Why Teach History? 6 Important Reasons

As a history teacher and a proud history nerd, it honestly breaks my heart to see social studies treated like an afterthought in so many schools. In my state, elementary students might go years without a dedicated social studies class. If it’s taught at all, it’s usually squeezed into ELA lessons. So by the time our kiddos hit middle school and finally get a real history class, they’ve already absorbed the message that history just isn’t as important as math, science, or reading.

That’s why I always kick off the year with a few Beginning of the Year activities to help my students understand why we teach history in the first place. It’s not just about memorizing dates or facts. It’s about understanding our world, each other, and ourselves. It's about giving our students the tools to think critically, ask questions, and draw connections between past and present. If your students have ever asked, “Why do we even have to learn this?” here are six important reasons to teach history that I love sharing during those first few days of class!

1. Teach History to Help Students Understand Others

One of the most powerful reasons to teach history is to help our students build empathy. History opens a window into people’s lives. We get to see what they believed, how they lived, what they valued, and how they made decisions in the context of their time. When our students explore the experiences of people who lived differently from them, it helps expand their worldview.

I like to have my students examine historical diaries, letters, or primary sources from different cultures and eras. Then we talk about what those people might have felt or thought. This is a history lesson and a life lesson. It helps our kids understand that every person they meet today is shaped by a personal and cultural history. That awareness can help them be more compassionate classmates and citizens.

Teaching history this way helps us build bridges in the classroom. When we connect the past to current social issues, our students begin to see that people have always wrestled with big questions about fairness, justice, and identity. Understanding others through the lens of history lays the foundation for a more inclusive and thoughtful future.

2. Knowing History Helps Us Be Better

One of the most meaningful reasons to teach history is that it helps our students grow, not just academically, but personally. When our students study the past, they don’t just learn what happened. They learn why people made the choices they did, and what the consequences of those choices were. That reflection is powerful.

I like to explain to my students that learning history is a little like looking into a mirror and a window at the same time. It gives us a mirror to reflect on ourselves and our own society, and it opens a window into the lives of others. When our students analyze how past societies handled conflict, justice, leadership, or human rights, they start to see patterns. With those patterns, they gain the tools to make better choices in their own lives.

Early in the school year, I introduce primary source analysis graphic organizers to help my students take a deeper look at the past. These organizers guide them through examining letters, artwork, political cartoons, and even historical literature. Each one includes targeted questions that show them where to focus their attention. This could be noticing a tone in a letter, symbolism in a cartoon, or context clues in a work of art. As they analyze these sources, your students will begin to see how to interpret the choices and perspectives of people from the past. When we teach history this way, as a thoughtful investigation, it becomes more than just learning what happened. It becomes a path for helping our students develop empathy, awareness, and a more informed view of the world around them.

3. History Inspires Us

For every hard truth in history, there’s also a story of courage, innovation, or resilience. Teaching history gives our students real-life heroes. People who fought for justice, overcame adversity, or stood firm in their values when it wasn’t easy. These stories inspire our students more deeply than any fictional character could.

I love introducing my students to both famous and lesser-known historical figures. Yes, Abraham Lincoln shows up. So does Elizabeth Jennings Graham, who fought segregation before Rosa Parks, and Solomon Northup, whose story in 12 Years a Slave adds necessary depth to discussions of slavery and freedom. The goal isn’t to idolize. It’s to humanize.

At the start of the year, I like to assign a mini Biography project where my students research someone from the past they find inspiring. For later on in the year, there are time period research projects to add to units. It shows them that when we teach history, we’re not just looking backward. We’re finding strength to move forward.

4. Teach History to Introduce the Work of Historians

Another important beginning of the year conversation I like to have is around the question of what a historian is. Many of my students think historians just memorize facts. I tell them historians are detectives. They dig through artifacts, texts, and testimonies to piece together what happened, and then they interpret it.

When we teach history, we’re training our students to think like historians. That means asking questions, identifying bias, cross-checking sources, and building a case based on evidence. These are critical thinking skills they’ll use in every class and career.

At the beginning of the year, one of my favorite ways to help students connect with the past is through an interactive timeline activity. I hang QR codes around the room centered around one of the topics we will be covering during the year. Students move around, scan the codes, and gather clues about what happened and when. Then, they place the events in chronological order. These types of activities get them up, moving, and thinking critically. It also helps them see that history isn’t just a list of dates. It’s a series of real moments lived by real people. When they begin to piece together those moments, they start to understand just how relatable history really is.

5. Teach History to Help Students Understand Change

Let’s face it, change can be uncomfortable. When we teach history, we give our students the context to understand why change is necessary and how it happens. Progress doesn’t come out of nowhere. It comes from people who saw something wrong and had the courage to try something new.

I always tell my students that not all change is good, but all change teaches us something. We look at movements that succeeded and ones that failed. We study revolutions, reforms, and resistance. Through it all, we explore what sparked those shifts and what we can learn from them.

One simple but impactful beginning of the year activity I like to use is the On This Day in History slides. Each day, your students see three events that happened on that date across different years or centuries. After reading them, they answer a few reflection questions. It’s a quick bellringer routine that sparks great conversation. Over time, your students start to see that change is constant. History is full of both progress and setbacks. It helps them recognize that today’s world didn’t just happen overnight. It was shaped, moment by moment, by people and decisions from the past.

6. Teach History to Prepare Students for the Future

We teach history not just because of what it tells us about the past, but because of what it does for our future. History helps our students make informed decisions, spot patterns, and navigate the complexities of the world around them. That’s true civic readiness.

When we talk about voting, climate change, social media, or public policy, there’s always a historical thread to pull. Beginning of the year activities that connect current events to historical events give our students the chance to understand that what they’re learning matters now and always.

I like ending my first week of school with a simple question on the board: “How will you make history?” It sparks conversations, vision boards, and journal entries. It also sets the tone that this class isn’t about the past. It’s about what they do with it next.

Kick Off the Year With Even More Tools to Teach History

Ready to start the year with confidence and purpose? Head over to my TPT store, where you’ll find complete units, mapping activities, and tons of helpful resources to make the first weeks of school smooth and impactful. Whether you're looking for engaging lessons, primary source analysis tools, or interactive activities to help your students connect with the past, I’ve got you covered. These resources are designed to save you time while helping you teach history in meaningful and memorable ways. Go take a look. You’ll find everything you need to start strong!

Let’s Keep Teaching History With Purpose

So if you’re heading into a new school year and wondering how to hook your students from day one, start by showing them why we teach history. Use those first few days to build curiosity, make it relevant, and let your students see themselves in the stories you’ll tell.

When our students understand the value of history, they engage with it differently. They ask more questions. They think more critically. Most of all, they start to care. That’s the moment when history becomes more than a subject. It becomes a guide.

Save for Later

Getting ready for the school year can feel like a whirlwind, so if you’re not quite ready to dive in, no worries! Just save this post so you can come back to it when you're planning those first week lessons. These tips and ideas are the perfect way to help your students understand why we teach history and how it connects to their lives today.