Have you ever asked yourself why we even study history in school? I asked most of you this question as 9th graders (really, I did) and by and large most 9th graders come back with "So we don't make the mistakes of the past". With all due respect to George Santayana, I think we can all agree that the mistakes just keep coming. Perhaps that isn't a complete answer. This assignment is intended to get you to consider why you want to study history. Think of this as your philosophic statement for the course.
1. Read the article Why Study World History? by Jerry H. Bentley. Dr. Bentley was a highly respected historian and much beloved educator who did a great deal of work in increasing awareness about World History as an area of study for students of all ages. Prior to his death last summer he had since 1990 been the editor of the Journal of World History. Understanding why he believed it is important to study history will help you as we regularly practice historical thinking skills.
2. Sit down and really think about the purpose of studying history. Why do you believe that this will enhance your life (If you can't think of anything then I might suggest that you probably aren't going to enjoy being in this class :-/ )?
3. Write a letter to your future grandchildren. Pretend that you are 100 years old and want to pass on your pearls of knowledge. Using the ideas that you have come up with tell them why you believe they should want to study history. Make sure your reasons are clear and you are using your best writing practices. Creativity will not hurt either. Letters should be at least two rich and solid paragraphs long (yes, still 5-7 sentences each paragraph).
4. Letter should be emailed to me (andream@cps-k12.org) by August 14, 2016 by 11:59pm.
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