History Wiki
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History Wiki

The History Wiki is a Wikia hosted and run online and interactive and active encyclopedia. It is composed of historical data. All and any history may be included. Users are encouraged to contribute based on their knowledge on a subject.

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What is history? Why should it be studied?

History is not only the study of the past. It is also the study of humanity and the actions. History is the study of the best and worst of the human spirit. We see the great civilizations that are created, the ideals to which people aspire, the beautiful art brought to life by the world's visionaries, and the literature that compels us. History is the construction and destruction of cities, the beliefs and customs of disparate societies, and the motivations that drive man to great or terrible deeds.

Some will say that history should be studied to avoid repeating past mistakes, but history occurs in broad, sweeping patterns. Even if those patterns are recognizable and can be avoided, the circumstances of each occurrence are what make history interesting. Why did Hitler attempt to conquer Russia during the winter, when Napoleon tried that and failed? What economic conditions flourish under tyranny, and which benefit from democracy? Why does a society practice slavery, and why was slavery in the Roman World so much more humane than chattel slavery in the American Antebellum South?

Ancient historians like Livy and Plutarch sought to record the past and the present in order to educate their audiences and better their world. A modern historian's job is to make connections between culture, economy, power, and the other factors that influence the things men do in order to understand human behavior.

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