Read History Instead Of Reading About History

History was my least favorite subject in high school and college.  I found learning names, dates and other "facts" about people and events that occurred in the past very boring.  A close second on the boring scale was reading the opinions of the "experts" on what they thought took place and why.

The hill where Custer and the remaining members of the 7th Cavalry maid their final stand.

History has now become one of my favorite subjects thanks to a retired history teacher.  In 2011 three friends and I visited the Little Big Horn Battlefield National Monument in Montana as part of a 2 week motorcycle trip.  We were only going to spend a short time there as the monument itself is quite small.  One of the rangers, a retired history teacher, was going give a presentation on the battle and one of my friends wanted to hear it.  I'd read the "history" of the battle and planned on "zoning out" during the presentation, however this person made the events leading up to the battle and the major players on both sides come to life.  His rendition included back stories on the major players and an insight as to what it must have been like "back then".  After his presentation we hung around to talk with the ranger.  My friend, who is a history buff, asked him where he got his information from and his answer changed my view on learning history.  This former teacher said his information was based on reading the memoirs of the people who survived the battle and of those who didn't.  He also studied the diary entries of the people involved and read stories written during that time.  In other words he was reading history instead of reading about history.  What a concept!

Thanks to hanging around to listen to a retired history teacher, I've found a love of reading history.  Thanks to the "web" it's easy to find and read newspaper and magazine editorials and articles written in the past.  There are also thousands of books still in print that were written in the past and they provide an interesting "window" into the life and times of the era in which they were written.

Perhaps the most striking thing I've discovered is that the thoughts, dreams, fears and passions of people in the past are very similar, if not identical, to what we feel today.

A cannon overlooking one of the battlefields at Gettysburg, PA

Read the stories and articles that were written during this dark time in US history.  You may be surprised at how "complicated" things were leading up to the Civil War.

The real reason for writing this is because I see so many today referencing the past and how we've "lost our way" and need to return to the past.  I doubt those who are doing this have actually studied the life and times of the people and events they are referring to.  If they did, they would realize that life was not all sunshine and roses back in the day and that those who are admired today, were criticized and vilified as much, if not more then our leaders today are.

Gerald Trees
Musings And Observations Of An Adventurous Life Seeker