By: Michael Mclean, Class of 2014
I still remember the first day of my freshmen year history class in High School. The question on the board was, “Why do we study history?” I could not think of an answer. Our teacher went on to list a number of cliches: history repeats itself, we are who we were, and so on. However, it was not long before he revealed the numerous connections between past events and contemporary problems. It was at this moment that I began to understand the importance of studying history.  A society that does not understand its history is like a human with no memory. You cannot know where you are or where you are going of you do not know where you have been. Furthermore, history is perhaps the most holistic subject. History is not limited to names and dates, but encompasses science, math, philosophy, analytical skills, sociology, and language. I believe that history must reassert its importance and inclusive nature if we are to succeed as a society. Only by fully investing in such an undertaking can we begin to address immense problems in a troubled and changing world. For these reasons, I chose history as my major.