What is history? History is the story of men and women on the face of the earth at a particular period of time who played their part to make up something like a story. Individuals may influence the course of history, but history as such is the sum total of all the actions put together culminating in some shape which the historians conveniently call the period. History may be looked at as the story of the growth of a people. History may again reflect the interaction of human emotions ending up in a certain form of society. History may indicate how societies were formed and how they grew. If certain societies survive the onslaught of time while others disappear altogether, history helps understand the forces at work. In short, we may not be far from right if we say that history traces the growth of human society.
Then why study history? The above-mentioned ideas of history have the answer to this question. There have been periods in history which shows the rise and fall of societies, where great men and women play their part. Each country boasts of a certain golden era when a great personality, a king or queen or an Emperor had so much power that he was the centre of the picture.
To know the picture is to know the person. Just to quote an example, take the period of Queen Elizabeth I in England. It was a period of expansion for England, it had its moments of glory, it saw the flourishing of art and so on. To know the period, we learn all about the life of the actors on the stage.
Individuals may influence the course of history. Quite recently we know how the writings of Rousseau and Voltaire and others influenced the course of the French Revolution that was to follow. In recent times we know how the works of Marx and Engels brought about almost universal revolution and the course of which has not stopped. To know the growth of a people we read history. This is best illustrated by studying the history of the USA. How a few religious people who ran away from their mother country to avoid prosecution went in waves to colonize and almost a powerful country was born. Here one is easily aware of the accidents of history.
To know the growth of societies, one must look into history. Thus a study of ancient societies throws light on how such societies were formed and grew. Some forces act as destructive ones, some forces act as incentives and some others go to consolidate the society. A classical example is Munroe which helped the uninhibited growth of USA for nearly a hundred years.
The next proposition is whether the study of history is a yearning for past glory. To some extent, this is true. In oriental countries which have been under colonial rule, they really look back for some glory. They cull it from the past art and literature and have a sense of fulfilment. The invention of printing has revolutionized the world of thought. The invention of the Mariner’s compass has helped navigation to such a great extent that all the seas have come under the control of man. The invention of gun powder, the discovery of coal and petroleum, the invention of the motor car, and the splitting of the atom, almost all have changed the course of history. Now there are two great questions staring at the world; one is the atmospheric pollution and the other is the population explosion. Now that man has a knowledge of their presence and has the tools to tackle them, he can to some extent shape his future.
M. IRFAN
HUB
