WHY STUDY HISTORY?WHY STUDY HISTORY?WHY STUDY HISTORY?WHY STUDY HISTORY?

EVERYTHING YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO EVERYTHING YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO KNOW KNOW

BUT WERE AFRAID TO ASK….BUT WERE AFRAID TO ASK….

EVERYTHING YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO EVERYTHING YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO KNOW KNOW

BUT WERE AFRAID TO ASK….BUT WERE AFRAID TO ASK….

USELESS OLD FACTS…OR THE KEY TO OUR FUTURE?USELESS OLD FACTS…OR THE KEY TO OUR FUTURE?

And the Method of Historical Inquiry

Why are you here?Why are you here?How will you use history today How will you use history today and in the future?and in the future?What use is history in today’s What use is history in today’s age?age?Don’t we live in the present…. Don’t we live in the present…. So why study the past?So why study the past?What use are old facts and date What use are old facts and date that really don’t mean anything that really don’t mean anything anyway?anyway?

On your own paper….

RecallRecallHistory is what History is what wewe choosechoose to to remember about remember about the past.the past.

Our common experience binds us Our common experience binds us together.together.

Who is this?

The Method of Historical The Method of Historical InquiryInquiry

InterpretationInterpretation History involves explaining people and History involves explaining people and events. events.

Man of the year?

Interpretation and Interpretation and IllustrationIllustration

•What is What is happening in happening in this image?this image?

•Which side Which side created this created this image? Why?image? Why?

History can illustrate ideas.History can illustrate ideas.

Historians read between the lines.Historians read between the lines.They understand what is going on. What is written or said isn’t always the whole story.

Speculation means guessing about the Speculation means guessing about the past.past.

ApplicationApplicationUse past lessons to understand Use past lessons to understand present situations. present situations.

Anything in common here?Anything in common here?

The past must engage in dialogue with The past must engage in dialogue with the present.the present.

WE must be willing to learn from our WE must be willing to learn from our mistakes!!!!!mistakes!!!!!

Use personal experiences to make Use personal experiences to make sense of the past.sense of the past.

Examine situations in the Examine situations in the past.past.

Why is the world the way it is Why is the world the way it is today?today?

What do I have to do with world What do I have to do with world present situation?present situation?

What have I done or not done that What have I done or not done that brings me to the present brings me to the present situation?situation?

AnalysisAnalysisHistory involves figuring out History involves figuring out complicated situations. complicated situations.

Illustration: AnalysisIllustration: Analysis

Break the event down into its Break the event down into its parts: parts: Which parts can you identify? Which parts can you identify? Which battle was the turning Which battle was the turning point of the Civil War?point of the Civil War?

Examine each part. How are the battles Examine each part. How are the battles related?related?

Try to create a time line of events: Which Try to create a time line of events: Which are are causes? effects?causes? effects?

SynthesisSynthesis

History involves making sense History involves making sense out of a jumble of facts. out of a jumble of facts.

You can search for patterns.You can search for patterns.

You can speculate: Guessing at You can speculate: Guessing at reasons for outcomes.reasons for outcomes.

You can predict: Could World War II You can predict: Could World War II have been avoided?have been avoided?

You can make generalizations: You can make generalizations: broad statements that summarize.broad statements that summarize.

Synthesis: Creating A New Synthesis: Creating A New Idea Idea

Did Athens lead to American Did Athens lead to American Democracy? If so, how and Democracy? If so, how and why?why?

3000 bc

Philadelphia .. Birth place of the American Constitution…or is it?

Synthesis: Creating A New Synthesis: Creating A New IdeaIdea

Hiroshima, Japan after the A-bomb

Draw your own conclusions: Dropping the atomic bomb - justified or unjustified?

EvaluationEvaluation

History involves making judgments History involves making judgments about people and events.about people and events.

That’s right, you get make some judgments about the way things are! Hopefully it is based on a good knowledge of the subject and not just how you feel.

Example:Example: You can examine all You can examine all sides of the Civil Rights issue.sides of the Civil Rights issue.

Or you can debate the pros and cons of Or you can debate the pros and cons of integrating the schools.integrating the schools.You can describe the strengths and You can describe the strengths and weaknesses of the President's policy.weaknesses of the President's policy.

You can examine the advantages and disadvantages of the strategy of non-violence.

You can judge whether a person, policy, or event measured up to a high standard.

Example: To what extent did Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. measure up to the standard of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Golden Rule?

How do I… measure to the standard of How do I… measure to the standard of the above question?the above question?

Why Study History?Why Study History?

““If a nation expects to be ignorant and If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, it expects what never was and free, it expects what never was and never will be.” never will be.” — Thomas Jefferson— Thomas Jefferson

17 reasons…

The Cost…The Cost…The Cost…The Cost…

So that we can So that we can learn learn from the experience of others from the experience of others without paying the pricewithout paying the price it cost them. it cost them.

““We may profit by their experience without paying the We may profit by their experience without paying the price which it cost them.”price which it cost them.”John Jay (1745-1829 A.D.) The Federalist, No. 5John Jay (1745-1829 A.D.) The Federalist, No. 5

1

Great men/women have led the way….if Great men/women have led the way….if only we are willing to learn and only we are willing to learn and

follow….follow….

In order toIn order to improve improve ourselvesourselves by by following the following the examples of great examples of great men and women of men and women of the past.the past.

2

Dealing with life…Dealing with life…

To To learn the learn the constant and constant and universal principles universal principles of human natureof human nature by by seeing men reacting seeing men reacting in different kinds of in different kinds of situations and situations and circumstances.circumstances.

(Ex. Humans still love, (Ex. Humans still love, hate, hope, need friends hate, hope, need friends

and fight.)and fight.)

3

Survival…….Survival…….

In order to In order to understand, live, and existunderstand, live, and exist in in our present world.our present world.

4

Truth…..• In order to learn In order to learn

the truth of the the truth of the past which still past which still applies to our applies to our present world.present world.

5

Can’t we all just get along?...Can’t we all just get along?... To insure order in To insure order in SocietySociety by having by having

an an informedinformed, , educatededucated people. people. (Voting, participating, caring etc.)(Voting, participating, caring etc.)

6

Seeing with new eyes….Seeing with new eyes…. It teaches us to put It teaches us to put

things in perspective. things in perspective. Life…..Life….. Events…Events… Problems….Problems…. Environment…Environment… Wars…..Wars….. economics….economics…. GovernmentsGovernments CulturesCultures Sci/tech…..Sci/tech….. More……?More……?

7

Onward….not backwards….Onward….not backwards….► In order to In order to

preserve preserve discoveries and discoveries and inventions.inventions.

8

Always moving on..Always moving on..

11. In order to 11. In order to develop new develop new inventions and make inventions and make new discoveries which new discoveries which are based on are based on knowledge of the old knowledge of the old ones.ones.

(Ex. The gasoline engine (Ex. The gasoline engine made the car and made the car and airplane possible.)airplane possible.)

9

If it works…keep doing it…..if it If it works…keep doing it…..if it doesn’t, change………..doesn’t, change………..

• To help solve our problems by defining the problem and showing us what has and has not worked in the past.

10

History frees us from the chains of History frees us from the chains of ignorance…ignorance…

In order to remove In order to remove prejudices and prejudices and increase increase understanding.understanding.

11

Looking at ourselves…Looking at ourselves…

To learn from To learn from our ownour own past past mistakes.mistakes.

12

Who we are or who we want to Who we are or who we want to be?...be?...

In order to keep In order to keep our principles our principles alive by keeping alive by keeping those thoughts those thoughts alive. alive.

(Freedom, honor, (Freedom, honor, trust, loyalty, trust, loyalty, respect, respect, dedication, dedication, fairness, selfless, fairness, selfless, forgiving, …..)forgiving, …..)

13

Evaluating…..Evaluating….. In order to judge what can be done by In order to judge what can be done by what has been done.what has been done.

14

Moving forward…Moving forward…

In order to advance In order to advance man’s knowledge.man’s knowledge.

15

We have to run this country…..We have to run this country…..

To LEARN To LEARN CITIZENSHIP.CITIZENSHIP.

16

The brave….The brave….

To LEARN To LEARN PATRIOTISM.PATRIOTISM.

17

HistoryHistory is: is:The MOTHER of TRUTH,The MOTHER of TRUTH, RIVAL OF TIMERIVAL OF TIME , ,STOREHOUSE OF DEEDS,STOREHOUSE OF DEEDS, WITNESS FOR THE PAST,WITNESS FOR THE PAST, EXAMPLE AND COUNCIL FOR THE EXAMPLE AND COUNCIL FOR THE PRESENTPRESENT,, AND THE WARNING FOR THE FUTURE.AND THE WARNING FOR THE FUTURE.

Why Study History?Why Study History?

If we don’t study, learn and grow…If we don’t study, learn and grow…

We lose… we lose it all.We lose… we lose it all.

Why study History..Why study History..