Why History Matters: Roots Of Tomorrow

“Those who fail to learn from history are bound to repeat it.” The first time I heard about this phrase was during my high school days. It was in an episode in a Nickelodeon show- School of Rock. The importance of history cannot be overstated, sadly, its benefits are overlooked in many countries. For instance, history wasn’t part of my subjects in elementary school. They prioritized other subjects like math, English, Agriculture, and so on. Of course, these topics are very important, but history as a subject is likewise important. As I matured and got into high school, history wasn’t a subject. My school was pretty standard, but due to reasons best known to them, history wasn’t part of our subjects. Throughout high school, my school never brought in history as a subject but focused on other subjects. However, the school offered government and civic education. To some extent, these subjects taught us about history, but in the political setting. For example, I got to know about the first president of my country, his flaws, achievements, and downfalls.

Interestingly, during the Covid period, I developed a keen interest in so many things. We were all locked up doing nothing, and I seized that opportunity to learn about new things. Thankfully, YouTube and so many websites came in handy for me. I explored every nook and cranny of YouTube and these websites. Since I had an interest in politics, I took the vivid period to learn about the history of the system of government in my country and other countries, particularly the United States and some other African countries. I also learned about the modern era and how our forefathers developed things and survived. So, when it comes to history, I can boldly say I am pretty knowledgeable in some fields.

As I mentioned earlier, it is sad that in many countries, history is not a subject that is taken seriously in the school curriculum. Today’s topic of Hive Learner’s prompts asks us if we agree with this idea. To put it clearly, I don’t. History should be one of the top subjects that should be taught at all levels of education. There are several reasons why history as a subject in schools is important.

To start with, it helps students know the origin and development of key discoveries. Let us use the development of Penicillin as a case study. Before the modern era, when people, particularly soldiers, sustained injuries and got infected, the best resort was to amputate the infected hand or leg to prevent the infection from spreading. However, with the development of penicillin, mankind learnt how to combat infections instead of amputating body parts. Thanks to history, people, particularly students, now know the development of key discoveries like penicillin, and other scientific or technological innovations.

Moving on, learning history helps repeat mistakes. Those who fail to learn about history are bound to repeat it. According to George Santayana, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” Let’s take this to a simpler level. One of the vices that has led to the death of many youths is addiction. Failing to learn about past experiences of people who suffered from addiction leads to repeated cycles. Many people in history have suffered from addiction. Thanks to history people, particularly students, know about the experiences of people who have suffered from addiction and learn from them.

Also, learning about history helps students preserve their culture. Our culture is an important part of our lives. Learning about our culture helps us connect to our roots, and know who we are and what makes us special.

Thanks for reading.