History is one of those required subjects that many kids dread. But it can be fun and exciting, especially if you understand why it’s important to study it. A good historian doesn’t just memorize names, dates and places, but learns to make connections, to see how the past shapes the present and future.
A big reason to study history is to prevent the same mistakes from happening again. George Santayana once said, “Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” History teaches us about the mistakes that were made in the past, so we can avoid making them ourselves.
Another reason to study history is to get a better understanding of human behavior. We’re complex creatures, and it can be hard to figure out why people do what they do. A great way to understand this is to look at history, from both the large scale events and the tiny details. It can help you to see what is consistent in humanity, and what seems more dependent on context.
Learning about the world’s major events gives you a bigger perspective on the current issues in your life. For example, if your country is facing a shortage of affordable housing and unemployment rates are high, it can be helpful to look back on similar situations in the past that have led to solutions.
You’ll also find that studying history is useful for your career. Many of the skills that you develop while studying history – researching, writing and thinking critically – are transferable to any field. In fact, some of the top CEOs in the world have backgrounds in history.
Many people think of studying history as simply memorizing facts, and that’s fine if that’s all you want to do. However, a deeper understanding of history can be much more exciting and interesting than just knowing dates.
For a deeper understanding of history, try reading some of the history books that are out there. Many of them are divided into sections, organized both topically and chronologically. Start by quickly reading the section headings before jumping into the text, as this will give you a general idea of what the chapter is about.
A good historian will also read secondary sources, which are written by other scholars who have studied the same period of time that you are studying. These include books, monographs and articles. Historians read these secondary sources in order to learn about how other scholars have interpreted the same historical material that they are studying.
In addition to research and interpreting evidence, the process of studying history also involves the act of creating an essay or paper on an assigned topic. When you write, it’s important to have a balance of “knows” and “thinks.” The more you know about the topic, the more you should be able to discuss. Likewise, the more you think about the topic, the more ideas that you should be able to come up with.