Significance of Historical Studies

Why it is Important to Study History

A lot has been covered by Stearns (2013) as why studying history is important for both our present and future times. This importance is seen to have been growing from the olden days. To begin with, its potential to enrich people’s knowledge using certain facts that have been valued by the society since the early times, made those who were well knowledgeable in them become highly respected by the community. Furthermore, these persons would get more opportunities for advancing their education and ultimately, becoming more valuable in the society through their career developments. This practice is still sound in our present times though it is being overridden by other significant reasons as why everyone should study history. These reasons are found to benefit people as individuals and as a society as well. From the stock of information kept from the past, it is articulated that one can adequately appreciate behaviors of people as individuals and as a society. This understanding is noted to be necessary in order to ease appreciating the functions of each. Presently, people are found to be engaged in various operations that only through history, one can determine the nature of these operations. This in terms of: how they came to be, how they are done, why they are done, what are their impacts in the society, and what are the roles of people in the society. For instance, improving the design of a highway that is mentioned, only historical information would enable a person to understand how such a project came into existence, why it is being done, and what its impacts to the society suggest are the roles of people. This example highlights how history is important to people’s lives. That is, it makes people understand how lives were lived in the past, and the improvements made to improve life. This concept is transferred from generation to generation to make human life become much better. Hence, as it is noted, present people can get inspired by historical people who did excellent work for the society and this ideology begins to develop their morals which eventually lead to good citizenship.

From a different perspective, history is important as it makes one know how societies are formed and other different groups of people. This enables an individual to know to which society or group of persons he/she belongs to and in the present time, this is significant for the purposes of identification. In the educational world, history is found to have a lot to offer. Social studies’ students are trained on how to use historical evidences when conducting research studies that are targeted towards improving human life. This education is also noted to be widely applicable in the working world. Historians teach or work in various organizations that are associated with historical work; research studies are also done by various professionals, and many more. Hence, history is part and parcel of human life and everyone should study it (Stearns, 2013).

How the Book “A History of the American People” by Johnson & Collins (n.d) is used in Historical Study

Generally, America is recognized as a country or a society that is multiracial and multicolored. It is a country that is highly developed through intensive innovative efforts and also a place where people are careful to do what is right in order to be happy and richer (HistoryNet, 2015). This is supported by Johnson & Collins (n.d) with a statement that begins the literature stating that the way America was created is the most remarkable one in all people’s adventures. It is noted that it is only the United States that has great lessons to teach the Americans themselves and the rest of the world in the realms of politics, economics, beliefs, organization of the society, and others.  This book covers the American history from the country’s Founders’ time to the time when the former President Clinton was in power and it focuses on efforts of these Founders who created and uniquely shaped the American society. Attaching this with what has been grasped from the previous section of this paper, it is evident that the contents of this book by Johnson & Collins (n.d) enable an American reader among other things, to: (a) know his/her identity by appreciating how these multiracial and multicolored people came to be and how they were/are grouped (b) learn about the developments made by the American people that has made their lives become better than many other countries in the world (c) understand what his/her role in the society is (d) utilize the knowledge gained to assist other upcoming societies/nations.

References

HistoryNet (2015). A Book Review: A History of the American People by Paul Johnson & HarperCollins. Retrieved< http://www.historynet.com/book-review-a-history-of-the-american-people-by-paul-johnson-ah.htm>. Stearns, P. N. (2013). Why Study History? Retrievedhttps://www.historians.org/about-aha-and-membership/aha-history-and-archives/archives/why-study-history-%281998%29