What is History?

History can mean a lot of things. It can be when your life first started, when the world came into existence, or even those things you want to put behind you. Without history, our world would not be the same. We would not have the technology we use every day, we would have no knowledge of those who came before us, nor would we know what we were like when we were younger. History is important, but what exactly is it and why do so many people spend a majority of their life devoted to studying it? These people may be trying to predict the future or just trying come to terms with reality. There are four main theories of history, Linear, Cyclical, Hegelian, or Vortextual. Each one is different, and attempts to explain the different aspects of history.

The Hegelian theory of history states that thesis plus antithesis equals synthesis. Stated simply, this means that each event in history leads to another event. This theory was introduced by a German philosopher named Georg Hegel. Hegel believed that this sequence of events is the way God helped us achieve ultimate perfection. In my opinion, I think this is the most logical theory that defines history. I think that because when something happens, it leads to another thing, just like the theory states. It does not go just from beginning to end, some things set you back and others jump your forward. Life doesn’t go in a circle. I see new and exciting things every day. Whether it’s just a new math problem, or meeting someone new, I know it has never happened to me before. The Hegelian theory of history, to me, is the theory that explains my life, and also all of the past.

            Linear history is the usual way we think of history. We think that in a person’s life, birth comes before death; a beginning and an end. Linear history is usually explained by a timeline. In the Catholic faith, people believe in linear history. There are many passages and hints in the bible that suggest this.  For example, in Genesis 1, it begins by saying “In the beginning, God created…” Just because the bible says this, does it mean it is true? Yes and no. There have been many findings that do not fully prove the bibles teachings, nor does it go against them. Linear history is the most common way people study history, but there is no way yet to know if it is the ‘right’ way.

            Cyclical history is exactly what it sounds like, a circle. There is no beginning or end. Each event that occurs in not new or never been seen, because “our past is just a pattern of cycles.” People who use the phrase, “history repeats itself”, are probably believers in this theory. Many people in the Middle East believe cyclical history is the best way to describe our past. They believe this because of their belief in reincarnation. In many religions, people believe in dying as one person, but then being reincarnated into another body. The person’s life never ends, and therefore never has a beginning; their life is a complete cycle. In recent times, more research has leaned toward the linear theory. This is because there is no proof that cyclical history is actually true.  

            The Vortextual theory of history suggests that history is like a gyre. A gyre is a circle or spiral.  There are some events in history that are very big and some that are small. For example, the Roman Empire was very big, and the Dark Ages fell small. I think out of all of the theories, this theory is the hardest to understand. The Hegelian theory says that events lead to one another, but according to the Vortex theory, they are not intertwined, there are just big and small events.  How can a big event lead to small event? What is even considered as a small event?  Is a small event considered negative? If this theory is correct, it would mean that some events are “small”, not as important as the “big” events. I believe that every event plays its own part in contributing to history as a whole.

            Without history, we would not be where we are today, in terms of technology, agriculture, government, economy, and the arts. We are always learning from our mistakes, and finding new ways to prevent them. We take one person’s ideas, build on it with the experience of our time, and change it to fit our needs. When Hernando Cortez conquered the Incan empire, it was an easy win due to some key technology and knowledge. The Spaniards used newly discovered steel fashioned into weapons. Their early experimentation created something that forever changed the way war was fought. In addition, the Spainards used the writings of Spanish soldiers before them to gain knowledge. The Incan people, without steel weapons and the written words, had no chance against the Spaniards.

            A question that I have always wondered about is why people get so much joy from studying history? Some people view history as another subject in school that requires tons of memorization, but not to others. Many people are so passionate about this subject. I am guessing that they live and breathe history for a couple of reasons. Maybe they would love to be that one person that can prove they can predict history. Also, some are so intrigued by the idea of the “past”, because they need to figure out the things that contributed to the world we live in now. These certain people cannot live without studying history, and we cannot live without the concept of history.     History is one of the most complicated topics to study, because you cannot look into it completely.  We do not know exactly what history is, but there are theories that attempt to explain how it works. The study of history is very important because we need to remember that we learn from the mistakes people made before us, and observe what they did to solve that specific problem. History means something different to each of us, and whatever the definition may be, it will always be a topic of interest to many, many people.

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