“People live in the present. They plan for and worry about the future. History, however, is the study of the past.
Given all the demands that press in from living in the
present and anticipating what is yet to come, why
bother with what has been?”
•Write a two-to three-paragraph journal entry in response
to the quote, specifically addressing why you think it is
important to study history and what questions you have
about modern world history that you hope to answer as
you move through this course. Identify at least two
questions you would like to find answers for•
Hint: Are you still not sure what you should include in
your journal entry? Here are a few clarifying questions
that may help:
• What are the benefits of understanding the past?
• What are the risks of not knowing this information?
• To what extent do you think understanding history helps people solve
problems in the world today? Can understanding history help prevent
potential problems in the future?
• What themes, regions, or periods in modern world history are you
most interested in? Which do you think have made the biggest impact
on the world today?