As a student who chose history as his principle area of study, I resolved to have concrete reasoning as to why I chose to major in something many people view as irrelevant. The more I thought about my convictions to invest time in historical studies, the more I realized, while it probably won’t act as a persuasive argument for the masses to fill out a change of major request and join the ranks, conveying an understanding of why history matters may encourage more people to take an interest in the themes and overtones of the past.
    People get bogged down with the constant flow of dates, facts and seemingly unrelated stream of events that spans thousands of years, but this is not the way history should be viewed. While these dates, facts and events are certainly important to the overall context of the past, they are not the be-all and end-all of one’s grasp of the importance of where we all originated. We are all products of our history. For example, we all have our own unique traditions we view as sacred that date back hundreds of years. Also, the languages we speak are hundreds of years old and are weaved in and out of the events that lead us to modern day. Yesterday is woven into the here and now, and that carries heavy implications.
   “Moving forward by looking back” is the phrase that acts as my compass when attempting to navigate through the unending reading requirements that come with the territory as a history major. It is a simple phrase that presents a complex idea. Looking to the major figures of history can offer us role models to pattern our daily lives and habits. Great leaders and their examples can offer us solace in our own times of strife and conflict. It is certainly encouraging to look back to a time and see when our fellow man has overcome the same obstacles with which we are faced. These same leaders provide us with motivation when we feel complacent or lazy.  
   Our current institutions will break down if the historical and political matters of the past are ignored. If we simply ignore the mistakes from yesteryear and repeat those mistakes, what we achieve in science, engineering and industry will, at worst, be eradicated. Many of the problems we face today, whether a personal trial or larger societal issue, are essentially the issues of the past repackaged into a modern form.
     Two years ago, Andrew Romano and “Newsweek” did a study that tested average American citizens on the test required for citizenship for immigrants seeking citizenship in the United States. According to Romano, “Twenty-nine percent couldn’t name the vice president. Seventy-three percent couldn’t correctly say why we fought the Cold War. Forty-four percent were unable to define the Bill of Rights. And six percent couldn’t even circle Independence Day on a calendar.”
   Without harping too much on these shocking statistics, it is apparent there is much room for improvement. Many factors contribute to these abhorrent statistics, but a couple of questions must be posed: How long can our republic sustain this obliviousness to the facts? How can we respect the sacrifice laid down to preserve the tradition of freedom each citizen enjoys?
   Lastly, the value of history should not only be considered crucial, but also fascinating. The example Martin Luther King Jr. set is as inspiring as any. He offered a view that should be considered when he said, “We are not makers of history. We are made by history.”  If we fail to observe and respect history, we deny who we are. History matters.