If you want to understand the world around you then history is essential. It gives us a sense of the past and how it might impact the future. History also helps you form a more accurate perspective of the present and can give you the tools to take action. History is a subject that everyone needs to have knowledge of and can help with understanding many aspects of life such as politics, economics, science and culture.
The study of history is important because it gives you a better understanding of the people around you. It can help you develop the skills you need for your career and overall well-being. Whether you are looking to find a new job or just wanting to improve your current situation, knowing about history can make it easier for you to come up with reasonable answers and decisions. If you are interested in learning more about this subject and how it can benefit your life check out these degree programs at University of the People which is tuition-free.
While it might be possible to know everything there is to know about a particular period of time, the vast majority of historical knowledge has been gathered through secondary sources. These are articles and books written up later by historians using a range of sources that came into existence during the time being studied. Historians are essentially scientists who use a process of deduction to determine what is significant and what is not. While gaps in the record mean that historians cannot ever claim to know everything, they mimic scientific processes by posing and testing hypotheses, peer review and guidelines for what constitutes reliable scholarship.
History is a subject that is inescapable, however the nature of the information available may leave some feeling confused or rootless. A good education system should offer the opportunity to study history more formally, systematically and accurately and to engage with it longitudinally over time.
One of the common objections to studying history is that it teaches people how to repeat the mistakes of the past. This is often a misunderstanding of the subject and ignores the ways that history can provide the insights needed to avoid those mistakes.
Instead, studying history is a chance to understand how to create a more sustainable and peaceful society. For example, knowing about the struggles of different cultures can teach you how to support your own local communities and be a more inclusive leader.
It can also be used to recover what has been subsumed and forgotten – radical dissenting traditions, for example, or anticolonial resistance movements. Howard Zinn has argued that the goal of studying history should be to liberate ourselves from the illusion that every society is united by its national interests and reveal the universal struggle between oppressors and oppressed, regardless of the boundaries of any nation. Taking this approach can help us to understand the forces of change and how we can resist them.