History is the study of what-really-happened-in-the-past. It’s a subject that’s often thought of as dry, boring and unimportant to our everyday lives. But if we look at history in the right way, it can help us understand humanity itself and our journey to our current state. It can teach us how to be more thoughtful, ethical, and responsible. And it can empower people to change the world for the better.
But how should we do that? While many people think that the answer is to learn a bunch of facts, dates and events and then memorize them, this approach is not only flawed but it misses the point. Historical knowledge is not based on the collection of facts; it is built upon interpretation and is therefore vulnerable to bias, omission and reinterpretation. That’s why it’s so important to look at the big picture and then work our way down to the details.
Whether you’re studying a topic in depth or just looking for some general information, there are so many great places to find the answers you’re seeking. The biggest one is, of course, Wikipedia (though there’s a lot of grains of salt to take with anything online). But it can be helpful to use other websites like r/askhistorians to get expert recommendations on which books or articles to read.
Another great resource for learning history is YouTube. Not only are there plenty of video lectures from top universities, but it’s also easy to navigate and find what you’re looking for. Just be sure to look for a good citation.
But perhaps the most valuable tool for learning history is talking to people who study it. Whether it’s through interviews, podcasts, or simply letting students ask questions at the end of class, connecting with historians can open up a whole new perspective on the subject. It can make the past feel more real and help students see why it’s so relevant to their lives today.
It can also give students the chance to explore what’s being ignored by mainstream history—the radical dissenting traditions that were drowned out, for example, or the anticolonial resistance movements that were defeated. In this way, it can help students recognize that history is more than just a record of the past; it’s a place for critical and imaginative possibilities for the future.
History has come a long way since the days of epic nationalistic narratives that glorified the nation or great leaders. Historians have started to focus less on presenting a single version of the truth and more on exploring social and intellectual forces that shape our lives. In the process, they’ve also recognized that while gaps in the record mean that a degree of art and interpretation is necessary, it can be done with rigorous standards of evidence. That’s why the discipline of history mimics scientific processes, including posing and testing hypotheses, citing sources and using peer review. All of this lays the groundwork for reliable scholarship that will stand the test of time.