Lesson 4: Why Study HIstory?

Here are some articles online that talk about the reasons to study history.

Why Study History

Nothing is more dangerous to the survival of a free Western society than the increasing neglect of history in our teaching and our interests. Dictators always attempt to distort or abolish history. Nowhere has the rewriting and the manipulation of history been more avidly pursued than in Soviet Russia.

Why Study HIstory?

"Ever since the Reformation, the attack on the Faith has been principally conducted on the field of history...The time has come for us to take the counter-offensive; for, with the expansion of historical knowledge, history is now with us. Truth confirms truth." Hilaire Belloc

Why Study History?

Studying history gives us a certain amount of perspective when considering happenings today. The perspective we gain from studying history, of course, also inspires us with the stories of people in other times who have acted heroically in the face of great obstacles. ....
We know that life experience tends to develop wisdom. We value the input of older relatives and friends who contribute wisdom and insight to our questions and problems. To a certain extent, studying history allows us to tap into some of that "life experience" for ourselves.

Reclaiming the Historical Imagination

“whatever is not ancient is soon old.” GK Chesterton

Why Christians Should Study History

every Christian is by necessity a historian, a student and transmitter of history, for her Faith is at heart, a historical religion. At its core lies the affirmation that the eternal, trans-historical God, the Maker and Sustainer of human history, became a part of that history....

Christianity therefore calls her to believe not merely in a series of abstract intellectual principles and moral precepts (the existence of God, human dignity and freedom, the demand for justice), but in a constellation of historical assertions, centering on Christ, but extending to preceding Jewish and Gentile history and to the subsequent history of the Church, the community of Christian believers that Christ Himself founded to continue His work.

Go to OTHER RESOURCES

Lesson 4 -- Introduction, History of Civilization

(On the right -- Clio, by Vermeer)

Today, take a look at The History of Civilization.

First, look at the front cover which has a chronology of major dates. Read the note on page vi which explains why it's there and how it can be used.

Look at the list of authors. Here is some information about Crane Brinton, the main author.

Look at the Contents. This year we will only read up to the end of Unit III, about the Romans.

Read The Uses of History, pages 3-7. It is probably more difficult going than Warren Carroll's introduction. See if you can find some of the key ideas -- why does Mr Brinton think history is worth studying?

Who is the Greek muse of History according to the essay?

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