Why do we have to learn

about the past?

“We are who we are because of what people did in the past.”

Definition of History-Study of the pastDefinition of Historians-People who study

the past

History studies…• How people lived

•Why they did things they did• People’s problems and solutions• People’s daily life, work , trade, farm, worship, leisure

Culture-Knowledge, beliefs, customs, and values of a group of people-A LEARNED system of shared beliefs and way of doing things that guides a person’s daily behavior

Archaeology•Study of the past based on what people left behind• Explore where people lived, worked, or fought

Artifacts•Give clues to how people of the past lived• Jewelry, dishes, weapons, buildings, statues, tools…

Roman pendant of Medusa, one of the

three Gorgons, covered in a green

patina.

100 - 300 AD

Terracotta pitcher with a spout, one handle on the opposite end, rounded bottom, the body and handle with

incised linear and dotted patterns. Earthen patina.

200 AD

The Pyramids of Giza, Egypt

2600 B.C.

Stone point from the site of Kathu Pan 1 in South Africa

reveals that human ancestors were making hafted weapons

500,000 years ago.

500,000 years ago

Gobekli Tepe: Balıklıgöl Statue is 2m tall ;

world’s oldest statue;

13,500 years old

Urfa – Province in Turkey (City –Edessa)

History helps us understand our world!

“Understanding the past helps us to understand the world today; it provides us with a guide to making better decisions in the future.”

History teaches us about…

•Ourselves•Other cultures•Our world

•How our government formed•Our triumphs and tragedies

History shapes our identity and values and teaches us …

History teaches us …•Why other

cultures believe the way they do• The struggles other cultures have faced• To respect and understand the opinions of others

History…Promotes tolerance

and “social harmony”

History helps us understand the world.• Events that

happen in other parts of the world affect our culture•How events of today were shaped by the past

History is …“a record of humanity’s combined efforts”

History also …• develops mental skills• helps us ask questions• encourages analytical thinking• promotes good decision making

Closing DiscussionWhy do we study

history?