How many times have you heard the proverb that those who don't learn history are doomed to repeat it? I've usually heard it in the context of a conversation about historical illiteracy--the fact that most people really know nothing about history whatsoever. People say it, and that seems to be the end of the conversation; somehow, that statement is final, and concludes that everyone should learn history so they don't make the same mistakes.
That's definitely important, but it's not why I love history as much as I do. It's important to understand the origins of history itself to know why it's worth studying.
The Greeks were the first to really perform history. See, the Greek word for history means inquiry. When we study history we shouldn't be studying names and dates, but inquiring into the causes and reasons behind everything is the point. Why know that Lincoln was shot if you don't know why?
That's what distinguishes history from other things we do. Math provides direct answers the same way every time. The natural sciences ask how something happens. Only history, done properly, asks why.
I love asking why. There's got to be a reason for everything. Why did the Puritans land in America? If you just know that they did and don't know why, what use does that have for your life? There is none. The statement that those who don't learn history are doomed to repeat it is true. However, the way it is often used, it is not enough. It should not be enough to know names and dates.
Knowing that the Puritans landed in the early 17th century, that John Winthrop was the first governor, and that Mrs. Ann Hutchinson was put on trial for false teachings is not of use. Understanding that the Puritans wanted to found a religious utopia, a religious version of Aristotle's polis, a community where all were in agreement and all could worship their God as one Church--that's important. Understanding how we got from the trial of Ann Hutchinson to the First Amendment is important.
That's why history is important. We need to know not only what happened but why. History, done right, is more like philosophy with really cool stories attached. Who doesn't like a cool story? History is full of crazy, amusing, or sad things that have really happened. A Jewish woman really nailed an enemy commander's head to the ground while he slept (that's Biblical). The Archduke Franz Ferdinand, whose death kickstarted World War I, was actually unpopular and ordinary; he just happened to be the impetus for the largest war to that point. Pocahontas, whose real name was Matoaka, really was a lot younger than John Smith, married John Rolfe (another Englishman), renamed herself Rebecca, and died of unknown causes at about twenty years old.
The more you know, right? Cool stories and learning why things happen the way they do; what what more could you want?
