Knowing the Past Ensures Our Future by Nellie

Knowing the Past Ensures Our Future by Nellie - November 2021 Scholarship Essay

One of the most important classes a student could take are the different history classes. Not only does this class educate students on the history of our great nation, but it also teaches us to become good citizens. Over the recent years, I have noticed a steady decrease in emphasis on these classes. I am a high school senior who is a legal adult, however, I was never taught something as basic as our states and capitals. To me, this is troubling to see and I believe that a solution to this problem needs to be found. It is important that history receives more emphasis in schools so that as adults, we know our rights, how the government works, and so that we don't make the same mistakes twice.
One of the greatest qualities of the United States of America is the rights its citizens possess. As an American citizen, I am fortunate to have rights, such as freedom of speech, that not all people of the world are able to enjoy. These rights are listed in our constitution. It wasn’t until my Junior year that I read the Bill of Rights in my history class, and even then we only spent two days studying the constitution. If one was not taught the rights that they have as a citizen, then they are able to be taken advantage of because they do not know otherwise.
Another reason why it is important to put more emphasis on learning history is because it teaches us how our government works. Knowing the process of lawmaking and how people are elected is part of being a good citizen. Many people want change, but they don’t know the process of how change comes around. The number of citizens that vote has been decreasing because people claim that their vote doesn’t really have an impact. They do not know how the electoral college system works and don’t realize that as a citizen, they actually do have a voice, contrary to what they believe.
Learning about the history of our world is important because it shows us the mistakes of the past and keeps us from repeating them. A common adage is “history repeats itself”. This has proven to be accurate in multiple cases. If one is not educated on things that have happened in the past, then they are bound to repeat previous mistakes. This could be preventable if the subject of history is more stressed in our schools.
I believe that history is one of the most important topics to be educated on and should receive more attention. The class teaches our rights, how the government works, and the mistakes of previous leaders or nations. We learn how to become good citizens and the important duties that we as citizens have. Many people are unaware of the history of our country and I believe this needs to change.