history book
It’s the last week of 2016 and the whole year might seem like a blur (and if it doesn’t you might be
hoping it becomes one), but imagine how blurry all the historical information you’ve learned in your lifetime is! However, history is not always in the past as the great novelist James Baldwin once said,
“History, as nearly no one seems to know, is not merely something to be read. And it does not refer merely, or even principally, to the past. On the contrary, the great force of history comes from the fact that we carry it within us, are unconsciously controlled by it in many ways, and history is literally present in all that we do.”
This is why we at 7 Generation Games thought the same way we provided a fun and brief explainer on “Why Math Matters,” it would also be good to provide one for history. Here are some of our top reasons as to why history matters.
It’s Important for Business
Emmy Award-winning documentary filmmaker Ken Burns expressed the importance of business leaders knowing history during an interview with the Harvard Business Review. His logic was simple enough, “You can’t possibly know where you are or where you’re going if you don’t know where you’ve been.” If you don’t know your company’s history and what has and hasn’t worked for it in the past then how will you know what works? History isn’t only about presidents and civilization.
It Makes for Cool Games
Our games Fish Lake, Making Camp and Forgotten Trail are about the Ojibwe tribe and Spirit Lake is about the Dakota tribe. In AzTech, we explore Central American and U.S. Latino history. Kids get to play as they not only learn math but learn about different people and their cultures- that’s history. During one game you escape rabid wolves while in the other you travel across the Great Plains, those are historically accurate activities that kids learn about as they not only have fun but also learn math while they’re at it too!
Being Uninformed is NEVER Cool
No one likes feeling clueless in a group conversation and sitting there like a dud. History helps you be more well-rounded and provides frames of reference for you during conversations even if it’s a topic you’re not very well versed on.
Provides Identity
History gives nations insight on how they were formed. Whether it’s the people, culture, groups, etc. it provides a roadmap as to how certain things came to fruition. History teaches you about everything including yourself! How your family moved from one place to another, where your last name comes from, even how traditions began!
As You Grow Older it Becomes More Fun
We live in a digital world where people can easily communicate and connect over things going on around the world. Why limit yourself? When you travel you’re going to want to learn about the history of that town/city/country because it helps you build a deeper connection. It almost becomes a fun challenge to see how much you can learn! Also, all that “useless” information you learn in your high school history classes will become clutch during some trivia at some point in life!
You Can Learn From It
And of course, there’s the often-misattributed, but certainly relevant words of philosopher George Santayana, who said, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” Let’s learn from history, so we can avoid making the same mistakes.