Today is the 160^th Anniversary of the first day of the battle of Gettysburg. Thinking about all of the events planned in town to commemorate the event also prompts us to ponder the questions Why care? Why study history? Today’s Mewsing suggests a few answers.

Where We Come From

Some parents hope their kids will follow in their footsteps. When we study history, we are like those kids, looking to our forebears to learn who we are, in this case as citizens of the United States.

On the flip side, other parents hope their kids will not make the same mistakes as they did. Looking to the past allows us to learn from the mistakes of past generations, just as future generations will hopefully learn from our mistakes.

We should look at both sides of this coin as we study history. An emphasis on one over the other will lead us to either idolize and sugarcoat the past or throw our entire history in the trashcan.

Perspective to Understand and Evaluate Our Own Time

An even balance when studying history leads to perspective. Learning about past events can help us to understand and evaluate the times and world we live in. Nothing happens in a vacuum, and it helps to understand what led up to an event, past or present. It can lend insight into what could happen in the future, based on past courses of events. This can prompt us to encourage or change current trends, or it can reassure us that things like this have happened before and folks have made it through.

Who We Are (National “Genealogy”) and How Experiences Have Shaped Our Nation

An important reason to study history is to learn our “genealogy” as a nation. On a personal level, it can be interesting to study genealogy and learn where our family came from, what occupations the individuals held, where they lived, and so forth. Have your family’s generations moved around a lot? Or did they stay in one town for generation after generation? So too, it can be interesting to see what led to the forming of our nation, what prompted various actions and events, and so forth.

This can also lead us to see how experiences have shaped the country, just as our own personal experiences shape us. For example, our reaction to something might be shaped by how we were raised, the current stress in our lives, and how much coffee we have had so far today. When studying history, we might ask what experiences, big or small, influenced or prompted an event.

Motivations and Examples

Studying the human stories—individuals, and not just broader concepts and movements—can inspire or teach us to be better people ourselves. As children, we learn by watching older kids and adults. So too, we can learn from the examples in history, both good and bad.

But because human beings are complex, we need to recognize that an individual can have both aspects to emulate and to avoid. So for example, a brilliant army commander can have a dubious character. But his personal life or beliefs don’t mean we cannot admire his leadership or tactical prowess. Likewise, his skill as a military leader does not mean we need to applaud his beliefs or personal character.

Looking at what drove people to act helps us to understand what was important to them. We should then evaluate whether or not those ideals, goals, and convictions are still important today, particularly if people were willing to die for them. We also need to realize that motives are often complex and multi-layered, as people do “what they need to,” to get “what they want.” So, while we might not agree with a particular motivation or action, we might agree with the broader concept underlying it, or vice versa.

As you study history, no matter the subject and aspect, remember that our job as students of the past is to evaluate what we read and not to blindly embrace or discard a person, event, culture, or time period as a whole.

So, read some history today! Pick out the good and admirable, learn from the bad, and appreciate the work of previous generations who were living their lives the best they could, day-by-day, just as we are.

If the idea of reading history scares you, try out our book! (Available here or here.) Yes, that’s a shameless plug, but hey, it’s easy to read and chockful of pictures of cats!