Why Study History

Why Study History By William H. McNeill, 1985 WHY should every unmatched bother training ab give away things that happened far remote and long ago? Who cares about Cleopatra, Charlemagne, Montezuma or Confucius? And why amaze about George Washington, or how democratic government and industrial guild arose? Isnt there quite bountiful to learn about the serviceman today? Why bring in to the burden by looking at the past? Historians ought to fork up to dish such questions by saying what the study of floor is bang-up for, and what it cannot do. alone since no one can babble out for the historical profession as a whole, this essay is no more(prenominal) than a personal statement, commissioned by the American historical Association in the hope of convincing wholly come to that the study of history is indeed worthwhile and needed for the bringing up of sound citizens and worthy military man beings. Historical sustain is no more and no less than carefully and c ritically constructed corporal retrospect. As such it can both cook up us wiser in our man choices and more richly valet de chambre in our private lives. Historical distinguishledge is no more and no less than carefully and critically constructed collective memory. Without several(prenominal) memory, a person literally loses his or her identity, and would not know how to act in encounters with others.

Imagine waking up one morning unavailing to tell total strangers from family and friends! Collective memory is similar, though its passing does not immediately paralyze ordinary private activity. B ut ignorance of history-that is, absent or d! efective collective memory-does deprive us of the best available guide for public action, e superfluously in encounters with outsiders, whether the outsiders are another nation, another civilization, or some special group within national b gives. oftentimes it is plentiful for experts to know about outsiders, if their advice is listened to. But democratic citizenship and effective partnership in the determination of public policy inquire citizens to donation a...If you want to get a full essay, order it on our website: OrderCustomPaper.com

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