Think of how you treat people differently based on how you know them. The same is true for countries when it comes to diplomacy. Our failures in Iraq were borne of a limited understanding of who they are (because we haven't taken the time to truly study and understand their past).

"We study the past to understand the present; we understand the present to guide the future." -- William Lund

Answer 6

You can learn from the past history of the world.

Answer 7

Cliche answer, but practically, it helps to show us what we shouldn't do. Humans have always been the same, at the very core of our nature, so it's reasonable to be able to assume that actions in the past will receive the same general reaction in the present.

Answer 8

he that doesnt learn from his past is bound to repeat it meaning that history is very important we wouldnt want to repeat the same mistake twice and it tells you where we came from.

Answer 9

like this ?? is History

Answer 10

Quoting an anonymous person, "it is the key to the present."