Never cared for History class in grade school

My interest in history was tickled by some well written historical novels. It didn't bloom till college, which was decades after high school, which was boring indeed.

Have always loved history, since earliest childhood. Like Roger, I think I was interested in it at first from reading fiction. When you hear about knights in shining armor and gunfighters of the Old West, you want to know something more about the environments they operated in. (I did, anyway.) My love of Western movies as a little kid turned into a keen interest in the history of the settlement of the American West. My reading of literature about King Arthur and his knights of the Round Table turned into an interest in the historical background which made these mythic figures so potent. And so on. No, CI, I've been a history freak since time out of mind. Interestingly, though, I never took a single history course at University level beyond what was absolutely required for graduation. Everything I know comes from independent reading and study.

I love history - although, interestingly, not Australian so very much(blush) - probably because it was so abysmally taught in school.

I have historical interests that closely follow my literary or personal ones- so I know heaps about Tudor England, for instance - and used to know a lot of ancient Greek history, but not so much now.

Writers like Robert Graves and, in the case of "Julian", Gore Vidal, have also kindled interest.

If you do not have some at least basic grasp of history it would seem to me that you are like a blind person groping your way through life with no assistance - that is you know how to survive, but little of the world.

But that is just me!

er -I don't mean blind people are like that - I am imagining a blind person brought up with no help or contact with others!

I didn't like history until college. I had a professor who used to give us juicy tidbits about history- like Lincoln owned most of the whore houses in Illinois. Much more interesting that memorizing dates. Really piqued my interest- His asides made history LIVE!

I literally grew up with history:
since the time I could walk, I had to join (later: joined) my father and his older friend for a Sunday morning walk. Which always ended in our local museum, since my father (a pneumologist) was the editor of a local history magazine, his friend (a dentist) the chairman of the local history society (followed up by my father).

At an age of about 15, I did historical town tours and acted as a museum guide.

Our history lessons at school generally were great - only pre-war teachers did it the "learning-figures-way" - and more or less scientific.

Although it actually wasn't my first choice, I later studied history (actually twice, since I didn't finish it in my "former life" [= "alcoholic time"]).

When i was seven years of age, my grandfather gave The Outline of History, by H. G. Wells--not only have i been hooked ever since, but, the quality of what i've read, as well as the long and enlightening explanations my grandfather was always willing to give combined to make me a more discerning student of the subject.

Re: this thing about having to learn dates, names etc. I am the world's worst mathematician, absolutely no head for figures. I carry a little pocket calculator with me wherever I go, because I can't even add or subtract in my head. And yet, dates have never given me a bit of trouble. Years of significance -- 800 c.e., 1066, 1492, 1620, 1776, 1914, 1848, 1917, wtc. etc. etc. -- mention any of these and immediate images are conjured up in mind -- Charleagne crowned Holy Roman Emperor, Battle of Hastings etc, etc, I don't know why that is, but I've always wanted to now precisely when something happened because it puts the whole thing into context. I catch anachronistic errors in movies. "Hey, wait a minute! In 1066, knights didn't wear tunics over their armor. That style didn't come in until after the Crusades, Firstcrusade, 1099. This is messed up."

Wow, I'm very impressed by all the contributions from all of you! I sort of knew that Walter was a history buff, but how he got exposed to history is so unique, I"m glad he shared it with us. I believe most of us have a disinterest in history until late in life when it makes an impact by reading novels or seeing movies, and we connect the dots.... During the past several years, I have included some historical information in my vacation photo albums. The history of Europe is so dynamic, because so many different empires ruled most parts of that continent. Even the Ottoman Empire had exposure in the southeast of Europe, and the Mongols into eastern Europe. It's so fascinating now, it's a shame our teachers in grade school didn't know how to make history more interesting. c.i.

We are what history has made of us, and our history is the future. Our values and laws didn't just happen, they evolved from "practical" solutions to immediate problems. How shall a group responde to challenge? Technology and even some values change, but human nature does not.

Effective decision-making requires a clear understanding of each element of the problem, and a realistic assesment of the probabilities offered by varied alternatives. Humans are almost always the hardest variable to factor in. If you would understand human behavior, then History is your best teacher.

Of course, I'm biased.

Asherman, I don't think, IMHO, what history has made us, but how we made history. Our environment is a conglomeration of everything that has an impact on it, and it's a dynamic interaction of influences of cultures, laws and/or regulations, religions, government, educational system, health system, sanitation, availability of food and water, and many others. I agree with your statement, "Humans are almost always the hardest variable to factor in." However, I must disagree that "History is our best teacher." Man has not learned that war is one of the worst ways to settle political disagreements. c.i.

Not original, but worth remembering --

History repeats itself, first as tragedy, then as farce.

Asherman is right. History IS our best teacher. That we don't learn isn't always the fault of the teacher. The student must take SOME reposnibility here.

History was always my favorite class so when I decided I might try college in 1980 after a field trip with my daughter to Gettysburg I enrolled in American History 101 at the local community college. I am so lucky my professor was and exchange prof from the University of Edinburgh - he obtained his Phd from Johns Hopkins in colonial american history and only taught grad school in Scotland. How hard was that class, yikes, how much did I learn tons and from the European point of view.

I enjoyed history at school. One of my favorite subjects.
Toying with the timeline was always fascinating.

In High School, my point of view of history changed drammatically. I grew less interested in individuals, heroics and important moments, and more in the gradual changes of society; on how apparently small turnovers are the key to big transformations.

On the related discussión, we are made by history and we make history at the same time. If we don't understand our past, we may as well be doomed to repeat it.
Merry Andrew said it well: we must learn from the teacher.
History is looking back, but looking back while running towards the future.

One more point, about history and economics.

I don't understand why so little stress is put on history, in American economic universities. Economics deal with society, with real people with historically defined needs, not only with variables and "logical" assumptions.

well you know they always say unasked question is the only
stupid question - so here goes:


I heard on the radio the other day that, someone visited WashingtonDC
and the Smithsonian Institute, they mentioned and I don't have specifics or details, but American History is undergoing some change or rewriting??

Uh...can you be a little more specific, Husker? I'm not sure what it is that you heard on the radio.

History?
I never liked history in grade or high school. Only recently, have I taken any interest in history.

I've loved history since I was a little kid. Properly written and properly taught it's as compelling as any fictional adventure tale ever published. I happened to have thereafter been blessed with several history teachers who had both a flair for teaching and an obvious love of the subject. I still enjoy a good history book today as a recreational read and I've passed my love of history on to my kids. My middle son read all three volumes of Shelby Foote's The Civil War (after I was through, of course) at age 10!