Why do we study History? Why on earth does it matter what happened long ago? Because History is inescapable. It studies the past and the legacies of the past in the present; it connects things through time and encourages its students to take a long view of such connections.

The study of the past is essential for 'rooting' people in time. People who feel themselves to be rootless live rootless lives, often causing a lot of damage to themselves and others in the process.