why is history important and why study history?

Answer 1

Studying history is important 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 2

Why Is Studying History Important

Answer 3

I asked myself the same question in high school and wondered why we were bored silly with long-ago events. It wasn't till I did some family history research and boy that's when I sat up to notice how history of the world was important in order to get a glimpse how my ancestors used to live. My family settled in a village in Europe in 700, and during the next upcoming centuries, from medieval times, through the plagues, wars and events that shaped much of Europe it affected the way they lived, how the customs came about and what affected them to make the decisions they did.

My family tree dates back to the 1600's. The rest of the link is lost because no one knew how to read and write back then. But the events surrounding Europe from way back can piece together the lives of my ancestors.

I have had an appreciation for history then and it continues to this day. History teaches us where we came from, and it also teaches the survival techniques we know today, learning from right and wrong, and the events that shaped the human race as it is today. Because of my family history it has passed on to me the religion, customs, folklore, arts, heritage and everything that makes me what I am today.

Answer 4

history important study history

Answer 5

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why is history important and why study history?

Answer 6

You can learn from it, so much. History isn't just the the Revolutionary War, the Roman Empire, Middle Ages, ect. History is exactly in the past. Like what I wrote was history. You can know stratagies, like in Wars, like should we eat all of Australia's food or not (joke). Or maybe rude comments you made to someone, you can remember not to tell them that again so you won't get another black eye. Most of all I think though is that it's respectful. People do so much for us, like for Mr. Washington to set up the US or for Queen Elizabeth I controlling England. It's just nice to know how you're even here, with all your rights and such.

Answer 7

History teaches us the mistakes made in the past, so we hopefully do not repeat them.

Humans live short lives, and remembering the history that came before us helps us learn our lesson a little easier.

Picture this, if you will; there is a new school (the world) with a new teacher (the evolving mind), and new students (the people of the world.) The first year is the hardest, because the teacher has nothing to look back on. But each new year (or generation) hopefully becomes a little easier because of what was learned the year previous. The teacher gains new knowledge and confidence, and passes it on to the students. Each year/generation starts out rough, but gains in knowlege as the year goes on.

I hope this made sense to you. :]

Answer 8

They always claim people need to study history to avoid making the same mistakes! (Making new ones is preferable?)
At any rate, that does not work; people who study history still fall into the trap of the past.
The reason to study history is, it is the collective memory of a nation, of humanity.
Consider if you wake up one morning and cannot remember anything; your name, where you live, who your parents/siblings/relatives are, where you work/go to school, etc. THAT is why we need to study history; to see where we came from, how our country, our world was formed.

Answer 9

It's hard to believe that someone can do this question... but at the same time, it's "normal" to make it depence on the circumstances.

History is not just a lot of words, sentences, dates and names of people who died hundreds of years ago. History is you. You, your life, the way you talk, the way you think, the language you spooke... and the most important thing: The Misstakes.

We try to learn from the Misstakes of the past, to be sure to not do them on the future. You can discover and entire world of knowledge that can't be rejected.

Knowledge is power. The power to know how the world worked, and that, my friend, is the secret to know not only how it works right now... but how it will work.



D.

Answer 10

History connects us to the past. It gives us insight into how our countries, societies developed and the people/places that were important to the times.
Its like tracing your ancestry....attitudes and customs come from somewhere...they don't just magically appear. Studying history tells you who, what, where, when and how it all cam about.
I just wish that history teachers didn't dwell on memorizing names and dates, but instead taught about how and why these people and events were important, and why they can still be relevant!