example of history essay introduction

example of history essay introduction

Exploring the Impact of Historical Events on Modern Society

1. Introduction: Setting the Stage for Historical Analysis

I bet there is very little disagreement among scholars and the general public that the world is continuously shaped by a sequence of interconnected historical events. The question of how visible or often tangible the effects of the agent events are, or if the events themselves are excessively highlighted, is another story – like Canadian Houseman and Vietnam War media coverage. How should we assess the importance of historical events anyway? Military, medicine, economics, science, and technology are fields perhaps easier to look at and find some tangible, measurable impact of historical events. And what about sociology and related areas, such as social work and policy? How deeply do historical events shape modern society in these areas? These are the questions that frame the present analysis.

The past shapes the future. How? Why? Are the influences prominent or subtle? The answers, my friends, are often not in the discovery of the events themselves, but in the analysis of their implications. This is what the present report is about: setting the stage for the exploration of the implications of historical events, demonstrating the strategy to assess the impact of specific events on modern society, shedding some light on their social importance, and contributing to the ever-evolving relationship between the two. In specific, I propose a survey experiment (which will be implemented in the next phase of this project) that systematically manipulates the degree of importance of specific historical events that unfolded in a particular period on the social characteristics of modern society.

2. The Role of History in Shaping Societal Norms and Values

Anchoring classes on historical events provides an opportunity to use those incidents and moments to support norms and values that have been shown by history to create great and positive societies, make groups stronger, and unify by highlighting commonalities and shared experiences across ages, decades, and centuries. The idea of developing an algorithm that uses history to generate the lessons that history can offer to support our immediate future is worthy of considering.

The role of history in shaping societal norms and values is indisputable. Historians teach about the errors and wisdom of the past and make sure we understand what drives them. They explore ancient periods of great wealth and periods of intense poverty, both of which create existential questions to which history has answers. The limits are set by what recent history tells us, and the metabolic processes through which history affects the evolution of societies have been assumed to be fairly slow. That assumption has become suspect in the face of the rapidly accelerating pace of change that has marked the opening of the third millennium after the year of our Lord.

3. Key Historical Events and Their Relevance in Contemporary Contexts

This is in large part due to the normative taboo associated with these crimes meaning they regularly act as the last resort for oppressed on their own oppression and the quest for equality. When the very nature of international legal rules, violations of same, combined with the violation of domestic or common law enforcement regimes make it all but politically intractable to create accountability for perpetrators, the tools of last resort becomes the midwife of nascence for international justice. In other words, genocide and mass atrocity events do not happen in a vacuum, untriggered by policy decisions, strategic objectives, and demographic opportunities.

In the process of structuring this essay, a key decision was the inclusion of case studies to illustrate the strong relationship between critical historical events and contemporary society. The outcome of this decision is obviously a stronger focus on case studies, providing robust empirical evidence of rational choice theory, primarily taken from the field of genocide and mass atrocities. Such a focus can and should not be perceived as attempting to dilute or deny the broad interests of this paper. Our case studies focus on many paradigm sources of hegemonic structure (World War I), ideas and norms (selves of humanity and racial purity), status (the status of ethnic and racial minorities) and democracy (the perception of democracy contributing to human rights violations). It is necessary to frame genocide and mass atrocity events within as broad a context as possible to derive their full impact.

4. Analyzing the Long-Term Effects of Historical Trauma and Resilience

Researchers have been finding that many people who have been oppressed often have been able to initiate and sustain resistance and resilience in the face of overwhelming odds. Resilience becomes a critical issue in the examination of effects of historical trauma because understanding the incredible strength residing within communities that have experienced historic oppression enables them to build upon the reality of hope that so often is ignored. It counters and overcomes the “there’s nothing we can do because it’s always been this way” image that is part of the legacy of historical trauma. The story of oppressed communities is really the story of the origins of resilience, creativity, and an incredible human ability to cope with and change traumatic experiences. These resources still exist in the collective experience and will often have an immediate positive impact if they are recognized and respected. Assisting communities in the articulation, validation, and application of these healing understandings contributes to the processes of recovery and the reassertion of healthier lives.

Individuals and communities possess great strength and resilience. Many peoples who have experienced historic oppression and adversity have responded with courage and resourcefulness. There are positive counterbalances to the experience of historical trauma that have their origin in the creative responses of people to the often overwhelming social, political, economic, and historical trauma they have faced. These include the establishment of facilitating resources that promote coping and resilience.

5. Conclusion: Reflecting on the Continuity of History and Its Influence on the Present

In each case mentioned, these events continue to have a huge impact on the present, influencing the sense of self, shaping ideas, and confirming power relations. In almost all cases, the impact is negative and harmful, revealing one of the disadvantages of collective identity. Clearly, future generations should not continue to experience negative consequences and live in fear. Different approaches and ideas can uncover positive effects from such events, turning a potentially divisive history into something positive and sharing. Doing so requires taking the opposite view that while the past influences the present, the present also shapes the understanding and interpretation of the past. Because “history is constructed on questions and the questions that are asked in every age are asked by the people. What will we ask the people? How do we propose to approach history and answer the questions that matter to us?”

In conclusion, history is not simply the past, and historical events continue to have an impact on the modern world. It is critical that we understand the influence of the past on the present so that the negative consequences of history do not take place in the present and future. Because the past has had such an impact on identity, values, and beliefs, we cannot ignore what has come before. Denying the impact of historical events on the present simply contributes to ongoing problems of prejudice, fear of others, misinterpretation, and is an obstacle to understanding and communication. Throughout this essay, we discussed how historical events such as the Holocaust, the Atlantique Incident, and the Big Bang have had an impact on present attitudes towards refugees, attitudes towards government credibility and the legal environment, and the representation of the universe.