“We learn from history that we learn nothing from history.”
George Bernard Shaw
Studying a subject that students feel is pointless is never a fun or easy task. If you’re studying history, whether you like it or not, asking yourself the question why is history important is actually a very good step. Historians do not perform heart transplants, improve highway design, or arrest criminals. In a society that quite correctly expects education to serve useful purposes, the functions of history can seem more difficult to define than those of engineering or medicine. History is in fact very useful, actually indispensable, but the products of historical study are less tangible, sometimes less immediate, than those that stem from some other disciplines.
Before we even begin, let’s try and understand what we even mean when we say ‘history’. schools in Raj Nagar Extension Ghaziabad. Well, according to the dictionary definition, history is the study of past events, more specifically connected to human affairs. Academically, history is an umbrella term that encompasses so many different fields of study. Let’s now find out why is history important?
- History grounds us in our roots- Studying history can give us an insight into why our culture does certain things, and how the past has shaped it into what we know now.
- History Helps Us Understand Change– History is a continuous documentation of our past, including great triumphs and grave mistakes. It’s a timeline rife with victories and tragedies, with one thing always leading to the next. By examining chains of events, we begin to understand the nature of change.
- History Contributes to Moral Understanding- Studying the stories of individuals and situations in the past allows a student of History to test his or her own moral sense, to hone it against some of the real complexities’ individuals have faced in difficult settings.
- Studying History Is Essential for Good Citizenship– A study of History is essential for good citizenship. This is the most common justification for the place of History in school curricula.
- History Provides a Foundation for Activism- Only by having a firm grasp on History can we tackle the kinds of political or social reform that we want to see happen. If we don’t understand the long, sprawling history behind the issues we are fighting for or against, then how can anyone expect to have a leg up against their political opponent?
- History can Inspire us to Learn More. – Finally, History is important because it is a long, nearly endless collection of stories, lessons, and philosophies to learn. There is bound to be something meaningful in history for everyone, whether that be a source of identity, a feeling of hope or inspiration, or even something like an idea for your next book or movie!
So, why is history important? The answer is because we virtually must gain access to the laboratory of human experience.
~ Ritu Priya
