**TL;DR - Learning about history at school is important for a better perception of the past and the present. History can teach us many things about who we are and help us more deeply understand the complexities of the past as a valuable tool for changing the world.** History as a school subject may be tedious to many students at schools around the world, but when the focus widens to include not only major historical events but also individual stories of suffering and achievement, history can be very inspiring in urging students to think about the past. This, in turn, promotes better understanding of who people are and what societies they live in. According to Peter N. Stearns, history 'offers the only extensive evidential base for the contemplation and analysis of how societies function, and people need to have some sense of how societies function simply to run their own lives'. History also helps illuminate (in many cases, at least) past mistakes and false practices. Learning about these can help students better perceive events and people of the past, as well as re-configure their own identities when they are called to critically evaluate history. By exposing themselves to historical information, students will 'be able to reflect on the events that built up to them [mistakes], learn from mistakes made and resist and question if we see similar patterns emerging' ('Nord Anglia Education'). History offers plenty of examples, and students grow as people when critically analyse assess historical people and events. Works Cited Stearns, Peter N., 'Why Study History? (1998) <https://www.historians.org/about-aha-and-membership/aha-history-and-archives/historical-archives/why-study-history-(1998)> [accessed 2 March 2021]. 'Why is it Important to Study History?' (2020) <https://www.nordangliaeducation.com/article/2020/4/29/why-is-it-important-to-study-history> [accessed 2 March 2021].

Tl;dr: history is essential as it encourages us to question our position in society and how to make change in the future. George Santayana once said that ‘those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it.’ This quote alone reinforces why it is essential that history be taught to the younger generation. History is essential if we are to learn about our condition as humans.[1] Penelope Corfield argued that history is not useful but essential to understand what it is to be human and allows further change. Without history we cannot understand where we have gone right and wrong in the past. How we have got where we are today. Without learning the answers to these questions at school where is the room to become analytical humans who question our position in society? To become humans who do not just accept the present for what it is and learn how those in the past (e.g. Rosa Parks) have made a change so one day we can change the world too. Without teaching history we would restrict so many young minds of what it is to be a human and how we have come to be as we are today, a lesson we need to learn if we are to change that in the future. [1] http://thenhier.ca/fr/node/13429.html#:~:text=Corfield%20argues%20that%20%E2%80%9C%5Ba%5D,technologies%20that%20others%20have%20invented.

**TL;DR - History is way more important than people think, and it's used frequently in other academic fields and professional purposes. It's critical for our education, but the way educational institutions present history limits its scope and ability to explain our present issues.** History is largely underappreciated. It is a very broad academic field that is often used more often than we think. The meaning of history is often underestimated because of the way it's presented to us. We associate the term with educational content or a nation's narrative, but history is also used for different purposes: - Business analytics and inspecting historical trends and past business performance. - TV shows and movies need to understand the basic historical conditions of a setting for movies. - Genealogy and tracing relatives through historical records. - Geography, but not only for political maps, but we also use historical records to examine the movement of rivers and glaciers, landform dynamics, and we can even predict the past by studying tectonic plates. - Even graphic design, marketing, and advertisement rely on a history of trends to deliver a message. I think the biggest problem with the notion of history is its presentation in secondary education. History is presented as this continuously progressive set of important events and ideas, but it's much more than just looking at a collection of national histories, scientific achievements, and large-scale conflicts. It's not only a discipline for understanding the past relating to the present but also one that seeks to understand the structures that shape us and how they came to exist. For example, the history of democracy that most people are familiar with usually starts with the Athenian democracy and Rome, later revived in the North American colonies during the Enlightenment, and ultimately spreading around in the world in the 20th century. This narrative gives us the impression that democracy is historically important because it's related to Classical Greece, the Romans, and the enlightenment. However, this narrative doesn't say much about democracy relating to capitalism, the rule of law, or its visible relation to powerful economic actors. Government-run educational institutions prior to college tend to ignore these explanations. Economics and law in history tend to be presented as a set of self-evident principles with unquestionable objectivity and neutrality without much regard for its context [1]. Works Cited [1] Democracies in Action: A Foucaultian Perspective on British and French Tax Enforcement https://journals.openedition.org/erea/865?lang=en#abstract

There is no doubt that the content you learn in History is very important. However, the academic skills you also gain from studying History is really valuable. Some of the skills included are developing your craft as a writer, to learn how to convey a complicated topic to another through words. History strengthens critical thinking and research abilities. Students are taught how to effectively communicate through presentation. They also learn about the value of debate and how to engage in political, social and economic discussions. History allows students to build a valuable skill-set which aids in academic progress in every subject, not just History. Works Cited: 'Knowledge and skills gained', https://www.unomaha.edu/college-of-arts-and-sciences/history/academics/knowledge-skills-gained.php#:~:text=It%20helps%20students%20develop%20a,skills%20in%20real%2Dworld%20settings.

Although subjects like math and science may seem to be more critical in a world that relies on financial sector staff and physicians, history is less of a priority. History, on the other hand, provides more than just a recap of past events. Pupils/students learn how to construct arguments, compare and analyze sources, and become more aware of cultural differences and changes. Additionally, the knowledge gained from history classes can be helpful in other areas. For example, learning about war or dictatorship can provide background information that aids a student's comprehension of a novel in English Literature studies. History provides information on some of the most significant and most prominent figures in history. For advancement, knowledge is always needed. 1-https://www.nordangliaeducation.com/article/2020/4/29/why-is-it-important-to-study-history

*Disclaimer: I actually do believe that history is an important school subject, but seeing as there are no "Against" arguments for this one, I thought it might be fun to play "devil's advocate" and throw an unpopular opinion into the mix. Note, however, that I base my argument on some of my own personal experiences, and on one point that I do feel is very, very true...* **tl;dr -- Today's history classes involve rote memorization of contextless dates and facts, with little to no practical emphasis on how this knowledge can be used to understand the world today. This makes history a pointless subject, and a waste of everyone's time.** History, *as it is taught in K-12 schools today,* is tedious, boring, and pointless. Instead of teaching historical context and how it is relevant to today's world, students are forced to memorize dates and facts with little to no meaning on their own. [Rote memorization does not equal learning](https://news.illinois.edu/view/6367/206040). Without a true understanding of the significance and relevance of historical events, students gain nothing from history classes, resulting in a waste of time and resources. I remember very little from history classes in my K-12 experience. We would read a chapter, write down names and dates, define key terms, and answer generic questions at the end of the chapter. Tests were almost always multiple choice, with very few mind-probing questions that made the learning material *relevant* and *useful* in understanding the world today. The problem is in the way that history is taught. If it was taught with more of an emphasis on critical thinking and practical, real-world applications, then history would indeed be an important subject in school. But as it stands today, it's only a means to prepare for state-mandated tests, which are meant more for the sake of holding teachers' feet to the fire than actually facilitating student learning. Until serious reforms are made to the curriculum, it's a waste of everyone's time -- time which is precious, especially for our students.