Last updated: April 9th, 2025 at 9:58 am · Est. Reading Time: 2 minutes
For a political group
History is the common memory of a political group. The members of a political group understand how their group started, why their group exists, and what their core values are.
For politicians
The only way to know which past decisions are responsible for present circumstances is to read about them. The knowledge of history is a precondition for political intelligence.
For social scientists
Social scientists are working hard to discover the reasons behind social changes. Some of them believe that by analysing the patterns of historical events, they can determine a cause-effect relationship between the events and their preceding historical environment. Then, by using the relationships discovered, they can predict future events.
For students
Studying history teaches useful skills such as assessing information, critical thinking, research in humanities, and more. Studying history improves the skills of reading, writing, constructing personal opinions, and decision-making. Those skills can be applied to other fields and in various life situations.
For a thinker
History helps gain context for the human experience. History is a storehouse of human behaviour and thought. It is the only tool available to solve those questions which cannot be settled by experiments. History, in this sense, is the ‘laboratory of human experience’.
For recreational readers
History is a story – a story knitted by facts. Inquisitive minds love reading it.
For a careerist
Some people choose to be professional historians. They teach at various levels, become museum curators, get jobs in media centers, do historical research for businesses and public institutions, or are hired as historical consultants.
Further reading
Marcus Collins and Peter N. Stearns, Why Study History, London: London Publishing Partnership, 2020.
Lynn Hunt, History: Why it matters, Cambridge: Polity Press, 2018.
Barbara Howe, Careers for students of history, Washington DC: American Historical Association, 1989.
J. H. Hexter, The History Primer, New York: Basic Books, 1971.
Gelien Matthews, “History – A Worthwhile Academic Discipline”, History in Action 2 (no. 2) (Sep. 2011): 1 – 5.
John Fea, Why Study History?: Reflecting on the importance of the Past, Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2013.