Why History Education Matters

History, along with the other humanities, is suffering not only an identity crisis, but also a crisis of conscience. People are not excited to learn history and that's due, in large part, to history educators not being excited about their profession as well as them not progressing with the times.

When I was a student in middle school and high school, I loathed history. I preferred math and English over memorizing dates and names that I would forget the next week. I didn't associate the skills needed to do well in history with my future success. This is where history education has it all wrong.

People live in the present. With technology, you could even say that people live in the future. History, however, is the study of the past. It's no wonder why people don't like history and refuse to take history education seriously. Why devote any time to the past when we can barely keep up with the present, let alone worry about the future?

All subjects need to inherently justify worth to their students. The widely accepted subjects–history is certainly one of them–attracts those who like the information and modes of thought involved. Yet, more and more students today are less spontaneously drawn to subjects that they can't see a purpose to. As of now, history is not doing a good job in creating this purpose.

Historians can't get you more followers on social media, aggregate news feeds more efficiently, optimize your personal healthcare needs, or defend you in court. In a culture that expects everything to fill a void or serve a useful purpose, history's worth can seem antiquated. However and despite our everything-at-the-touch-of-a-button society, history is, in fact, indispensable. While the products of historical study are less tangible and immediate than other disciplines, they are no less integral to our future.

History used to justify its place in education, but that justification is long outdated. Earlier leaders believed that knowledge of certain facts helped distinguish the educated from the uneducated. A student who could rattle off the signers of the Declaration of Independence or how long Genghis Khan's empire lasted for was deemed superior in our society–a better suit and candidate. In fact, knowledge of historical facts has been used as a screening device in many societies, from China to the United States. For decades, this encouraged mindless memorization as well as a high attrition rate.

History should be studied because it's essential to both individuals and society at large. History is a beautiful and truthful account of us. History helps us better understand other people and societies that are different than us. History contributes to the collective moral understanding; history is teaching by example and it can illustrate lessons in courage and protest. History provides identity, which is unquestionably its most admirable trait. Lastly, history is essential for good citizenship because it provides a lens as to how your society formed and where you fit into it–and if that's right and just.

So, I ask you, why is history education important? Do you not think it important to have access to the only laboratory of human experience?