7 Important Reasons to Take an Interest in History ...

There are many reasons to take an interest in history. You may have been put off the subject at school, but history is actually really fascinating. It just has to be taught the right way! Plus if you read up on it yourself you can learn so much about fascinating people and interesting events. Here are some important reasons to take an interest in history …

1 Important

One of the reasons to take an interest in history is that it's important to learn about the past. If you think that it doesn't matter what dead people did, think again. History is relevant to today as we do not live in isolation from the past but are connected to it. Think of the famous phrase, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."

2 It's Fascinating

Do you think that history is dull? You're so wrong! It's absolutely fascinating. You just need to find the aspect of history that intrigues you. It might be royalty, women in history, battles or buildings. What's certain is that there is something that will make you want to read everything you can find on the subject. Remember that one day we will be someone else's history, and you don't think our lives and times are boring, do you?

3 People like Us

Sure, our lives are very different from our ancestors. But in many ways, people in the past were just like us. They looked after their families, had feelings, worried about outside events and enjoyed entertainment. Realising how alike we are gives us a sense of connection to the past, and suddenly history isn't so far removed from us.

4 Extraordinary People

Like us, most people in the past led ordinary, undistinguished lives. This in itself can still be interesting. But there are also many remarkable people who stand out for their personalities or achievements. History has many intriguing characters such as explorers, heroes, kings and villains. It can be interesting to find out that some people did not deserve their reputation - history is as much the story of the people who wrote it as what they wrote about.

5 Varied

With all the thousands of years of history, there's still always something new to discover about the past. That's in addition to all the things that we already know. History is so varied - you can read about a country, an individual, an era, war, food, money, costume, books, medicine … You'll never run out of things to learn!

6 Entertaining

If you've always thought that history is the most tedious topic there is, then you've clearly never watched Horrible Histories. This BBC series aimed to make history appealing to children, and in the process entertained many adult viewers as well. All the content is presented in the form of sketches, covering everything from ancient Greece to the Second World War. And the information is pretty accurate as well

7 Understanding the World

So much of what happens today is related to things that happened in the past. Learning about history helps us understand the world we live in today; without that, we have no idea why things are the way they are. Imagine trying to understand your own country without knowing what happened 50, 100 or 200 years ago …

I hope I've convinced you that history isn't a boring subject! In fact, it's fun, surprising, sad and astounding. I love reading books and articles about history, and learning new facts. It's best to turn to books if you want to learn about history, as much of the 'history' content on the Internet is inaccurate. Which historical figure would you like to meet - or even to be?