Forever we have been taught and drilled with the history of the United States and the history of the world.

We have learned history, just as any other subject, since we could spell our names.

But why?

History is not my strong subject. I’ve taken AP History for two years and both years I have been extremely lost in the class.

I can tell you why World War I started, but I can’t tell you why that matters. Yes, we understand that history tends to repeat itself, but why else is it significant?

A few weeks back, some of my fellow staff members and I traveled to the capital of the United States, D. C., for a convention that taught us how to improve our magazine.

While there, we had the opportunity to sightsee during some of our free time. The first day, we visited the monuments as well as the memorials of those who have served in some traumatic wars.

Having no personal connection to the army, I was surprised to feel the tears fall down my cheeks. But if I thought that was overwhelming, I wasn’t prepared for Arlington National Cemetery.

Allison Carr and I walked around Arlington for hours, reflecting on all of the people that died and what they died for.

That was when it hit me; History is important.

History is meaningful to the living because it forces us to think, to think about why we are allowed to walk freely in the streets and why women are now allowed to serve and how far we have come as a country.

Without these hundreds of thousands of people there would have been no way for Americans to have the rights addressed in the Declaration of Independence.

That’s why these documents are meaningful and that’s why we learn history. It’s to remember what happened and why it happened and to honor those who gave their lives for our freedom.

It’s for our happiness.

So, when you hear students in the hall question why we are required to absorb ourselves in history, just remember that history is the reason you are here. And history is why America is where it is today.

The fallen shouldn’t have died for nothing.

Be grateful and remind yourself why you are granted rights.