why study history (cp)

Why Study History?

First, What is History?

What is your definition of history? An account or version of the past based on

the historical (or written) record Different accounts or versions often conflict

The Centuries:Think of a number line

• BC/AD• Before Christ / Anno

Domini• 1 AD = Birth of

Christ• Calendar system

developed by Catholic monk roughly 300 years after death of Christ

• BCE/CE• Before Common Era /

Common Era• Secular (non-religious)

way to denote year• Either system equally

appropriate (personal preference)

• To express century, add 1 to beginning of year (2006 = 21st c.)

• 1500 BCE = 16th c.

Vs.

Is it 2006 CE for everyone?

No! Note the years on the following traditional calendars:

• Islam: 1427• China: 4704• Judaism: 5766

So, then: why do we study history?

Because it’s fascinating…

How were the Pyramids built?

How did the Sphinx lose his nose?

How many people did it take to build the Great Wall of China?

What were the Crusades like?

It’s fun to transport oneself back into history…

What will our impact be on the future?

Because it tells us the story of real people…

Ancient EgyptianHieroglyphs

Roman Baths…

Food

Types of Housing

Writing

What we are doing this century…

Traffic and Pollution in Cairo

Past heroes can be today’s role

models…

Because problem solving of the past provides insight for

today…

Because the spread of democracy requires informed citizens…

Because the past has an impact on us

today…

Would our country have been founded by Muslims not Christians?

What would modern cities look like without the invention of skyscrapers?

How would we get around?

Would we be interacting on a global scale?

History is impacted by religion…

Because we learn from

our past mistakes…

Wars…

Genocide

Nuclear Weapons…

What will history say are the mistakes of today?

• Iraqi war?• Sudanese genocide?• Burning of the rainforest?• Car pollution?• Election of President Clinton?

George W. Bush?• China’s rapid modernization?• Three Gorges Dam?

Only time will answer these questions.

Because we interact with people around the

world…

The Olympics

Bedouin on a cell phone...

UN General Assembly

Arab League

G-8 Summit

We are a world of diversity…

And, this is where our journey begins!