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Visiting Historians in Far Away Lands
Toni Girlinghouse
March 05 2014
Professor Sumner
DeVry University

Visiting Historians in Far Away Lands 2
Visiting Historians in Far Away Lands It is both necessary and helpful to study the context of prior history because by doing this we can understand who we are, and where we stand to other cultures, countries and people. By studying the history of others beliefs and opinions we can learn more about their views and standpoints and experiences. We study the history of others and ourselves to help us in learning more about their countries and their lives and what they have been through. If we do not study others background and history, then how would we know anything about what others have been through and help us understand why they view our country and us like they do. If there was no history from any country then how would we know where we came from and what it took to build our country, just like what it took or takes to build their country? What they may have suffered through, what they are still going through, what their beliefs on religion and life are. By studying other countries history we can learn why they had wars, what caused these wars and who was involved in them and who helped settle them. Without history we would not know any of this, history is just that history. There are many great leaders in these countries and we would not even know that without history. History is very important, “It has been said that he who controls the past controls the future. Our view of history shapes the way we view the present, and therefore it dictates what answers we offer for existing problems. History is a story about the past that is significant and true.” Crabtree, (2003).
Visiting Historians in Far Away Lands 3 The study of history and participants, help us understand where we came from and what happened in our past to get us where we are. The participants in history teach us about who was right and who was wrong. Why wars were fought and by whom, what happened to their lives and countries who were the leaders at that time, were they good or bad, were they sane or insane, were their ideas just or not. Wars that have been fought since the beginning of time. They are part of history that we must know. What did we learn from them, were they purposeful, did they accomplish anything at all. Who were they, such as Abraham Lincoln, Mahatma Gandhi, Adolf Hitler, Winston Churchill and even Genghis Khan? Did we learn anything from these wars, were they necessary or just power struggles. Some wars were started because of pride and greed for more. The participants in these wars were not just the leaders but the people of these countries, and therefore, you have to understand if the really wanted war or were they forced into war. Were these people fighting for a cause that they understood? We know that some were and some were not. We know that some were just forced to fight and only wanted to be left alone in peace. Instead they lost their families, homes, dignity, culture, and history of their own. Many foreigners escaped to the United States over time just to have peace and freedom. The people lost so much and you have to know that they were brought to their knees, but many rose up and continued to fight for their country even when they didn’t understand what they were fighting for. It is sad that these people gave up so much and yet never really accomplished what they were promised by their leaders. So what we have to know and understand is were all these Visiting Historians in Far Away Lands 4 wars necessary, therefore that is why we have history and need to understand history. To teach us these very important lessons and to go in the future and where not to go. History makes up the world, the whole world. From foreign countries to ours. It teaches us what we need to know about others and their thoughts. We must know all history so that we can continue forward and continue making history, both good and bad, so that all ancestors and future generations to come will know and understand what is needed in the future to continue history.

Visiting Historians in Far Away Lands 5
References

Crabtree, D., (2003) - Gutenberg College Great Books. msc.gutenberg.edu/authors/david-crabtree Moss, G. D. (2010). VIETNAM, An American Ordeal (6th ed.) Pearson Education Inc. Upper Saddle River, NJ.
The Importance of History - Gutenberg College Great Books.
msc.gutenberg.edu/2001/02/the-importance-of-history

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