English 49 Essay

English 49

Why do we find ourselves asleep half the time during history class? Is it because of the long drawn-out process of cramming dates and events into our heads within an hour and half? Perhaps history would be more exciting if we students were given the opportunity of learning history from different perspectives. Fortunately, that opportunity is granted in these current times. How we perceive history is subjective but we’re taught to learn it in a repetitive way in our K to 12 education system. I find it fascinating to learn history from different perspectives because it teaches students to engage in written material and dive deeper into our country’s historical roots; it makes us aware of different cultures and beliefs; and ultimately it teaches us to learn from our past mistakes. Examples of our mistakes would be our struggle over human rights and communism, and history evidently tells us that humans by nature are greedy and controlled by emotion, which is why communism could never work and the fight over human rights still exists today.
Dating back to my K to 12 days as a student, history was a significant portion taught in my classes. My teachers taught us early on that without history, our present would not exist today. Why? I learned that WE ARE the past. That means all events that has occurred, and that are happening now, shapes the present and future. With that said, history guides us on how we decide to live our lives. As impulsive as this may sound, but did you know that our Founding Fathers loved to drink alcohol? Two days before signing the U.S. Constitution, the 55 delegates to the Constitutional Convention partied at tavern. If we take a look back at the bill, more than 100 alcoholic beverages were used at the party. History teaches us to see both side of the coin, whether it’s good or bad, looking at both sides makes learning history more exciting and surreal.
When we hear history, we also envision different cultures and beliefs. We all have a story to share and a struggle to overcome. When Rosa Parks sat down on that GM transit bus in 1955 and was arrested for not giving up her seat to a white person, history captured that and so did the many people during those times. A person once said that we don’t see light the same way, and this holds truth to some degree. It’s important to learn history from the many perspectives that we have today because not all people come from the same background or origin. As Cesar Chavez once said, “It is possible to become discouraged about the injustice we see everywhere. But God did not promise us that the world would be humane or just. He gives us the gift of life and allows us to choose the way we will use our limited time on earth. It is an awesome opportunity.”
I’m a great advocate in learning from our mistakes and social justice. I’m proud to say that America still is considered one of the greatest leading nations in the world, but that title alone doesn’t shield us from making the biggest mistakes in history. A prime example of this is the war in Vietnam from 1955 to 1975 which resulted for more than 50,000 American deaths; most say that Lyndon Johnson was one of the main causes of the war because of the advice he disregarded from Douglas MacArthur. Back home we had other facing issues of our own; we had the Mexican Civil Rights Movement also happening. Mexicans struggled to try to achieve social and legal equality. Through all the hardships and accomplishments, history helps us define who we are today and lets us revisit our foundation to strengthen our course in time.
In conclusion, to answer the above question asked earlier, history is found boring if only we dive into the same circle over and over again. Having different perspectives implemented in the curriculum will help boost attention and curiosity on the subject. This entails diving deeper in the books and context, expanding our knowledge by acknowledging different cultures and beliefs, which in turn would help us learn our history and those around us. Thank you.