Does history matter?

There has been very interesting conversation in our nation recently about our educational system and what subjects are more important compared to other subjects. The question seems to really be: what does our culture value in terms of what a well-rounded person really is? In terms of history (my favorite subject, of course), does history matter? Do we need history in our lives? Is there anything to learn from history? Does our national experience show a lack of understanding of history? Should we study the big picture or is it the methodology of history that is important? Does the history of Greece really matter to us in the long run?

How do we understand Asian belief systems from a western perspective?

One of the biggest hurdles that we have to get over in world history is the way we Westerners view the world. Westerners like to categorize ideas, beliefs, ethics, etc. in nice, neat, little boxes. Unfortunately, the rest of the world and, for that matter, history itself, does not fit into nice neat little boxes of right and wrong, left and right, up and down, etc. As world history scholars, it is our quest to look at shades of gray and to appreciate and understand our differences. History and knowledge is an evolution of adaptations to situations over time. The examples that we have been focusing in class are the belief systems of Buddhism, Taoism and Hinduism to name a few. Can we fit those beliefs into nice, neat little boxes that Westerners can understand or should we just understand the basic beliefs and be content with that?

Welcome!

Hello, scholars! Welcome to my blog! This is a new adventure for me and therefore a new adventure for you, too! This site is a place to discuss the 6 themes of AP World History as it applies to our topics at hand. Currently, we are discussing the ancient religions and how they spread and syncretize around the world.