Why Read America History?
When studying American history you will learn many things about our nation and ourselves. In fact, there are many points of view and conflicts that shaped us into the people and nation we are today. Many Americans consider their history books to be vital pieces of learning tools. Students who study this time period avidly gain knowledge and a deeper understanding of the people and their experiences in our nation’s history. Learning about our past is one way to learn about our country and how we came to be what we are today.
When examining American history there are many types of studies you can undertake. One is studying American history through the lens of a particular writer. There have been many popular authors who have chronicled our country’s history through their written works. This would include such authors as Mark Twain, Herman Melville and E.L. James. These great authors gave us a glimpse into our past and a glimpse into the lives of others during this tumultuous time in our nation’s history.
Another way to look at American history is through the eyes of a nation. In this case the writer or researcher will look at the people and nations of the United States through the viewpoints of a outsider looking in. The outside observer is able to look at things from the American perspective and gives us insights into how we may view certain events or situations in our own country. For example, if an American national failed to achieve its goals during a time frame of many years in the past the outsider looking in will look at the failure in the context of their own time frame and try to understand how it happened.
A third way to look at American history is the micro perspective. In this case the author looks at things from the smallest details to the largest events. For example, in looking at a small event in time, such as the individual choosing to buy a particular book in a store, the author analyzes every aspect of that book from cover to cover and notes what it says. From this information the author can then work with others to form opinions on why the individual made that choice. All aspects of the book are considered here, not just the sales price.
These are just a few examples of how one can form an opinion on America history. There have been many books written on the topic, and more will be written in the future. It is up to each individual to look at America through their own unique lenses and come up with their own conclusions and explanations as to what the facts really are.
As with any subject there are both good and bad interpretations of the information. One must remember that these are only opinions, and even though some facts may prove to be wrong, these are still important lessons for today. As with any history lesson, one must consider all sides of the argument before coming to a conclusion. In America’s case, there were many different interpretations of history, but one thing that stand firm is that no matter how the facts were interpreted, America was built on values that are still live in our society today. This means that it is important to learn the good from the bad and to learn from history.