GED 105: Why Study History?

Vocabulary flashcards covering the importance of studying history, key terminology, and historical distinctions from the GED 105 lecture notes.

History

Both knowledge of the past and the practice of researching and making sense of what happened in the past, serving as a narrative account used to examine and analyze past events.

Identity

A benefit of history to individuals that nurtures personal identity in an intellectual world, enabling people to discover their own place in the stories of their families, communities, and nation.

Critical Skills

21st century skills and independent thinking taught through history, including research, judgment of source reliability, fact validation, awareness of biases, and analysis of conflicting evidence.

Vital Places to Live and Work

A community benefit of history that lays the groundwork for strong, resilient communities wrapped in human memory such as family stories, tribal traditions, and civic commemorations.

Economic Development

A community aspect where history acts as a catalyst for economic growth by drawing people to communities that preserve a strong sense of historical identity and character.

Engaged Citizens

A future-oriented benefit of history that helps people craft better solutions and supports democracy by encouraging individuals to come together, express views, and take action.

Leadership

An aspect of history that inspires local and global leaders by providing inspiration and role models for meeting complex challenges facing communities, nations, and the world.

Legacy

History saved and preserved as the foundation for future generations, crucial for preserving democracy by explaining a shared past.

The Past

Everything that ever happened since the dawn of time, including every thought and action of human beings, every falling leaf, and every chemical change in the universe.

Prehistory

The period of human activity prior to the invention of writing systems.

Historicity

The authentication of characters in history, as opposed to legend or myth.

Historiography

The writing of history and the understanding of how the interpretations of historians change over time.

Historia

The Greek word meaning "knowledge acquired by investigation," which serves as the etymological root of the word history.

Herstory

History written from a feminist perspective, emphasizing the role of women or told from a woman's point of view, coined as a pun on the word "history".