You Dont Have To Be A Historian To Understand Everything

The study of history is made all the additional interesting by the consideration

of all historical situations, or "what ifs" such as "what if the Huns had not turned back at the death of their leader but gone on to take the western half of Europe" or "what if the Chinese had not withdrawn but gone on to explore the rest of Africa" - from what-if-Hitler-had-conquered-Britain to what-if-the-South-had-won-the-Civil-War, every single student of history delights in mulling over the possibilities.

Alternative scenarios are fun to imagine since they show how diverse life could have been. Had the Carthaginians won their Punic Wars, would Christianity have come about? Where would the United States be nowadays without having Napoleon's geopolitical calculations, resulting inside the Louisiana Purchase? History is full of pivotal points like these.

Concomitant with such inquiries is the belief, held generally if not continually, that by understanding the mechanics with the situation we somehow understand. And whilst it's true that we do study, how applicable that learning is will probably always be an open debate. The popular quote attributed to the philosopher George Santayana that "those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it" seems true sufficient, but so does the apparently contradictory caution about generals always fighting the last war.

Much is usually learned from being mind of history, but historians typically seem to overstate their case in proclaiming history a guide. Because one constant throughout historical past has been, as the Athenians are quoted as informing the hapless Melians, "the strong do what they will, the weak suffer what they must" - and does 1 definitely have to be a historian to know this most fundamental fact of life?

Still, it is entirely in our human nature to dream, to wonder, and to ruminate, and the fascinating pageantry offered by the historical record, with its parade of characters and personalities can make for an exceptional evening or afternoon.

by: Ace C. Erin.

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