Why People Should Studying History, And Why Study History?

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What is history? Simply put, history is the study of past events. However, history is more than that. When people take a closer look on the history on the world, they gain remarkable knowledge that can be applied to the present. “Why Study History?” by Jerry H. Bentley, and “Why Study History?” by Peter N. Stearns, present their views on history. While their views may differ slightly, both explore the significance of history, and why people should study history regularly. The purpose of studying history may differ slightly from person to person. “ ...world history offers the deepest and richest understanding of the world and its development through time, ...and it has strong potential as well to foster the development of good judgment, with …show more content…

“ Indeed, the study of world history also offers the opportunity to engage difference in active study and to understand it as the product of development through time..., rather than simply assuming that different peoples, different values, and different forms of social organization are suspect because they are unfamiliar” (Bentley, pg. 5). Bentley points out here that by studying history, people get more context and information about differences in language and culture. Gaining understanding of past differences results in understanding more and improve tolerance for differences in culture. Peter Stearns also writes about understanding and moral values. “Studying the stories of individuals and situations in the past allows a student of history to test his or her own moral sense, to hone it against some of the real complexities individuals have faced in difficult settings” (Stearns, pg. 3). By imagining themselves in someone else’s experiences, individuals gain empathy and morals. This is because studying world history allows for coming across many different cultures and civilizations through time. By understanding how others have lived, and their reasons for it, people can change for the better by gaining more insight on their own

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