History Minor

Today’s events and circumstances are a consequence of past situations and developments. As a result, understanding the present—as distinct from simply experiencing it—requires attention to history. The disciplined study of the past through written records and artifacts, as well as descriptions of witnesses, commentators, and critics, has long been part of the intellectual foundation of an educated person. History unfolds in ways that sometimes confound the expectations of both logic and predictive science, demonstrating the depth and complexity of human affairs. Thus, historical study provides valuable insight otherwise lacking in a curriculum of specialized, present-oriented branches of science and engineering. Simultaneously, historical cases present valuable evidence for social scientists or managers seeking the regularities of human events. Well-trained professionals ignore such resources at their peril.