WHY STUDY HISTORY? EVERYTHING YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO KNOW BUT WERE AFRAID TO ASK…. EVERYTHING YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO KNOW BUT WERE AFRAID TO ASK…. USELESS OLD FACTS…OR THE KEY TO OUR FUTURE? And the Method of Historical Inquiry

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

Recall History is what we choose to remember about the past. Our common experience binds us together. Who is this? The Method of Historical Inquiry

Interpretation History involves explaining people and events. History involves explaining people and events. Man of the year?

Interpretation and Illustration What is happening in this image?What is happening in this image? Which side created this image? Why?Which side created this image? Why? History can illustrate ideas.

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 past.

Application Use past lessons to understand present situations. Anything in common here?

The past must engage in dialogue with the present. We must be willing to learn from our mistakes!

Use personal experiences to make sense of the past. Why is the world the way it is today? What do I have to do with present world situation? What have I done or not done that brings me to the present situation?

Analysis History involves figuring out complicated situations.

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

Examine each part. How are the battles related? Try to create a time line of events: Which are causes? effects?

Synthesis History involves making sense out of a jumble of facts. You can search for patterns. You can speculate: Guess at reasons for outcomes. You can predict: Could World War II have been avoided? You can make generalizations: Broad statements that summarize.

Synthesis: Creating A New Idea Did Athens lead to American Democracy? If so, how and why?

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

Synthesis: Creating A New Idea Hiroshima, Japan after the A- bomb Draw your own conclusions: Dropping the atomic bomb - justified or unjustified?

Evaluation History involves making judgments 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: You can examine all sides of the Civil Rights issue. Or you can debate the pros and cons of integrating the schools. You can describe the strengths and 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 the above question?

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

A government that is large enough to supply everything you need is large enough to take everything you have. - Thomas Jefferson

"If ever time should come, when vain and aspiring men shall possess the highest seats in Government, our country will stand in need of its experienced patriots to prevent its ruin." - Samuel Adams

When America’s founding father’s needed to create a document to address their grievances against their King, they used their knowledge of history greatly increasing the impact of the Declaration of Independence. and based their letter on a document signed by an English King over 500 years earlier: the Magna Carta. King George III found himself in a similar position as his predecessor... of over 500 years earlier... King John

17 reasons…

#1 – To know the Cost So that we can learn from the experience of others without paying the price it cost them. So that we can learn from the experience of others without paying the price it cost them. “We may profit by their experience without paying the price which it cost them.” John Jay ( A.D.) The Federalist, No. 5 “We may profit by their experience without paying the price which it cost them.” John Jay ( A.D.) The Federalist, No. 5

Great men/women have led the way….if only we are willing to learn and follow…. #2 – To improve ourselves by following the examples of great men and women of the past. #2 – To improve ourselves by following the examples of great men and women of the past.

#3 – To know how to deal with LIFE To learn the constant and universal principles of human nature by seeing men reacting in different kinds of situations and circumstances. To learn the constant and universal principles of human nature by seeing men reacting in different kinds of situations and circumstances. (Ex. Humans still love, hate, hope, need friends and fight.) (Ex. Humans still love, hate, hope, need friends and fight.)

#4 – To Survive  In order to understand, live, and exist in our present world.

#5 – To learn Truth In order to learn the truth of the past which still applies to our present world. In order to learn the truth of the past which still applies to our present world.

#6 – To get along To insure order in Society by having an informed, educated people. To insure order in Society by having an informed, educated people. (Voting, participating, caring etc.) (Voting, participating, caring etc.)

#7 – To see as others see It teaches us to put things in perspective. It teaches us to put things in perspective. Life….. Life….. Events… Events… Problems…. Problems…. Environment… Environment… Wars….. Wars….. economics…. economics…. Governments Governments Cultures Cultures Sci/tech….. Sci/tech….. More……? More……?

#8 – To protect knowledge ►I►In order to preserve discoveries and inventions.

#9 – To build on knowledge In order to develop new inventions and make new discoveries which are based on knowledge of the old ones. In order to develop new inventions and make new discoveries which are based on knowledge of the old ones. (Ex. The gasoline engine made the car and airplane possible.)

#10 – To keep what works and change what doesn’t. To help solve our problems by defining the problem and showing us what has and has not worked in the past.

#11 – To free ourselves from chains of ignorance #11 – To free ourselves from chains of ignorance In order to remove prejudices and increase understanding. In order to remove prejudices and increase understanding.

12 – To learn from ourselves To learn from our own past mistakes. To learn from our own past mistakes.

#13 – To keep the vision alive #13 – To keep the vision alive In order to keep our principles alive by keeping those thoughts alive. (Freedom, honor, trust, loyalty, respect, dedication, fairness, selfless, forgiving, …..)

#14 – To Evaluate In order to judge what can be done by what has been done.

#15 – To Move forward #15 – To Move forward In order to advance man’s knowledge.

#16 – To run this country To LEARN CITIZENSHIP.

#17 – To fully understand the sacrifices made by others. To LEARN PATRIOTISM.

History is: The MOTHER of TRUTH, RIVAL OF TIME, STOREHOUSE OF DEEDS, WITNESS FOR THE PAST, EXAMPLE AND COUNCIL FOR THE PRESENT, AND THE WARNING FOR THE FUTURE. Why Study History?