Why History Rocks

For many, history conjures up visions of dusty old men, teaching in dusty old classrooms about dusty old top-ics while their students battle with boredom and sleep as they head-nod their way through the class. I couldn’t disagree more. History is often failed in the way that it is taught at lower levels. It often becomes about memorizing names and dates, and, while names and dates are wildly important, they are better placed in the context ofHistory as a story. I have been an avid reader of stories since I was a child, I would say I have a passion for stories and story-telling, and I can say with confidence that there is no human mind that could concoct a story greater than the story of humanity itself: History.

The names and dates that so often are the locus of boredom and ire are placeholders, characters and context for a story so great that its study will never end. Romance, sacrifice, betrayal, war, intrigue, disease and more:the story of history is everything every good story has and more.

Indeed, within history,of which we can never be fully aware of, there is a story for everyone. If you like the court intrigue seen in “Game ofThrones,” read the story of the Roman Emperor Nero and his murderous mother. If you want warfare, read about any of the great Roman campaigns. If a love story is something you look for, look no further than many of the scandals in medieval Britain. I could go on forever.

For me, the story of the Roman civilization has captivated me from before I can remember and only gets more interesting as I age. I know that if it is taught incorrectly, history can seem boring or unimportant,but when it is taught with accuracy and passion, it quickly becomes clear that it is the greatest story ever written.