It is a general consensus that history is included as one of the more imperative subjects, along with English and Mathematics. The amount of history one knows is, surprisingly, one of the many aspects considered when deeming one a well-rounded individual. Someone who can recall recently passed bills, who can recognize the viewpoints of the past few senators or prime ministers, who is an active member of our society is much more likely to receive a promotion than one with little to no opinion on the matter. Those who deem history of no real worth might ponder its purpose, its accuracy, and its value. It is important to recognize our origins, for how can we feel proud of out country if we do not fully comprehend its triumphs and tribulations? It allows us to appreciate our home wholly. Not only does history provide a national identity, but it expands our minds, on an educational and philosophical level. Unfortunately, there is some difficulty in learning of ancient history as opposed to a more modern time. If you’ve ever played a game of Telephone, you know just how easily words and meaning can be twisted. If such a lapse can occur in a matter of minutes, how might history have been distorted through the centuries, in addition to the initial embellishments? Many historians disagree on well-known events because of a lack of primary sources, but an abundance of evidence pointing in different directions. Even artifacts from these specific eras, such as tablets, are worn away by weather erosion. The benefit in studying history, however, is worth the difficulty. Essentially, history allows us to learn from our mistakes. George Santayana, a Spanish philosopher, once wrote, “Those who can not remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” But we do not study history just to find mistakes our ancestors made. We are also taught what our