History Blog

9/1/2016

Any subject of study needs justification . . . [h]istorians do not perform heart transplants, improve highway design, or arrest criminals. In a society that quite correctly expects education to serve useful purposes, the functions of history can seem more difficult to define than those of engineering or medicine. History is in fact very useful, actually indispensable, but the products of historical study are less tangible, sometimes less immediate, than those that stem from some other disciplines. -- Peter N. Sterns

Considering the aforementioned quote regarding history, weigh in by providing your thoughts as to how you would define "history" and why you think we study history in schools.

108 Comments

Abygail G.

9/1/2016 02:00:29 pm

To me, history is everything that happened in the past. It covers all the different events that went down, and usually those events ended up shaping the world we live in now. All past events are history, but the ones that we pay attention to are the ones that affected the world in one way or another. History is how the world has changed and morphed into whatever it is now, or the present.

I believe that we study history so that we know what had happened in the past, so we don’t make the same mistakes that other people did. A lot of people say “history repeats itself,” which it does, so I think that we need to know what happened so we don’t repeat what happened, especially when it was a bad thing. Another reason is that most people just expect you to have a base knowledge of things that happened. It's sort of expected that you know a certain amount about history, and learn about it to a certain extent.

Jack M.

9/1/2016 02:38:03 pm

I like what you said about history repeating itself. That can be true and it's something that I didn't think about but now that you said it understand what you're saying.

Marlon M.

9/1/2016 02:49:41 pm

I totally agree with you because we learn history because we don't want to repeat what happened in the past. Many people think it will happen again even if you learn history but, Aby you read my mind.

Amaris F.

9/1/2016 02:51:44 pm

I am kind of agreeing with you while kind of disagreeing. I understand what you mean by saying that we focus on the ones that have impacted the world somehow, and I agree with that, but individuals themselves also focus on certain events in history that have affected them specifically. History doesn't really have to impact the world exactly, but it can just affect one person and make a big difference

Mr. Husband

9/1/2016 08:48:40 pm

Aho!

Melanie N.

9/1/2016 07:14:44 pm

I support your opinion on "history repeating itself" because it really is relevant to everyday moments in our lives. For example, if we see that studying for only 5 minutes isn't working out (it obviously wouldn't) then you'd take that knowledge into your daily schedule to make more time to study. Without that knowledge we would all fail in school.

Mr. Husband

9/1/2016 08:50:16 pm

Interesting perspective.

Mr. Husband

9/1/2016 08:47:03 pm

Why do you think "people" expect you to have "base knowledge" of things that have happened???

Deijah

9/1/2016 10:40:09 pm

I think that people expect you to have basic knowledge because they think that everyone knows what they are talking about. They think that we should know the basics because it the first level of something and they think that eveyone knows what they are talking about.

David G.

9/1/2016 02:08:09 pm

Historiography is the study of historical writing. So historiographers study the U.S. Constitution, bill of rights. History is everything that happened in the past, what technology humans used, how they got around and how they lived their lives. We study history so that we can learn about our ancestors; where they came from how did they get here and how they survived in unknown land without any buildings and starting from the beginning. Through history we can also learn from the mistakes of the people of that time period and hopefully not make the same mistakes. By studying history we can also see how humans minds changed and evolved.

Ger. L

9/1/2016 04:17:44 pm

I agree with you that even tho we made the same mistakes through out history, we still can learn from them.

Ger. L

9/1/2016 04:53:25 pm

Though

Quincy G.

9/1/2016 04:53:34 pm

I totally agree with you David. I had the same idea of using history to not make the same mistakes as before. The idea you had of seeing how the human minds evolved was great. I would never would have thought to use it that way.

Mr. Husband

9/1/2016 08:51:21 pm

The historiography question was to be answered separately in your notebook.

Irca S.

9/1/2016 02:16:03 pm

History is an event (or many events) that have happened in the past, which usually have had an impact on the present and how people think/act today. Throughout the time that humans have been around, there have been many things (mostly bad, but not always) that humans have done to each other and sometimes other countries. Today, most of those things can’t be found around, but there are still some things that are around that shouldn’t.

We study history so that we have a sense of what has happened before, and it’s a better way to know the backstory of humans. Since many things have happened before, especially important things that many people should know (such as slavery), it’s good to learn about it so we know about the mistakes humans have made before. Learning about history can even help us in the future. If there ever is another problem that will happen in the future (which is most likely to happen), anyone who has learned about history and knows about other mistakes the country/humans has made before, can probably help to change that. They can even help out right now, in the present. History can also teach us new things that we’ve never known before.

Sophia-Joy A.

9/1/2016 09:34:14 pm

I totally agree with the beginning of your first paragraph but not really the middle part. Especially when you said that in history there are mostly bad things that happened. I think that there has been an equal amount of bad and good things in our history. But I see where you are coming from because we did do a lot of things last year about wars and conflicts between to groups of people. Another part that I don't fully get is the last part you said. "History can also teach us new things that we’ve never known before." I don't understand how history can teach us new things if we learned after it happened in history (unless you mean us as 8th graders). When you say we, correct me if I'm wrong, I think that you are talking about humans in general. Although I disagreed with somethings you said everything else I completely agree with. It's actually pretty similar to what I said.

Robert R.

9/1/2016 02:16:46 pm

I would define history as the past events that has impact. It had impact everywhere. America was supposedly found by the Europeans. Even though there was the Natives. That was big for the Europeans. It was kind of big for America. The rest of the world knew that we existed. They only thought it was that their land that existed. The reason why we study history so we know the past events so we don't repeat it. We want to learn from our mistakes, not to repeat them. We study history so we know why the way everything is now. The way we the environment is formed as of the moment was shaped and made back then. This needs to be known. People may say it repeats again. Small things might repeat but we are finally learning after the tenth time we make the mistake.

Jonathan V.

9/1/2016 02:31:23 pm

I like what you said about how we want to learn about our past mistakes and not repeat them, like how Aby said. I also like how you said that people are still learning from past mistakes because they almost never learn.

Kevin G.

9/1/2016 02:50:14 pm

This made me think about what I have learned in the passed years of social studies. All that you wrote above really made me think a lot about what I should of wrote instead of my response. Another thing that I like about your response is that you explained everything clearly and that I agree with you.

$tephe D.

9/1/2016 02:19:18 pm

History is a thing that we have to learn in school, obviously. But history is something that has happened already. The past. Not the present. Anything could be history, as long as it’s not happening now. But, history is more considered as what happened when there was colonists and fighting and huge wars. History is our past, what made us the United States of America. History has shaped the present. It has helped so we don’t ever make the same mistakes that have happened. So, I guess in simpler terms, history is the rules that we follow to make things better in our present. People of color aren’t slaves anymore and we don’t have specific places that they can only go. We’ve learned from our past huge mistake that it was wrong to keep them as slaves. To whip them and force them into doing labor. To treat them as animals or sell them. We’re all friends now since we know better.

We study history for a reason. And no, it’s not because our teachers are forcing us to learn it and our shoving history books into our faces. Like I said, I think we learn it to see all our past mistakes and learn how we became a country. It’s kind of like language arts mixed with science. In science, we learn how us humans came to be and how our world came to be. Language arts just reminds me of words, words, and more words, and the occasional story. History is like a story of how our nation came to be, and we learn it because isn’t it interesting learning about how we fought a ton of wars and had to come together as a community to free ourselves from dictators? Isn’t it interesting learning that we are all immigrants and we all are different? But, like I said before, it’s also to learn how many mistakes we made so we don’t do it again. We don’t just learn about the Constitution and how good of a president Abraham Lincoln was. We learned that women were being discriminated because of their gender. There isn’t that much anymore because we’ve changed and learned that it wasn’t fair that men got more rights than women. Studying history helps us, and it gives us a wider view of how we became a nation and how we can become even better.

9/1/2016 04:08:35 pm

Melanie N.

9/1/2016 07:32:37 pm

Your writing made me think that we really should take advantage of the chance we have to even talk about history. We get to form our own opinions on it and just take it in. We would also know how to fix/prevent anything bad in the future.

Mr. Husband

9/1/2016 08:56:02 pm

Love the dollar sign on a personal level, but no.

Mr. Husband

9/1/2016 09:04:31 pm

Insightful. But history is LONG and goes back so much further than the colonists... For our sake and discussion the colonization of the new world is a good starting point, but the connectedness and the history to the western world (and even earlier civilizations) is also of significant import insofar as our gaining full understanding and insight into why we study history in the first place.

Jaden L.

9/2/2016 02:20:55 am

I completely agree with both your paragraph. You brought up good examples. I especially like how you closed your first paragraph with a bad spirited event that most people know of (slavery). I also agree with your belief that history teaches us our past mistakes.

Jonathan V.

9/1/2016 02:21:25 pm

History is what many people consider to be important. It’s not a physical thing but a record of important events. An example would be The Civil War, or when George Washington became president, or when slavery existed and when it stopped. Some people think that history is important but some people don’t consider it. They think that they shouldn’t remember their past mistakes. We study history because apparently we could learn from history. For example people have now obviously said that they do not like slavery and racism so now they won’t repeat it. They also want us to study history because they think kids will learn lessons from them or at least see mistakes and try to do better or the opposite of those mistakes.

Camren D.

9/1/2016 02:32:45 pm

History can me a physical thing in my opinion. What about fossils or cave painting. Other than that I agree with you.

Chanel P.

9/1/2016 08:24:56 pm

I've never thought about physical things being history, but I like your way of thinking.

Mr. Husband

9/1/2016 09:09:17 pm

Very true, Camren!

Deijah

9/1/2016 10:43:56 pm

I think what you said about history being physical tnings is a good point. I didn't really think like that before I read your comment.

Abygail G.

9/1/2016 02:41:41 pm

I like the note about history not being a physical object, because that definitely can be true. Some old stories were told by word of mouth, so they were more thoughts than anything. It's a really interesting point.

$tephe D.

9/1/2016 02:44:57 pm

I like the idea of children having to learn it because adults don't want us to make the same mistakes as others did in the past and adults are telling us about history because they want us to do better.

Irca S.

9/1/2016 02:47:28 pm

I agree with most of what you said, but there are some things I would want to add on to. Yes, it is true that slavery isn't around anymore, you also mentioned that racism isn't around anymore, but it still is. There are still some people that treat colored people or people from other countries badly. Also, there are some ways on how history can be physical. You can find historical things around, such as statues.

Amahri G.

9/1/2016 02:51:20 pm

I agree with this statement because we do have many problems that have yet to leave us. Even though we are told that they no longer exist. Racism is an example.

Mr. Husband

9/1/2016 09:11:39 pm

Well said. But let's refer to non-whites as people of color, not colored people.

Mr. Husband

9/1/2016 09:07:54 pm

Are you suggesting that the U.S. has learned from racism so no it no longer exists, Jonathan???

Amida A.

9/1/2016 02:24:16 pm

History is the recorded parts of what happened in the past. It tells what mistakes or success people have made. Anything that was recorded in the past can be called history. History is important for us to learn because it teaches us how to better our future, by learning from what people have done in the past.

History keeps track of important dates that people want to celebrate and remember. Like memorial days, if we just forgot about what happened, we wouldn't have days off from school to remember the people who died for America. Without us learning about history we would not know anything about how we came to be and why we do things the way we do. We basically wouldn't have an identity. If we didn’t look back to what people have done before us, we wouldn’t know how our problems started. History teaches us important lessons, like the outcomes of wars, slavery, and many more things.

Amahri G.

9/1/2016 02:48:40 pm

You make a good point because we need to realize all of our history in order to move forward into the future. History does teach us important lessons.

Deijah PP.

9/1/2016 04:11:14 pm

I like the part where you said that history helps us better our future by learning what people did in the past. I think this is so true, if we didn't know what people did then we would make the same mistakes that happened a long time ago. By looking at history we can learn/teach many things that has happened in our world. That is why I like the sentence "History is important for us to learn because teaches us how to better our futures, by learning from what people have done in the past."

Nicolle C.

9/1/2016 05:54:54 pm

I agree with when you said that if we didn’t look back to what people have done before us, we wouldn’t know how our problems started. This is important because if we do not look back to problems in the past then we would be able to learn from those mistakes. Also if we didn't we might repeat those mistakes. This was a good point.

Aileen S.

9/1/2016 05:59:35 pm

I totally agree with you on what the meaning of history is and you make good points about it.

Gianny S.

9/1/2016 06:21:19 pm

I agree when you say that history can tell the mistakes and success that people have made in the past but I don't think that recorded events that have happened in the past is the only thing that can be considered history. There are many events that have happened in the past that hasn't been recorded but is still history.

Kevin G.

9/1/2016 08:24:42 pm

I agree with you on how history is important to learn because it teach us how to make our future better.

David G.

9/1/2016 11:25:39 pm

I completely agree with your definition on history and what you said about the memorial day to honor the people that risked and lost their lives for our freedom

Camren D.

9/1/2016 02:24:22 pm

Historiography is the study of the writing of history. It covers how the historians studied and how they thought.History is every event, people, or place in the past. When an event happens someone will record information in one way or another.. For instance, in the form of video or writing or art. History will not end until the sun implodes and we can’t record it anymore. We study history to learn about what happened in the past. Knowing this we can progress in society and the human evolution. We can create new things, build new structures, and create history our own. If we were to not learn history at school, we as a human race will simply repeat the same mistakes over and over and we would never progress. That is why we study history.

Camren D.

Jack M.

9/1/2016 02:25:18 pm

Historiography is the study of historical writing. History is the knowledge of past events and important people. History is basically just everything in the past. It can also be the study of past events and important people.

I think that we learn about history to get a good understanding of anything that happened in the past. History is good to learn because we need to see what people before us did. The reason why we study only the important events and not everything that’s ever happened is because not everything is worth talking about. We study the most important things because these are the things that we learn the most from. History can also educate us to help us decide what we want to be when we grow up. For example, somebody might have been really interested in learning about electricity because they were inspired by Thomas Edison. That inspiration could have led to them becoming an inventor, and maybe they will one day create a new invention.

Tamira L.

9/1/2016 02:57:10 pm

I like your definition for why we learn history.

Sebastian T.

9/1/2016 04:57:47 pm

I like your first three sentences, because it leads into the your claim about why you think why we should learn about history

Kevin G.

9/1/2016 02:26:27 pm

History is something that we learn in school and it’s about events that happened in the past. We use history to see how life was then and what has happened after certain events. Something about history is that history makes up the future or what is now. All the things that are happening now is because of what happened in the past. Many people don't really care about the past but the ones who do, try to do something different than they did before.

The reason why we study history is to learn from our ancestor mistakes. What I mean here is that we learn from their mistakes to not do the something again. We also learn history to know some facts about people and how they lived before or how they changed the world or what was a struggle for them in the past. Something else why we should study history is to make better choices now, than what people did before. Finally we study history so that we at least now how our “homes” was like before.

Lesley F.

9/1/2016 02:51:26 pm

I found grammar mistakes. You should have someone look over your work before you post ;)

Mr. Husband

9/2/2016 08:10:38 am

Not necessary to point out grammar mistakes, Lesley and Sebastian.

Sebastian T.

9/1/2016 05:00:22 pm

I found some grammar mistakes, make sure you look through it.

Nicolle C.

9/1/2016 02:27:15 pm

To me, history is events that happened in the past. It includes the moment that have shaped our nation. It is the timeline of the moments and events in the past. It's kind of a story of the “journey” to the present. History are all the moment and events in the past but the ones we study are the ones we think are importants. History shows us the events that are important and the events that have lead to the present.

We study history to learn about the past. History teaches and helps us understand. We study it history repeats itself sometimes because it might help us avoid making mistakes that happened in the past. But maybe sometimes something that happened in the past can be a solution to a problem in the present. Also history is something that people need to know even if it's just a little of, especially if it's basic knowledge. We study history because it's important to know about the past.

Amida A.

9/1/2016 02:44:47 pm

I liked how you said history is like a journey to present. I support your opinion because I do believe we can look at the past to solve problems in the present. I also think it can prevent things from happening in the future.

Lesley F.

9/1/2016 05:56:27 pm

I like how you described the meaning of history. I also agree with the past may help to solve a problem in the present.

Gianny S.

9/1/2016 06:24:28 pm

I like how you mention that history is the journey to the present because things are the way they are not because of events that took place in the past.

Jalia R.

9/1/2016 02:29:09 pm

History is important. It is a series of events that has occurred in the past. History made us who we are today. It also, made the world the way it is today. We learn history so we know not to make the same mistakes twice or multiple times. Slavery was a mistake we made back in the day that we cannot make anymore because there are laws against slavery. We cannot enslave people now because you will get time. History is taught because we should know where we come from and why things are the way they are today. When someone teaches us history it shouldn’t be forced onto us. It never really is, when somebody teaches us history it is because we need to know what happened in this world, why we don’t get along, why we only have certain religions and certain languages.

Tamira L.

9/1/2016 03:58:40 pm

I strongly agree with what you wrote. I think you could've explained more but I think that was a god definition kinda each for why we study History or What is history.

Jayden R.

9/1/2016 04:37:10 pm

I like how you gave an example about a mistake in history.

sebastian T.

9/1/2016 04:58:53 pm

I like how you said its a series of events.

Nicolle C.

9/1/2016 06:04:40 pm

I completely agree with what you said. I like how you gave and example. You gave a good explanation for each question.

Chanel P.

9/1/2016 08:12:54 pm

I agree with what you said. I like how you brought up something that happened in the past.

Lesley F.

9/1/2016 02:38:51 pm

What is History?
History is what America and other countries went through in the past. We review the events that happened in the past, so we don't make the same mistakes. When I look back at what we went through in the past, I notice that all the events that happened make up what the world is today. All the important events that already happened are history. Many of these occurrences are affecting us in the present world which lead to more history.

Why do we study History?
We study history to understand and recognize what we did in the past. We learn what happened and notice not to make the mistakes we did in the past. Schools teach us history because they want us to know and understand the basic facts. For example, in 5th we are required to learn American history and learn about Colonial History. We learned about Christopher Columbus, Native Americans and Colonists. Although history repeats itself, we need to notice the bad events that are repeating and find a way to end it.

Jazzy D.

9/1/2016 02:42:25 pm

History is a subject to get you thinking about everything that has happened in the past. As we go on it gets more intense. In 5th and 4th grade we learn about community, then you keep going, and get to 8th grade and learn about the Civil war. If we didn’t learn history we would keep repeating our same mistakes over and over, and we would never get to live our lives semi-peacefully like we do now. History isn’t just a subject, it’s part of who we are, and how we live. It shapes our country, and it shapes who we are as people.

We study history to see who the ancestors of our country were, and see what happened in past times to keep us from doing the same things over again. We learn who shaped our country, and who protected us. I feel like historic stories are lessons to read, and there’s still more lessons to be taught. History is something we learn to get deeper into the presence of our country. We learn all the important people that helped bring us together like, Martin Luther King Jr, Rosa Parks, Christopher Columbus, and a lot of other people.

Aileen S.

9/1/2016 06:04:40 pm

I liked how you made the point that studying history can lead us to know who shaped our country and who protected it.

Jalia R.

9/1/2016 02:43:46 pm

I agree with the sentence that says we need to end the bad history that is repeating itself. I think it was well said.

Jazzy D.

9/1/2016 02:45:36 pm

Do you think it's just a subject that we learn or do you think it's a little more?

Amahri G.

9/1/2016 02:43:04 pm

History in my opinion, means learning to understand the past so we can better ourselves for the future. Learning about our past may help us predict and see patterns in the future. For example, when we learn about segregation,discrimination, or women's’ rights, we use that information to see hints in our everyday life. If you see that someone is being paid less because of their gender, you may not understand why. However if you have learned and know what history means, to you it probably would look like women are still being treated since the women’s rights movement.

If you ask where you can find history. History can be kept in many different things. In a photo, newspaper, biography, or even music. It’s also important that we keep these records in pristine state so they remain a clear reminder of our past. For me it is always interesting reading biographies of a person’s life.

Amaris F.

9/1/2016 02:44:16 pm

In my opinion, history is a lot of events that happened in the past. These events can have a lot of meaning to some people, or mean nothing to others, but everything is or will be a part of history. It doesn't have to impact all of us to be important. While some schools may focus on some events but history is important to someone, whether we like it or not.

I think that we study history in school because history impacts our lives. Of course, not everything that happens in history affects everyone that lives on this planet, but it is the reason why things are the way that they are. If it wasn't for Isaac Newton getting hit on the head with an apple, he wouldn't have discovered gravity. If it wasn't for my grandmother moving my mom and her sisters to the United States, I wouldn't be the person that I am today. All of history is important, and even though schools can't cover every single even that has ever occurred, we cover certain events so that students can know how, for example, the United States is known as the "land of the free," why the laws that we have now are based off of ones one hundred years ago. They teach history in schools so that students can have an idea of why everything is the way that it is at the moment

Maeve C.

9/1/2016 05:44:58 pm

I agree with what you said about how history impacts pour lives. We wouldn't be what we are today with out it, and neither would the world around us.

Marlon M.

9/1/2016 02:44:41 pm

History is events that happened in the past. There not just events, there events that stick out. Events that will never be forgotten until the world ends(if the world ends). For example the twin towers are part of history, it occurred on September 11, 2001. I was born in 2003 and I know about this event of history.

We learn history in school because we don't want to make the same mistakes again as we did in the past. In history we learn how things began. How and why this and that is present now. History is a source of why we are hear. Am I right or not?

Amida A

9/1/2016 02:48:13 pm

I agree with you but you spelled here wrong.

Mr. Husband

9/2/2016 08:50:54 am

Thank you, Amida. But YOU are not the spellchecker.

Aileen S.

9/1/2016 02:45:05 pm

What is history?
History is important events that happened years ago. It points out the important events about how everyone treated each other and what the laws were. It also talks about some mistakes people have made in the past. We also celebrate some events today every year that happened in history. For example, we celebrate 4th of July every year because it’s when America became an independent nation.

Why do we study history?
We study history because we can learn something from learning about history and mistakes that were made. Also, we can learn about the history of many places all over the world and see how much they’ve changed through the years. We also learn history to study important people who were part of history we study from.

Jazzy D.

9/1/2016 02:50:36 pm

Why do you think they don't talk about positive things in history?

Aileen S.

9/1/2016 06:08:17 pm

There are some good things that happened in history and good decisions in the past, but history talks more about mistakes that happened so we would avoid making the same mistakes in the future.

Carina S.

9/1/2016 03:59:09 pm

I agree with what you're saying. I think history is basically a bunch of mistakes made by people, but they all serve as important lessons to us. Like the Civil Rights Movement, the Caucasian cops (not being racist!) kept on abusing their power towards the African American citizens, but that made them fight even harder. They fought for what they belived in and they got it, but at a cost. Of course, there are racist people still out there, but know there are less racist acts becuase of the mistake that the Caucasians made on their part.

Melanie N.

9/1/2016 02:51:14 pm

History, in all, is the past and, for us today and for the people in the future, it’s being rounded up daily and being imprinted into the world. Whether it be in history books, the news, or even social media, it is all being marked down in someway everyday. History is the tragic, wonderful, ridiculous, and important events that happened throughout time. Ever since people first started to roam the Earth, or just the World in general, the people of that time were taking down what was happening. After that, it was found in the next generation, same after that one, and on till this day today. Everyday, we see all types of events happening, like shootings and the presidential election nonsense. All of this will be history to the future generation. We are living in the history for someone in the future.

We study history in order to know how the World works. Without history, we would make mistakes that people used to make millions of years ago. Same with the next generation. We would have a horrible world, no one would know how to function properly. We wouldn’t know how to repair things, if no one wrote it down back in the day, everyone would be clueless. History is needed in order to train our minds of what is wrong or right, what we are meant for, and how we even got here. People would most likely question everything and not at all know how it happened because, if history didn’t happen, how would we get the answers?

Tamira L.

9/1/2016 02:54:28 pm

History are the important events that don’t occur that often. History usually connects people with dates or valuable information about them. They describe human pasts written by humans. Although we might not know it is true because humans wrote them, we study them because we believe it is worth studying for. That you will use that information in your regular daily life to prove a point or teach someone something they did not know before. History is what made us who we are today. History can be anything in the world, but it’s more focused on things that usually don’t happen. They are much more represented in the past, although they can happen in the present.

We study history to improve our future and not make the same mistakes. Yeah sure it might be boring just reading a boring old textbook, but all those facts we’re reading about helped us be where we are today. They teach us valuable lessons that will help us in the future. We try not to make those same mistakes so that we wouldn't be in those people’s positions, and think about it most or all of those people are already dead. Would you want to be in that position.

Yasira P.

9/1/2016 02:55:44 pm

To me history is events or things that have happened in the past. They usually have an have impact on the way we view certain topics like, slavery, war, leaders etc. Things like that have an impact on the way you view the topics. History doesn't have to always have an impact on topics it can also have an impact on people. If someone has a bad history for hurting peoples feelings, killing, stealing, etc. That has an impact on the way you view them as a human being.
I feel like we study history to get a better understanding of why things are the way they are today. We study history because if you are a certain race you have to know the history of your people. You have to see the history of your people to get a better understanding of where your coming from, how you and your people as a whole got through it and how they survived/ made it this far. We study history to learn from mistakes that happened in the past. We see how society and people have made mistakes and how we can make sure they don't happen again. We see how we can better ourselves as a society.

Liam S.

9/1/2016 04:09:34 pm

You make a good point because if we didn't study history then we wouldn't know how the U.S is it's own country. Or how when I went to New York and I knew why I didn't see the twin towers. History helps us get a better understanding of why things are how they are today.

Yasira P.

9/1/2016 05:16:51 pm

That exactly why I put it down. It makes an impact on big topics that people still talk about today. It helps you understand them better.

Carina S.

9/1/2016 03:52:52 pm

Carina Santos 03M
09-01-16

I would define history as looking back on our mistakes and learning from them. Historians weren’t perfect, very far from it. They often did or said the wrong things that resulted in chaos and/or war for their town, country, or even the world. We are not perfect, even now, but we look back on our mistakes as a country and work on them. We’ve gone through terrible things in our past, but we are able to move on because we know where those kinds of mistakes got our ancestors. If we don’t acknowledge our mistakes made in the past, we can never make a better future for our society.

I think we study history because it teaches a life lesson. Saying or doing the wrong thing at the wrong time can result in events such as war. We learn about history to warn our future generations. We have to remember, the future of the world depends on the next generation; it’ll be in their hands. There could an exceedingly bright student who the teachers give all their attention to and becomes the next president of the United States. And then there could be the student who needs a little more help, but the teachers ignore him/her and he/she becomes a terrorist. They would both need to know how terrorism has hurt our nation to prevent the latter.

Chanel P.

9/1/2016 05:40:53 pm

I like how you mentioned that history teaches us to look back and learn from the mistakes made in the past. I also like how you mentioned how we should acknowledge the past in order to have a better future.

Fiona Russ

9/1/2016 06:58:27 pm

I strongly agreed with you when you explained how events or people weren't perfect in the past, and also how we aren't perfect now, but we are still learning. It makes it seem relatable, instead of saying we've grown and improved on every mistake we have made.

Tessah A.

9/1/2016 07:47:09 pm

As I do respect your definition of history and do think that it apart of history, it does seem to be a bit of a close-minded definition of history. Although many definitions can come out of the word history, this wouldn't be my go-to if someone where to ask me what history was.

Sophia-Joy A.

9/1/2016 09:46:37 pm

I agree.

Liam S.

9/1/2016 03:57:50 pm

I think that history is everything that has happened in the past. Things like wars, protests, and governments all are history and they have helped build the world that we live in. But history doesn't have to be only important events. History can also be something that you care about. I don't think history is only old wars or protests though. I think anything can be history depending on your perspective. History is important because it can tell you about your family or your country. History is all of the things that have happened to you in the first 12-14 years of your life, complete with photos and memories. History is everywhere in our life, even though we don’t realize it. I think we study history because it is important to know about the world that we live in and how it has changed. I think schools want us to study history because it helps us appreciate the world we live in today. Another reason I think we study history is so we can learn from the mistakes that people have made in the past. We also study history because we learn from it. History is very important to this world and history will continue to be learned by many kids around the globe.

Fiona Russ

9/1/2016 07:01:27 pm

I like how you said that history doesn't have to be a large or massive event, It can also be something more personal to you.

Aileen S.

9/1/2016 08:59:15 pm

I agree with you that history can be things you care about that happened in the past.

Deijah PP.

9/1/2016 10:49:07 pm

I also liked how you said that history can be something you personally care about. That history doesn't have to be big or massive.

Deijah PP.

9/1/2016 03:59:26 pm

I define history as the past. I think history is everything that happened in the past summed up into one word. History goes over things that has happened a long time ago. These events usually help/impact people’s lives in some way or form.

I think we study history so we don’t wait the same mistakes that people made in the past. We study history because it is good to know what happened in the past, what people had to go through to get to the point that we are at today. Looking at history helps you understand how the world ended up being the way it is. We all as a community need to work together to make sure that the history that happened before(bad history) doesn't happen again.

Sophia-Joy A.

9/1/2016 04:05:12 pm

I think that history is something that cannot be defined by one definition. It is something that varies and there is no correct answer. Having said that, my definition of history is what has happened in the past. These usually include wars, big conflicts, and protests. But history is not only the bad parts of the past. Often times, history can be what people have been able to achieve using only their bodies (Usain Bolt- speed, Muhammad Ali- skillfulness, and Michael Jordan- athleticism just to name a few) or great things people were able to make better or invent (Alexander Graham-Bell, Thomas Edison, and Steve Jobs). In other words, history is something that helped shape the way we think/do today and has impacted the present in someway.

We study history because it is something we can learn from and can try to do improve our future purposes. History can also teach us different ways to fix a problem so that it does/doesn’t happen similarly to the past. Another reason we study history is because it reminds of how many people have died and sacrificed their life for something important. If we didn’t study history, many of those people who died wouldn’t be remembered and neither would their suffering. One last reason for why we study history is to remember what life was like before we were born or our “era”.

Ger. L

9/1/2016 04:14:14 pm

The definition of the word Historiography is a research or study of past writing.
History is pasts events in human lives, that had happened many decades ago. For example yesterday was history, but we don’t record things that aren’t important. We only record things that had meaning and importance, like World War 1, and World War 2. Those are two very important things that had happened in history. Studying History is very important. It teaches us about our past and what we evolved from or who we evolved from. It shows us how we adapted to this planet and how we survived. By studying History we can track back to our Ancestors, and what they did to survive. History can show us of how we got to where we are today. Most of our history is pretty bad, but then we soon learn from all of our mistakes, and try to make the world a better place.

9/1/2016 06:38:00 pm

Jayden R.

9/1/2016 04:33:29 pm

Historiography is the study of historical writing. Historiography is a way for people translate and study different writings from history such as the Constitution. History is everything from the past. History is a different sequence of events that has happened. History tells us why our world and country is like it is now. We study history because it tells us how we came to be. We also study history so we don’t make the same mistakes that we might have done a while ago. My last reason we study history is because history can help us make better decisions in the future.

Quincy G.

9/1/2016 04:45:05 pm

Historiography is a historical text. An example is the Constitution. I think history is important events that have happened in the past. Also, history is something that happened a long time ago, like the 18th century, or from a day ago that isn’t necessarily important. I think we study history, so we could get information on our ancestors or famous historical figures. With this information, we can find out the mistakes they made and we can make sure not to do the same. We can also find out what they did well and see if we can use this in the real world today. Another reason we study history is so we can find out more about our country we live in.

Derik T.

9/1/2016 06:16:32 pm

I agree with what you said about how history can be something from a long time ago or something that has happened yesterday even though it's not important. I feel like this is a really good point that you have stated.

Sebastian T.

9/1/2016 04:55:02 pm

To me the definition of history is a timeline of the events that happened decades ago. Important events that happened a long time ago is history. Someone from decades ago have told stories and they have carried it on. History is the knowledge people know and have passed on to the present. History is how the world evolved from the past to the present.

I think we study history so we can learn, react, and remember the past. People in the past were crazy and wild and i think we study it to do things differently. From past events, we can start changing things in the world and we can do things differently. In life you should know about history in general it's basically like an expectation.

Yasira P.

9/1/2016 05:19:27 pm

I like the last sentence. It pulls it altogether.

Marquis M.

9/2/2016 07:14:42 am

I really like your definition of history because I liked how you said that " history is knowledge people know and have passed on to the present." I liked that because I haven't thought of it in that way

Chanel P.

9/1/2016 05:28:53 pm

What is history?

History is every event that has happened in the past. This can include bad things and good things that have happened before. The events that have happened in the past that we still mention today are important and it's why we still talk about them today. History can also impact people. We talk about history so we don't repeat the mistakes that have been made before.

Why do we study history?

I think we study history so we can see how things have changed in the past few years. Not only that but we study history so we learn where things originated from and how it it may be important to us in our daily lives. Because we talk about important events that have happened in he past, it has changed the way we look at things. For example, Martin Luther King Jr. was a very important part of history. Without him, we wouldn't have known how important it is to not be racist and to accept everyone no matter where they came from, and what they look like.

Maeve C.

9/1/2016 05:41:08 pm

History can’t truly be described as one thing. History is our past. History is what we look back on to remind us of mistakes that we and many others have made. We created war, weapons, and violence. History has created good and bad things that still exist in our world. It is a guide to help us succeed in the future. History highlights our highs and lows. It is used to shape how we look at the world. We wouldn’t do things the way we do now if someone in history hadn’t showed us how to do it. We study history partly because we want to look at what everybody has done wrong, and to prevent it from happening again. We learn to try to not make the same mistakes. We study history to see how everything we use and learn today was once non-existent. We look at how the world we live in today was shaped from almost nothing.

Derik T.

9/1/2016 06:07:06 pm

History is a series or one big event that has happened in the past which was recorded by someone. It is what shapes our society into what it is today and what makes humans act and think today. Although it changed us in a good way there was still some bad events that has happened, but there was some good things that happened too. For example one bad thing that happened that was bad was when African Americans were brought to the U.S to be slaves and when they were here they would work all day without breaks and would be beat. A good thing that happened in history was when African Americans were given their Civil Rights and were treated equally. The reason why we study History in school is so we can learn from the mistakes that people made in the past so we can avoid them ourselves. If we learn more about history we might start to see things differently from what we usually do.

Gianny S.

9/1/2016 06:44:20 pm

When I think of the word history I think of the past. History are good and bad things that have happened in the past. Because of former events, things are the way they are now. History can be something that happened decades ago or even something that happened yesterday. Many times history is viewed in a negative way because of all the bad things that have happened, but it can also be positive. Positive history can include medical news and even sports. Its very important for us to study our history. Studying history can help us avoid and fix mistakes that have been made in the past. It can also help us in the future to make sure that our children and grandchildren will be able to live the life that they should. We also see how things like technology has improved since it was first invented.

Fiona Russ

9/1/2016 06:51:53 pm

The way I would define history is the study of events, people, and places that happened in the past. History can be 10,000 years ago or it can be yesterday. It can be the Civil War or a fight you had with your sister a couple days ago. It can be George Washington, or your recently diseased grandma. And it can be the Statue of Liberty or your old house. History can really be anything in the past whether it was a few seconds ago or a few centuries ago, no matter how old though, I think all history can be important.

I think we study history in schools because it is key to understanding the present. If bad things have occurred in the past, then we can try to figure out what went wrong so we don't repeat it. I think that it is critical to teach it in school because we are a younger audience and we are the future. It can help us see trends and patterns so if a certain pattern often results in a good outcome we can try to repeat it again. It can also give us better understanding of other cultures. Whether you would want cultural information for a research project or you want to know your heritage and where you come from, you all need history. History is helpful in so many ways and it is crucial in schools.

Tessah A.

9/1/2016 07:29:45 pm

I think history is an event that has happened in the past. It can either be something that is important or completely irrelevant. History is also a series of events that can help shape the future of a nation or person by fixing what bad mistakes people have made. One historic event that still impacts our nation today is slavery. At the time of slavery, it was not considered history (for obvious reasons), therefore meaning in order for something to become history, it takes time. In conclusion, history has many perspectives in which that results in many definitions.

I think history is taught in schools because it is important to know about the country you live in. Think of it this way, if your family has immigrated to America from another country, you would most likely want to learn about where they are by asking questions (considering where they come from make up your ethnicity.) Since this is a very prideful country, I take this as another reason why we learn history. It is to inform young adults and children of our country's successes and fails.

Marquis

9/2/2016 07:10:41 am

To me history is past events that have changed our world in a good way or bad way. History is also things that happened just three seconds ago, after I'm done typing this it will be history. To me all history is important but some historic events are very important for example slavery was a very depressed journey for African Americans but eventually they overcame. In conclusion history is past events that have changed our world in a good way or bad way.

People may not know why we study history. But we study history because everyone should know what happened before us and what happened that was good about it or bad about it. I don't think the world will be able to continue without know your/our history because there would be so many questions. In conclusion I think that we should continuing studying history.

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