This is a conversation amongst history enthusiasts and teachers about why should we wrestle with history?

My Narrative:

We ought to wrestle with history because it helps define who we are and who we want to become. To wrestle with history is to spar with it. When I read, I don’t just underline or highlight. I step into the ring with the text. I annotate like I’m having a conversation, or even an argument, with the author.

I question what I’m reading, not just circling key terms or defining unfamiliar ones, but challenging the ideas themselves. I get sarcastic with the text when I need to. I draw connections between eras, find nuance in what might seem simple, and look for the deeper complexity underneath it all. I ask myself: Why does this matter? Why should it matter to me, or to us, as Americans? What’s happening globally when this event takes place?

I think about who the author was writing for, their purpose, their potential bias, their point of view. I try to put the work into its historical context to understand both the moment and the mindset behind it.

And at the heart of all of this is the Socratic Method dialogue. It is how we push ourselves and our students to think critically and actively. Wrestling with history isn’t just about memorizing facts; it’s about engaging in a living conversation with the past. It’s about learning to think with courage, humility, and curiosity, because that’s how we understand not only where we came from, but where we’re going.

Trapped in History Email Links:

robert.malcomson@logan.kyschools.us

trappedinhistorypodcast@gmail.com

Social Media Outlets:

Facebook Group Link: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/zr3rKGzVG2ZN4x8n/

TikTok Link: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZP881jy21/

Instagram: robertmalcomson

Substack Link: trappedinhistory.substack.com / @trappedinhistory

Recommended Websites:

Preston Stewart YouTube Channel (Military/History/Global Events)

https://www.youtube.com/@PrestonStewart

Foreign Policy Research Institute Link:

https://www.fpri.org/

Council on Foreign Relations

https://www.cfr.org/

Global Conflict Tracker

https://www.cfr.org/global-conflict-tracker

Institute for the Study of War

https://www.understandingwar.org/