This piece, Why History?, lays out a number of arguments for studying our shared story. Identify one argument by the author that you found the most compelling/convincing. Briefly defend your choice below in the comments section as a complete response.
Once you have completed your response, come back and read over the responses of your classmates. Then briefly reply to two comments with some feedback. We aren’t evaluating one another’s comments, only offering what we agree or disagree with in the comments of others.
This pattern of commenting once on the post and then replying twice to others will be our way of having virtual discussions, as if we are in an actual classroom. 
The argument for learning history that I found most convincing is that history is especially important for Americans. I firmly identify as an American, and agree with this point strongly. I believe that our shared culture and way of life are built around our history, and to ignore said history would be a massive mistake.
ReplyDeleteI agree with this statement. We are such a diverse country and I think there are many problems in this country that realte to the fact that we are all immigrants. We are a country of immigrants (besides native americans.) Most americans like to ignore this countries history because it does not interest them, but in reality, it should interest every american because it directly effects them every day.
DeleteI agree. America is so diverse, and because so many peoples and cultures clash it has had, and still has, many issues. It's important to learn about the past of America because all different kinds of people did not fight for our rights to be remembered for nothing. To ignore America's past is to ignore an important part of what makes you, you.
DeleteI agree with this statement. America has such a short history compared to others, but it still contains tons of rich history. As you said, it would be a mistake to undermine and ignore the history behind the most diverse country in the world as of yet.
DeleteI'd say the most convincing argument was the first one, which said that it's important to learn history because its the story of ourselves and our past and can tell us so much about where we've been, and maybe even where we'll go. I think many people only focus on themselves and what concerns them and themselves only, but they forget that you can learn many things from the past that can change your opinions on many things, including yourself. The past very much affects the future, so it's important to understand why things are today, which you can only do by looking back. -(Ana) Belen Bankert
ReplyDeleteI agree. One of the most obvious reasons to study history is how the past affects us today, and so we can form meaningful opinions about how we go about our lives.
DeleteI agree with what you said. Understanding the past is a very good way of predicting the future. In order to that, we must look back.
DeleteI agree. I think history can help us be open minded and see multiple perspectives. It gives us an empathy for different people that we can carry on to our current lives.
DeleteThe most compelling argument for me was that we as humans should study history because of it's stories and mysteries. I don't really care about how different people migrated; I want to know what religions were popular, how people had fun, famous heroes that regular history classes don't discuss. Maybe it's just me, but history is only ever really fun when I get to go into the minds of the people of the past as best I can, or when we talk about the unsung heroes of famous and not-so-famous events.
ReplyDeleteI agree with this. A way to make our past more personal and relatable is to learn about everyday lives and people and I think it is easier to learn about bigger topics and ideas when you have a way to relate to and care about the topic and time period.
DeleteI agree I think it's important to know what it was like in the past and compare and contrast to now a days. It can teach you many new things about yourselves
DeleteI completely agree. I'm most interested in history as settings where interesting people might have lived and various stories might have taken place. It's fascinating to think about how much our cultures vary between the past and present and it's one of the best ways to engage people in our history. For example in Global History today Mrs. Peterson asked us what we would have done if we were trying to hunt a prehistoric creature with the tools the current people would have done. Kids who were looking completely bored during class suddenly lit up and started making suggestions. We were suddenly in the middle of the culture and time and had to face the same problems this ancient people had overcome. I think there's no better way to experience history.
DeleteI agree as well. History helps immortalize the average person's opinions and daily life so studying it gives a more intimate understanding of what life was.
DeleteThe most compelling argument made was that history is especially important for Americans. The author discussed how learning about history can help navigate how we do our jobs being good citizens and I strongly agree with that. The only way we can grow and move forward as a nation is if we know what mistakes we have already made and are informed about the past of our own country.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with your statement! The only way for government officials and us as U.S. citizens to know what is the best for our country is to look back at history as a reference for what works and what doesn't work for our community.
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ReplyDeleteI think the most important reason for learning history is to inform today's decisions, given the wealth of information we have from the past and how much American society requires an informed public for democracy and capitalism. Second most for me is to carry on the legacy of the past, to give a sort of backdrop to why everything is the way it is.
ReplyDeleteI agree, because anything that has already happened could happen again (not saying it will), so it is crucial to understand the mistakes or successes of the past to make sure what goes on in the modern world isn't a negative reflection of the past. As a society we need to make sure that we work together to prevent past events that are not good.
DeleteAs for why we should study and learn history, the most persuasive point made is the fact that we're Americans. That is because it's better to be more informed than not in tact with America's history. That is because as the author described, it makes us learn and be aware of how we are different from other nations and how and why we have the laws that are currently established in our country.
ReplyDeleteAgreed. Learning our own country's history is important to understanding our modern lives, both personally and collectively. Additionally, it provides us with a lens to study the US's position on the international stage.
DeleteI think that is an interesting point too. It is interesting to learn about the immigration and different cultures that formed the United States. It is important to think about now with the countries current immigration policies.
DeleteThe most convincing argument was that history is a mystery. The author mentions the word puzzle a lot in this section. I strongly agree with the use of that word in this context. If we were to approach history with the perspective of solving a puzzle, it could bring out many positive features of ourselves that we didn't know we possess. Personally, I would enjoy studying history this way much more than the traditional way that I have been using for all of my academic career so far. This way of studying brings forth critical thinking and problem solving skills. I believe that these skills are necessary to harbor and raise within one's everyday academic life.
ReplyDeleteI really like the way you approached the topic of how history is a mystery, I think you have a very creative thought process, I also agree with the fact that depending on how you study, your experience with the subject will differ! :)
DeleteI agree with this. I think that history has so many different elements, and looking at it in a non-traditional sense can allow you to think more critically and gain more perspective.
DeleteThe most convincing points was that point people can look at our past to see our ancestors before. Its Interesting to see were we came from and then spilt into our different cultures. It gives a different point other then the over used argument of learning from past mistakes
ReplyDeleteI agree. History is often the most interesting story.
DeleteI agree with this because history is filled with many different stories and it's interesting to put the stories together to see the paths of our ancestors
DeleteI believe that the most important reason to learn history is to understand all sides of the past. This can help explain why some people believe in Christianity and others believe in Judaism. Learning history can show how Christianity spread like wildfire(after being persecuted for a while) and why Judaism is a much smaller religion despite their many similarities. Push and pull factors explain why people migrate, why people leave, and why some people have more money. Why, when and how people got to one place determines so much of how they live, whether it is in poverty or in luxury, whether their families push them to be as educated as they can, and where they live. For this reason, I chose to study history, because the past can affect the future.
ReplyDeleteI with this, as it is important to look at all kind of perspectives in order to "broaden our horizons." Why do some people think this way? Why do some think it the other way? If we study history, we can somewhat paint out a timeline that tells us why things are the way that they are.
DeleteI think the most compelling reason to study history that the author mentioned is that we can learn from it and apply it todays world. As the textbook stated, this nation has made mistakes in the past, and in order to prevent the same wrongdoings in the future, we can analyze those events and do what we can to make our current world a better place. Even though the world is so different now than it has been in the past, we can still use the study of history to create a more just society.
ReplyDeleteI agree because lack of reflection on this country's past mistakes is coming up to haunt us now. We are dealing with our own history and because of that we are becoming a part of history as well.
DeleteI agree. The idea of analyzing and learning from the past mistakes of the US is very important to creating a better future for the country in its modern state and its people.
DeleteI agree with this because it is important to realize past mistakes and build off of them to prevent repeating the mistakes in the future.
DeleteExactly. Another thing to add is that even when cultures and governments change, people in their inherent desires and reactions don't, so the same general rules apply as they did in the past.
DeleteI agree because learning about past mistakes and their consequences help lower the chance of it repeating.
DeleteI think that the most convincing argument was that people can look back on history and reflect about the past mistakes, so we can all try our best to avoid making them again in the future. I firmly believe that those who choose to look back on the past will seek to find the warning signs of what went wrong in order to it point out in the present, so the future can be altered for the better by studying history. It is better to acknowledge and admit the wrongs that have been done in the past, rather than ignoring them entirely and being unaware that events such as those happened back then, which applies to America heavily.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree. I think people are too quick to forget what wrongs we might have committed and what's gone wrong in the past. If people could only learn from past mistakes a lot of the issues we're facing today would be resolved or at least easier to face.
DeleteI agree because the people who are uneducated on history repeat the mistakes that others have made in the past.
DeleteI think that the most compelling argument is that we can learn so much from about how we are today by learning about the past. We can apply things that worked and things that didn't in the past, to todays problems.
ReplyDeleteI think that the most captivating argument is that history is our story. it shows us where our ancestors have been and how and why we are where we are and we are who we are. I find its extremely important to especially know ones own history, as in their family. It shows what they're family has done and how the world around them has affected them and why it affected them in that way.
ReplyDeleteI agree with this, as sometimes we wonder who we are and how we came to be this way, which can be traced through our ancestral lineage, and requires studying past family history, as well as history about us as a whole species.
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ReplyDeleteTo me the most interesting part was when the author discussed learning history being similar to piecing together a puzzle. I love puzzles, so I could totally understand that feeling when you have enough pieces that you can see the larger picture. When you learn about history you begin to paint this tapestry and gain a better understanding of the world. I'd never thought about it in this light before, so I was intrigued and it really stood out to me. Out of all the reasons the author gave, I think this one convinced me the most.
I thought this was an interesting reason as well. Rather than looking at it as a stories that have beginnings, middles, and ends, I like your comparison to a tapestry that winds over its self, but still fits together into a general picture of events. I think that makes studying history more interesting because you have to figure out how it fits together.
DeleteThe study of history is compelling because it makes such a good story. Every time I read a well-written novel, I'm enticed by the elements of good versus evil, adventure, etc. But then, I feel weirdly disappointed that none of the characters ever did anything they did in the book, not to mention that they never even existed.
ReplyDeleteWith history, on the other hand, all the stories were real and the people in history really did experience what textbooks say they experienced. History, the way I see it, just makes a really good story. Of course, I know this is a more a more "fun" outlook on history, but it's a way that I personally sometimes like to look at the subject.
That's such an interesting take that I've never though about but I totally agree with. History is truly an incredibly wild and crazy story and it is a great outlook on learning about it.
DeleteI think the argument that was most compelling to me was about learning from our mistakes as a society. Despite the huge improvements in our country's past, we still have so far to go. The best way to know what to do is to see the how to avoid mistakes, and use strategies, that were done in the past. Seeing the causes and effects of of events in history helps us find patterns that are visible in current times. It is only by finding these patterns that we can better our world.
ReplyDeleteI agree. To quote George Santayana, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."
DeleteI agree wholeheartedly. I believe that learning history is the most effective way of avoiding mistakes while at the same time growing as a civilization.
DeleteI strongly agree with the first argument, that history is important to learn because it's our past, and part of our collective story. In order to understand our current situations we also need to learn about prior events, and what lead us to where we are. If we focus on the present only, we're setting ourselves up to face preventable failures. Our future becomes considerably darker if we don't let history, and past events, guide and influence our decisions.
ReplyDeleteThe argument that I found the most compelling was the first argument, that history is filled with the stories of the US and stories of our people. All of these stories and adventures are what makes America what it is today. It's interesting to learn about the different stages that our people have been through throughout the past. It's important to learn about history and these stories to realize past mistakes and build off of them.
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DeleteI found the first argument the most compelling and the most agreeable was because it brings up the fact that history is more than the past but it is the collection of stories that we share with each other and the fact that we have to understand the stories that we collect to understand why they happen and how can we avoid repeating the same mistakes as our predecessors.
DeleteI found the first argument the most compelling since it argued that our past, and all the stories that go with it are what make up history. It further stated that history is taught SPECIFICALLY so its worst moments don't repeat themselves. In my personal opinion, If we didn't learn from our mistakes through history, humankind wouldn't exist.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with this but I do also believe that the other arguments are important as well.
DeleteI think that the third argument was the most convincing. It is extremely important that we learn from history and past mistakes by others before us. To make the same mistakes as others have hundreds of years ago is a complete waste of time and energy that could be used to improve life for people in the future. While knowing your identity is important, being efficient with the time you have on this planet might rank a bit higher.
ReplyDeleteSorry I didn't include my name above, It's Aislinn Moloney
DeleteThe reason I find most compelling was that we do not want to keep making the same mistakes that we did in the past, so understanding what happened will allow us to know what went wrong and how it went wrong so we can prevent us from doing it again.
ReplyDeleteI agree. It's incredibly important to know our past.
DeleteHistory is important to learn because it often repeats itself and with education the chances of repeating awful historic events becomes more unlikely.
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