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Peter Stearns: What Is History Important?

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“What is history?” Recently that is a question which has been asked in class, but what is the answer? Well, I am no expert but to me history covers everything that has happened in the past. For example, everyone knows that the Vietnam war is history, but history could also be something as simple as when you brushed your teeth this morning. So, since history is a mixture of everything made up from the past, then why is it important? In an online article, Peter Stearns, has certain reasons why he believes history is important and I agree with his answers. One reason why he believes history is important, is because he says that history helps us to better understand the people and the societies of both the past and the present. I find this to …show more content…

One-way history was taught to me was through school. I grew up learning about presidents, wars, battles, and other significant matters that formed America into what it is today. Another way history was taught to me was through church. Whenever, I went to church we would read out of the Bible and learn lessons and stories from it. The way I was taught history goes right along with what Lerner wrote, the dead continue to live through the stories we tell. History began as word of mouth and then formed to ways of writing and being able to record it that we have today. If I were told that I had to be a historian, I believe I would begin to look up the origins of waitressing. I am a current waitress so I believe that it would be interesting to learn more about who the first person to be a waitress/waiter. I might look up things such as the first restaurant to ever open and the salary of the first waitress. Did they split their tips or did they keep them for themselves? I believe that would also be an interesting story share with my customers. In conclusion, History is so much more than just dates on a calendar, history is everything that has formed us into who we are today. History does not have to be limited to one thing history accounts for numerous amounts of

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