History Basics - What is History? And Why is it Important?

I have been teaching middle school for two years in Idaho and Utah. I have taught world history, geography, US history, and Big History which includes anthropology, sociology, and psychology. All my classes are aligned to the Common Core and national standards. 

I am a history teacher, who, of course, loves history. I love history because I love stories. I like to learn and teach about adventurous, cunning and witty people. History has all of that. 

 I love history because it tells us about the world that we live in. Have you ever wondered why we do certain things? Things like  why did our country choose democracy over all other forms of government. Down to small things like why we call pigs "pigs"( when they are alive) and call (them pork (when they are food). All we have to do is look back into history to see to find out why. All the bits and parts of our world are embedded in our history. 

I also love human beings. We as a species are interesting and beautiful. This is why I love and anthropology, which is the study of humans and culture. I’m excited to teach you about different cultures and how they fit into our human family. 

I want to embolden my students to go out in the world and learn about our fellow humans. Not only their culture in present-day but also their history. I hope that my students will take this knowledge and run with it. I want them to use this knowledge to help the world be a better place by being empathetic creatures. -