What should be the purpose of teaching history?

Question

What should be the purpose of teaching history?

Answer 1

So that people learn the real truths about what happened in the past.  To bad we don't have any true history classes anywhere in the United States- all we have are lies and a slanted misrepresentation of historical facts. Brainwashing classes is what they are really.

Answer 2

The purpose it to know where we came from which will help us to see what we've done right and what we've done wrong so we can better ourselves as people and a nation.

Answer 3

1) learn the history's experiences n moments!

2) how to handle problem by using the history ways!

3) know the ppl who sacrificed for our countries! n              

    appreciate them !

4) many more!

but i think mostly ppl hates history! like my friend. she got 20% for her history! oh, god!

Answer 4

to torture kids..

i hate history.. :p

because history relates to everything...

without learning and understanding the past, it's hard to advance for the future

Answer 5

WOW!  I love this question!  Why teach History???  We as humans have an inate need to know and understand what went on before us.  What did you mom or dad do when they were your age?  What kinds of activities did you participate in at my age?  Stuff like that, on a very personal level.  But on a community (worldwide, human) level, what happened before I was born?  There are many people who do not learn from the mistakes of those who have gone before them, there are millions of others who did learn something.  Our current Iraqi War situation is going to one day be studied as "History."  This current political season will certainly go down in the books as one of the most interesting.  But why should we care?

We cannot live in a bubble!  What each of us does, or doesn't do, affects or effects someone or many someones.  No choice we make will only affect or effect us.  I defy you think of one!  (I am not talking about whether or not to choose bubble gum over spearmint!)  The lack of choice also affects or effects others.  So whether or not the choice is very small, or monumental, someone will be affected or effected.  ( I will stop that now, you know what I am saying!)

I have seen many questions here asking "What do you think would have happened if Hitler had been successful?"  What would America look like if Martin Luther King, Jr. had not been killed?   on and on.  These exercises are not about actual history, they are exercises in cognitive thinking, and though interesting, they really don't change the facts at all!

Now when questions like "What is the greatest invention?"  In order to answer this question you would have to know the history of some important inventions.  Was it the printing press?  Without that, literacy might have taken longer to achieve!  Was it the wheel?  How would life have been changed if the wheel had never been invented?  Was it the discovery of penicillin?  Was it the exploration of the world by the European explorers?  Again, on and on.  These questions can only be answered if one goes back to their history books, in order to find the answers.  Why did these men leave their homes for the unknown?  How did it affect the rest of the world?  

I believe I have belabored this point long enough.  Suffice it to say that the purpose of teaching  History, at least in my opinion is to learn about where we came from, and where we have been, and what we have become!  Perhaps, even learn a little bit along the way, and maybe even learn from others mistakes, or their successes.  Once again, thank you for the question.

Answer 6

I think it should be to ensure that everyone is informed of past events so that they know how the world came to be in it's current state and so that they know what the future may hold or at least be able to explain/understand future events because they are informed of what led up to a particular event.

Answer 7

I think the current presidential race gives us great examples.  Obama thinks Iran is not an important country (or at least he did) and McCain thinks Czechoslovakia is still a country in Europe.  If the leaders of our country make such trivial mistakes, it would appear we must be missing the boat somewhere.

I majored in history, but only taught it one year.  I wound up in early childhood.  I found that the high school administration did not value social studies.  I still think they are devalued,and that is a shame.  

If we do not know how our country was formed and why and what the important first documents say, we are in a sad fix.   I hear so many ignorant statements made on TV and so much arguing.  Who does research any more?