To answer this question we must first more clearly understand what the term history means, history is an easy term to misunderstand. ‘History’ is not the same as the ‘past’ but rather the study of past events; “in other words not the past itself, but our interaction with it” (TOK.net). As an area of knowledge history has its own distinctive nature and method which allows us to gain knowledge and guidance.
We expand our experiences to the lives of men and women who lived through a different time and place, history teaches us valuable things both about others and ourselves. We gain much of our identity from history. For example, humans live in societies with complex cultures, traditions, and religions that have not been created on the spur of the moment. Dating back to the emergence of Christianity it can trace its history back to almost “2,000 years”(Britannica). From its beginnings, Christianity has regarded itself as a true world religion that appeals to all people without distinction of race, nation, or culture. Although Christianity began with the teachings of Jesus Christ, many years ago, the people of the modern world are still practicing Christianity. It is because of history that Christianity has been able to remain by far the “world’s largest religion”(Britannica).
However, it is important to ask ourselves ‘How does the study of past events influence our daily lives?’ History influences our lives in the sense that without studying the past we wouldn’t have much understanding of who we are and where we stand. This means that we are able to gain components of our identities through history. So, how is this possible? “When Christianity formed it began with only Jesus Christ and his faithful group of disciples, together they taught others about the will of God.” (Britannica). Christianity arose over time, gaining Christians as the word was spread. It is reasonable to say that these people were not yet studying history being that they were living during the time that Christianity had formed. But, those who adopted Christianity through their ancestors or desire were studying history unconsciously. This includes anyone who identifies as a Christian then and now. Religious practice can be consider the equivalent of studying past events considering that Jesus and his disciples helped create the fundamentals of Christianity while existing in an earlier time period. Through time, religions have gone through reformation but for the most part, the most important beliefs remain the same.
Our identities are impacted by the values and beliefs we abided by and live our lives by. As mentioned earlier, the fundamentals of Christianity which were created long ago were inculcated in the lives of those who chose Christianity as the religion to identify themselves with. For instance, when Jesus Christ began to spread the will of God he emphasized that they should believe in “God the Father, Jesus Christ as the son of God, and the Holy Spirit”(Britannica). One of his disciples, Moses, also played an important role in introducing the 10 commandments. “The 10 commandments revealed God’s holy standards for living”(Britannica). The commandments were then able to build the moral and ethical beliefs of the Christian community. The beliefs and fundamentals of Christianity were able to remain in existence because of the religious practices and research being made not only by those who existed in the past but also the people who exist in the world of today. Values and beliefs despite what background or culture you come from can strike a common ground with people and give themselves an identity. For example, if you live your life and have built beliefs and values upon what a warrior would do. Then you may have an identity of a warrior attitude.
If it weren't for the study of the past it is possible to say that religion wouldn't exist which then leads to the conclusion that we wouldn’t gain or construct components of our identities under the aspect of religion. History, as an area of knowledge, has helped nourish the foundings of the past. It has also helped preserve those findings so that people of the modern world could have such accessible availability. Through the action of studying the past we are able to gain guidance and knowledge, the past gives us the opportunity to individually reflect upon our lives and decide who we want to portray ourselves as. Our idea on what emcompasses our identity has evolved overtime but our ideas are founded by the same beliefs of the past.