My Passion......History

So I'm really sorry that I have not had time to blog, believe me I am very mad at myself. I decided that because I'm sharing what I love, I might as well share why I'm at school. I want to teach US History and this is my first college history essay! You really don't have to read this if you want to but it's something I'm very passionate about. Enjoy and I will post something more interesting this week......Promise!

Why Should I Care What the Dead Did?

            Although many people do not often consider what our forefathers and ancestors did, history can teach many lessons. If we look back at past accomplishments and mistakes, we can learn a significant amount about the past, but also about our future and how to change it for the better. In order to fully appreciate “what the dead did”, society needs to look at the mistakes made, to learn from them, and take heed from warnings. Also, we must grow and learn from what “the dead” discovered in order to make our future a better place.

            History can show us the mistakes that people have made and how we can learn from them. These mistakes, when repeated and not followed, proved detrimental to society. When Napoleon Bonaparte was the leader of France he began his quest to conquer Europe. In June 1812, Napoleon decided to invade Russia, thinking there was adequate time to defeat Russia and get out before the deadly winter. Napoleon underestimated the intelligence of the Russian army, and as the Russian army retreated, they burned cities and towns so Napoleon’s army could not stay warm or get food. Eventually, the harsh Russian winter hit and Napoleon’s Army had to retreat. He lost countless soldiers and sulked all the way back to France. Again in 1941, another world leader tried to take over Europe. In June 1941, Hitler decided to invade Russia. Like Napoleon, Hitler too eventually faced Russia’s deadly winter and was forced to retreat back to Germany, losing many men along the way. Events during World War II could have been dramatically changed if Hitler had avoided the winter. Hitler’s repeat of Napoleon’s mistake is a great example of why we must analyze our history in order to make informed and smart decisions. Another example is George Washington’s Farewell Address, published in 1796. In his speech he warned the young United States to stay away from bipartisan politics because of the divisive nature and distraction for the government. Washington’s warnings were not heeded and today our political system is in shambles. Each side is so strong in their political beliefs that compromise is almost impossible. The good will of the United States is in jeopardy and threatens our growth as a world leading nation. Listening to George Washington, one of the best leaders in US history could have caused a different climate in our political system. Just because our past world leaders are dead, does not mean we should not listen to them. Studying historical mistakes can lead us to a brighter, better future if we do our research and heed their warnings.

            “The dead” can allow us to grow and learn from what they discovered in their lifetime in order to make our lives easier and better. The Industrial Revolution brought about many technological advances that have drastically shaped the world we live in today. From the Industrial Revolution, the world received the first steam powered engine created by James Watt. This fantastic invention really improved the textile industry, making it possible to create more goods at a faster rate because human and animal power was not relied on. Also the Industrial Revolution prompted many work rules and regulations in factories. Upton Sinclair’s book “The Jungle” shed light onto the horrible conditions of the meatpacking industry, which then led to many health reforms in the factories. Although that was not the intent of the book, Sinclair dramatically shaped the way our food factories should be run in order to ensure the health and safety of the workers as well as the consumers. Without these great men our world could have continued to wallow in disease, sickness, and uncleanliness and our health could have been severely jeopardized. The inventions and regulations that came about during the Industrial Revolution helped lay the foundation for innovations and inventions today. Without those original inventions we would not have a strong middle/working class and our economy would not have thrived. Without the factory rules, food and products would not have become safe to eat or use and our workers lives would be in danger. Listening to “the dead” has made our world a much better place and by continuing to follow in their footsteps our world can continue to grow and make reforms that will better our lives.

Studying history’s successes and failures will allow our future to be better off and we can avoid making the same mistakes. Building upon what has already been invented can only better our economy and our well-being as we are being propelled into the 21^st century at full speed and technology is changing every day. By taking the knowledge that we already know and applying it, our future can only get better.