Drive Thru History Giveaway
by Ashley Ramsey on 05/01/2009 at 12:01 AM
[Editor's note: This is *not* a "game of chance," and there is no "luck" involved. We've received some submissions that are just a few words long, and that imply that we'll be drawing names out of a hat. We won't. We are reading every comment, and will select the ones that meet our requirements and that most resonate with us. Just trying to help clarify. :-) -- Ted.]
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I hope ya'll enjoyed Dave Stott's interview on last week's episode of the podcast. If his Drive Thru History series piqued your interest, we've got good news: Boundless is giving away five 2-DVD sets of the show.
This is a great educational resource and it's just plain fun. You can check out a 4-minute trailer over on Tangle.
To enter our giveaway, leave a comment below telling us what brought history alive for you. Was it a high school teacher, college professor, book you read, historical site you visited on vacation with your crazy uncle Larry?
On Friday, May 8 we'll select the five entries that piqued our interest, and feature those winners in a blog post. That means you'll need to write and submit your comment by midnight on May 7 (Mountain Standard Time). Five of you will not only get to enjoy your own Drive Thru History, you'll also get some of the Boundless spotlight. Will you be among the Chosen Five?
Sadly, for logistical reasons, and not because of any antipathy toward those who live outside the United States, you'll have to be "residing in the U.S., its territories and possessions." Apologies to our international readers. For more riveting legalese, read our Contest Rules and Regulations.
1. Allie said the following at 3:29 AM on May 1:
The seeming increase in political corruption and the decline in our country's fear of God and belief in Christ was the impetus for my renewed interest in our nation's history. I helped organize a local tea party and am struggling to keep up with current events while I juggle the demands of college life. Additionally, Glenn Beck has too been an inspiration to me, and I'm sure many in our nation, to study the past and learn from the leaders that once made our country great (e.g. George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin). And, I want to know the past and learn from them for our nation needs it. We are in dire need of righteous men and women that choose to stand up for our country and for the Lord who is above all nations. I read this this morning, it seems to be a prayer from our hearts: "But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me." (Micah 7:7)
2. Josh said the following at 5:51 AM on May 1:
One clear time that I remember history coming alive was about 3 years ago when my wife (then girlfriend) and I visited St. Andrews Castle in St. Andrews. The castle had been attacked a few times. One of the remnants of a siege was a mine/countermine. A mine is what attackers would use to undermine a wall in order to destroy it. In this case, the mine was still very visible. The defenders during the siege had dug a countermine that intersected with the attackers. The countermine evidently dug in haste, while the mine showed evidence of pacing. We went in through the countermine and walked to the bit where it connected with the mine. The sense of fear was palpable in the countermine. I could very easily imagine the fear and determination of the defenders as well as the surprise of the attackers as the defenders dropped in from above. It was an incredible experience!
3. Melissa said the following at 9:08 AM on May 1:
... Being born. That brought history alive for me. Why? Because by being born I was given the opportunity to be a part of history - in the little things and big things. Every decision I make has a consequence. My choices affect me and other. I'm part of and affected by history... and I'm a history maker. We all are. :)
4. Elaine said the following at 9:18 AM on May 1:
Modern history came alive to me while talking to my grandparents about growing up during the Great Depression and their early marriage during WWII. Both are fantastic story tellers and remember so much.
Ancient history came alive to me when I had to teach it to my sixth grade class. One of my students had Drive Thru History and my husband and I watched it to research the ancient world. I had never made connections between cities and events and the Bible.
I would love to have a set for to leave for the school because this is my last year to teach. We've start our family and the baby's due Sunday.
5. Ray Ciervo said the following at 9:20 AM on May 1:
Sitting in study hall and hearing that President Kennedy had been assassinated in Dallas, November 1963. That event began to make life more real with the coming civil rights movement, the Vietnam war and it anti-war movement to the resignation of Richard Nixon. Running throughout that period were massive student protests to the beat of Rock n Roll which changed the sound of music forever. The Kennedy Assassination seems to have been the "awakening" factor for which all else has been downstream. Since then, nothing has been "as usual," not politics, not music, not anything in our nation.
6. Karolyn said the following at 9:21 AM on May 1:
I never really like history before,but as I get older I love it .Esp.when the fight comes around about us being from a Christian nation or not.And whether we are for monkeys and such .And the bible studies I gone to ,it just became so alive for me .Now I read a lot esp. realistic historical fiction (mainly christian ones).
7. Bob said the following at 9:23 AM on May 1:
Growing up, I didn't get to see much history. Basically, whatever the textbook told me was as close as I could get to history. However, God provided amazing opportunities throughout my college career to be able to actually experience, visit, see where history happened. It wasn't until I visited anything from a Civil War battlefield to Petra in Jordan, that I was able to take history personally. The difference was not in the words on the page, but in the experience of the culture, the struggle, the people that made a difference. It was at those moments when history became real.
8. Rachel said the following at 9:26 AM on May 1:
I had an amazing 6th grade history teacher that brought American History alive for me. He would teach it like he had been there. It was something that has stuck with me. I also love reading about people who lived in different eras.
My husband and I love the Drive thru History series!
9. Anna said the following at 9:32 AM on May 1:
Three years ago, my dad took me to Italy with him on an incentive trip he won through his company. On this trip, we visited Rome, and I experienced two places significant to me as a Christian. The first was the Mamertine prison, where it is believed that Peter and Paul were each imprisoned at one time. The other was the Catacombs, where the early Christians buried their dead to avoid the Roman laws of cremation, and where they would also hold meetings when the persecution was too great.
These places made history come alive for me because they weren't just words on the page of a bible, or a history book, but they were REAL places that I could see and touch. Now I read the accounts of the apostles and the early church with a whole new perspective; I have walked where they walked.
10. Liz said the following at 9:34 AM on May 1:
I went on a mission trip to Poland my senior year of high school. While our group was there, we had the sober opportunity to visit Auschwitz, one of the main concentration camps used during the Holocaust.
I will never forget looking at the incinerators, the thousands of pairs of reading glasses left behind, the tiny children’s shoes that were taken, and the locks of shaven hair, realizing that the Holocaust was indeed, a real event. Thousands of children were torn from their families, only to die in loneliness and fear because of their lineage. That single trip to Auschwitz was life changing for me, as I recognized the horrific lengths that sin can lead an individual to follow. I was also reminded, to an even greater degree, of the value of each and every human life, created in the image of God.
As I walked through the halls and across the grounds of that concentration camp over ten years ago, I realized that the Holocaust was not just some story written for a moral lesson or education. The torture in that camp was real, and the responsibility of Christians to protect human life is mandated. Reflecting upon the needless death of so many men, women and children, history made itself very much alive that day at Auschwitz – and left me with a memory that I hope never fades.
11. Rick Thomas said the following at 9:38 AM on May 1:
I love people, dead or alive. Always have. People fascinate me. I have an insatiable curiosity about what makes people tick. History is a portal into the people of the past. I wondered what made Hitler do what he did or how Washington made it through the long, cold winters. I love searching for old Baseball Greats through YouTube or sitting beside my 98-year old grandma with tape recorder in hand, letting her chat away about her past.
I can't go by a graveyard without wondering how the folks lived, succeeded, failed or died. Who were they? What did they do? What is their story?
This fascination has led me into a Professional Christian Counseling career. It is the best life imaginable. Now I get the chance to change history, effect history as I seek to reorient people to God. More than one person's history has been changed through counseling.
Additionally, I began journaling in 1994, everyday! Now over 5000 articles later, my family can get a peek into my history. There may come a day when my kids are interested in my history and I want to leave it for them, just in case they get curious. Therefore, they have in our attic many journal entries of the good, bad and ugly of my life.
But primarily I want them to see God's kindness to me and reading the historical record is a great way to see how He has been involved in my story.
History is a wonderful thing. It is a multi-perspectival view of God acting in his world and the more I read the more I am faith-filled that God is working his plan and bringing me to a delightful conclusion.
Thanks for asking us to reflect on history!
Rick
12. Ross said the following at 9:39 AM on May 1:
I had taken a course in high school over European history. My instructor brought history alive for me when he showed slides of all the places he had traveled in Europe and described the place's significance in history. Following high school I knew history would be one of my major subjects in college based on the fact that it captures the past and gives it meaning. It teaches us what we truly shouldn't forget: the errors and the successes of the past. Without learning from these society wouldn't have come this far.
13. Dee said the following at 9:55 AM on May 1:
I was standing beside an unexploded missile in a giant crater in the middle of the Salvadorian mountains when I realized that history is more than dates and things that happened 100's of years ago. Our guide, a friend of mine, was talking about having to sleep on the floor to avoid bullets coming through the walls of their house. These things had happened in my lifetime. I began to think about the things I'd tell my children about someday that would be history to them.
That's when I actually realized that history is being created every day and real people are involved in that. Actual human beings with families are part of these stories that forever change the way we see the world. It's our story.
14. Gary said the following at 9:59 AM on May 1:
My college history teacher - I can't remember his name [but he really looked like Shemp - yes, that Shemp - seriously]. He taught us in what used to be an old church.
He was instructing us about the River of History and the courses it flowed through over time. To illustrate some of the meanders - he climbed into the choir loft - back near the baptistry - and proceed to hop down the rows of chairs. To emphasize "NOW" - he leaped over the modesty rail and landed, on both feet, thunderously on the platform. It broke the class up - and 25 years later I still can see it in my mind.
15. Tami said the following at 10:00 AM on May 1:
I grew up visiting historic sites all over the United States—native sites in Arizona, California Missions, the Hoover Dam, Mount Vernon, Cape Canaveral, West Point, houses owned by the Rockefellers and Vanderbilts… the list goes on. I read many, many a plaque and roadway marker. (And judging by old family stories, I think that might have been how I *learned* to read!). I’m also certain that this awareness of history prompted me to become a history major in college.
It was then that a book brought history to life for me, in a unique and very memorable way. That book: The Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis.
My church situation, growing up, was dry. The church was focused on “bigger, better, newer,” yet there wasn’t much sense of God’s presence and transforming power. As I got older, I sensed there was much more to the Christian life, and I yearned for unity and deeper community. As a junior in college, I took a course in the history of Christianity, and a Kempis’ book was on the reading list. I had never read anything like it; a Kempis wrote of sincere devotion to the Lord, keeping near to Him, and weighing one’s own thoughts, attitudes, and actions carefully. My eyes were thus opened to those who lived in Christ before me, and I came to recognize that I had spiritual “brothers and sisters”. Through this experience, my desire to read the Bible devotionally increased, and I also got a better sense of the community of saints throughout time. So you could say, in a sense, pre-Reformation writings were the catalyst for my own personal reformation!
16. MoonMusic said the following at 10:02 AM on May 1:
I was home schooled, and when I was in high school, people from all over the state would gather for a contradance (not country dance, but "contra-", loosely from the French meaning face to face) as a "prom." I loved making costumes and learning the dances. It piqued my interest in American history from 1750-1800, mostly because of the clothes. Later, I spent a summer working at Camp Flintlock where we wore period clothing, slept in period tents with period mattresses, cooked all meals over open fires, shot flintlock muskets, and learned so many other real-life history lessons. I am now an amateur researcher of the social customs, clothing, and music of these fifty years. Even though I no longer live near a costumed contradance, I'll sometimes put on an everyday costume just to remember the feel of it and dream about someday being able to participate in costumed historical education.
17. Daniel said the following at 10:07 AM on May 1:
For me it's always been the stories. Stories like the suspense of Hannibal crossing the Alps to barge into Rome's backdoor or that of the underground railroad. Who can forget the epic struggles of William Wallace and the cunning of Sun Tzu and Musashi? Then there's the whole of the church's rich history.
18. DEH said the following at 10:14 AM on May 1:
When my older brother was in junior high, his history teacher had the class put on a "wax museum" of historical characters they had been studying. Each student chose a noteworthy person and wrote an educational speech from the point of view of his/her chosen character. They all assembled period costumes and memorized their speeches. Then, during a special evening event to which parents, teachers, and students were invited, they put on their living museum. Students were positioned throughout the school in frozen poses, and we the guests would simply wander around and push the specially designated "buttons" to make these historical people come to life and tell us about themselves.
I'll never forget learning about all the real people whom I had only read about before: (the historical) Pocahontas, Sacagawea, Roger Williams, and, especially, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony, to name a few. Because of this brilliant junior high history teacher, I really saw history "come to life" that day.
19. b_ said the following at 10:29 AM on May 1:
What brought history alive for me? Hmm. The History Channel? Perhaps. My college professor? Definitely not. Drive Thru History? Of course!
But seriously, the thing that has made me interested in history is the fact that I am getting older. I want to know more about where we have come from. Especially biblical history. I want to understand more of the culture and thought of the early church and those they were trying to minister to. I want to understand their history so that I am better prepared for today.
20. Justin said the following at 10:41 AM on May 1:
You hear about Jesus and read facts about the Christian movement, but when you have a relationship with Jesus, that really makes history "come alive"!
21. Melisssa S. said the following at 10:46 AM on May 1:
6th grade and California history. We had notebooks that we drew and wrote in and we spent hours sitting on the floor listening to mom read historical fiction while we worked on the little assignments. The discovery of historical fiction was definitely when I started to love history. The Oregon trail stories in particular really caught my imagination and I even ended up choosing it for the subject of a college paper ten years later. In 7th and 8th grade I studied ancient history and once again was fascinated by the stories of "real" and real people through historical fiction. The same thing happened through high school with each new time period. It was always the people and the stories that caught my attention and got me interested.
22. Jeannette said the following at 10:48 AM on May 1:
What has helped me to learn history is the various websites I 'subscribe' to. They are all Christ-centered, so, I most likely will get a balanced perspective. Also, growing up in the 70's and 80's, I learned about what happened to or in this country and it did not seem biased or have any of the garbage that is out there now(i.e., is God a man or a woman? did the world come into being from an atom being split or what? did man evolve from apes/fish/you name it? etc.)from the public schools I attended. Also, my mother was a huge advocate of learning whatever you can,wherever you are. We read books much more often than watch tv.
23. JenR said the following at 10:49 AM on May 1:
A week in France is what it took to make history come alive for me.
Oh, sure, I had suffered through various AP history classes in high school - but like most of my peers, I hated reading pages and pages of a thick text each night (not to mention the public humiliation during class as students were called on to answer questions - let’s just say I’ve never been that great at memorizing dates and names, and the more I tried to avoid eye-contact, the more the teacher seemed to zero-in on me).
But I decided to be a Humanities major in college. True; it was partially due to the fact that my AP classes transferred enough to clear out a goodly chunk of my required classes for my major (which, logically, would mean fewer history classes, right?). But it was also because I was living in England at the time, and with my Humanities major, I could travel throughout Europe and get college credit. Win-win!
So I signed up for a week-long study of World War One.
I had no idea it would give birth to a new passion.
I admit I only went because I had a friend going as well, and I was just happy to be travelling somewhere I’d never been before (Paris!). I mean, what’s so interesting about WWI? How much time does the average student spend on that slice of history? It was just a blip in my European History class, necessary only to move on to WWII. In fact, all I could remember about WWI was my high school teacher saying, in his heroic attempt at a German accent, “Silly Willy and his U-boats!”
How could one possibly stretch out a “blip” to last an entire week?
But it was during this class that I became a Humanities dork. Although it’s been about eight years now, I can still vividly recall the afternoon we travelled the valley of the Somme: visiting memorials, reading poetry and journals of the men who experienced the war, wandering towns that even today have vestiges of the ruins created from being behind enemy lines…
…and walking through trenches that had once been a vital point in the Battle of the Somme.
Altogether, it took us perhaps a five-minute slow saunter to cross what was once known as “No Man’s Land,” the area between the front lines where thousands of men lost their lives in a months-long battle to gain the upper hand. The lazy spring afternoon seemed to call for a picnic – to sit down and enjoy the sun and bright green grass, basking in the beautiful countryside.
It’s peaceful now, the shallow valleys that in 1917 were filled with mud and rats the size of your head and the scent of sweat, mustard gas, and death. The once deep trenches that weave across the land are now covered in grass and trees, and it’s common to find sheep grazing. Discreet graveyards are tucked away, their white headstones adorned with the occasional colorful red poppy. It would seem idyllic, the typical pastoral scene.
If you didn’t know.
But I did know. That peaceful strip of grass couldn’t disguise the muddy and bloody history of the place.
Much to the shock of the high-school me, I now love history – I love putting the pieces together, seeing how history is found in literature and art and music and philosophy. I love being able to visit places and understand their place and importance throughout time; I like to explore the culture and time-period surrounding a novel; I enjoy knowing that the different periods of art and architecture, even in the last hundred years, can tell me so much about the times in which it was created.
Perhaps I should have pursued a more “professional” degree that would have led to a high-paying job – or at least a degree that would seem “useful.”
But I don’t regret it, not one bit. That week in France was only the beginning – and even though I no longer am able to study abroad, I still geek-out whenever I travel – finding out the history and cultural ramifications of the new places I’m visiting.
Oh, and I currently have two shelves dedicated to books on WWI.
What can I say? I’m hooked.
24. Sarah Jones said the following at 10:54 AM on May 1:
I had a teacher for 8th grade U.S. History who was absolutely over the top, head over heels for U.S. history. Or maybe she was the normal one? =) I remember she wore an American flag for a dress one day and she would have us reenact parts of the civil war right in class. Her passion for history sparked in me a curiosity as to why it could really be that cool. Then, why I realized that God himself intersected into time and space, or into world history, I knew I couldn't downplay the importance of it any longer. Combine that with the fact that God could have chosen a million of different ways to impart the truth of his coming, but he chose to communicate with people throughout history and to have their stories recorded so we can look back and learn from their experience generation after generation. History is COOL. : )
25. Brian Ramsey said the following at 10:56 AM on May 1:
My friends and I were standing in Kraznaya Plosha (Red Square) in Krasnodar, Russia. No, not the one in Moscow. We were looking at a Cathedral that had been rebuilt since the fall of Soviet Russia.
My interest was peaked to learn of the vast number of beautiful buildings which had been torn down during the Communist era, and the repression of Religion which had taken place.
You see, we were there on a missions trip, spreading the Good News, and we needed to understand the HISTORY of this people to know how best to communicate about Jesus to them. Context matters. Where a people comes from matters.
I've not viewed the past the same since that time in the Motherland.
26. Jessi said the following at 11:22 AM on May 1:
I had always been semi-interested in history, but it really came alive for me starting at about the age of 14. My siblings and I have all been homeschooled. My mom started using the Sonlight curriculum, and I volunteered to work with my younger brother (we're about 8 years apart). Before this point all my history lessons had been out of a text book. But with Sonlight, the history and literature work is done from a collection of small historical fiction novels and history workbooks. At the start, my brother complained, but I loved it! Even though the book were mostly geared towards younger children, I learned a ton, and history really did come alive for me. I did my brother's read alouds with him from that year until I graduated high school.We got to learn history through books like "Detectives in Togas," "Carry on Mr. Bowditch," "The Winged Watchman," and "House of 60 Fathers." For any kid who is not interested in history, I reccomend steering away from textbooks, and getting into some books!
27. mindy said the following at 11:22 AM on May 1:
road trips through historical sights thanks for the giveaway
28. silvervknight said the following at 11:37 AM on May 1:
History came alive for me when I started reading the Bible. Being a health science major in college, literature and history were not that important to me. When I accepted Christ as Lord and Savior my freshmen year of college, the Bible opened up a whole new interest on history in me. Not having grown up in a church or Christian environment, I did not know the Bible narratives at all (not even the Sunday school version). As I started exploring the Old Testament narratives and Palestine in Jesus' time, I started to care very much about historical events, archeology, political history, cultural festivals and dates, etc.
I realized that the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ was intricately linked in the historical past with concrete events and historical characters. I wanted to know everything I can about my Lord. I looked into the Jewish festivals and its calender system. I looked up the history of the missing four hundred years during the intertestmental period. History became interesting because God became interesting. Now that I know God is the architect and conductor of history, I have a deepened love for the past and the lessons I can gain from it.
29. Terrance Yu said the following at 11:38 AM on May 1:
History came alive for me when I started reading the Bible. Being a health science major in college, literature and history were not that important to me. When I accepted Christ as Lord and Savior my freshmen year of college, the Bible opened up a whole new interest on history in me. Not having grown up in a church or Christian environment, I did not know the Bible narratives at all (not even the Sunday school version). As I started exploring the Old Testament narratives and Palestine in Jesus' time, I started to care very much about historical events, archeology, political history, cultural festivals and dates, etc.
I realized that the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ was intricately linked in the historical past with concrete events and historical characters. I wanted to know everything I can about my Lord. I looked into the Jewish festivals and its calender system. I looked up the history of the missing four hundred years during the intertestmental period. History became interesting because God became interesting. Now that I know God is the architect and conductor of history, I have a deepened love for the past and the lessons I can gain from it.
30. Jaime said the following at 11:40 AM on May 1:
History came alive for me sometime in high school when I realized that it's not about dates and events. History is such a jumble and tangle of ideas, egos, beliefs, events, and circumstances. It took me several years to understand that. Then, I wanted to read and see everything I could get my hands on and try to understand and not just know our history, and the history of other areas of our world. I think the most amazing part about history is looking at it all and realizing that God and His glory are at the center of it.
31. DannieA said the following at 12:05 PM on May 1:
My mother is the only reason I'll stop to read about history/historical events. In school I hated history...textbook history held no interest for me...why remember meaningless dates/wars/empires/etc. I never got it in class...
Now, since I was born, my mother has been instrumental to get me interested in historical events and places. She would always take me to museums, I loved to read, and loved stories like Harriet Tubman's Underground Railroad, civil war stories, oh and stories about the Indians/Native Americans...awesome! Not only would we go to museums, my mom would arrange summer trips to obscure and not so obscure places in the USA and in our car trips, we would stop off....Virginia, AZ, California historical missions etc.
When I was in 8th grade, my mother helped me fundraise for the Washington D.C. 8th grade class trip (imagine a bunch of 8th graders on a plane from CA to DC???)...to this day, I lOVE going to different places in the USA and in my home state of CA that has history attached.
If my mother hadn't been this proactive, I would have been stuck with history classes which held no interest for me during class, and I wouldn't know and appreciate as much as I do at this point in time.
Thanks MOM!!!!!!!!!!! You're the best!
32. Vanessa said the following at 12:22 PM on May 1:
One of the major experiences that brought history alive for me was spending time listening to the stories of elderly Russian men and women who survived World War II. Some of them told me that the emotions they experienced at that time are still as fresh as though it had all happened just yesterday.
Another experience that made history come alive for me was meeting and fellowshipping with Russian Christians who had been imprisoned for their faith under the Soviet regime. Rubbing shoulders with these people for several years changed my life permanently.
33. Rachelle Robinson said the following at 12:37 PM on May 1:
I am a creationist through and through! I love studying history and using the Bible. When I was young (in my late teens) someone told me that the traditional Mt. Sinai is not the correct location where the Israelites worshiped their golden calf and where God gave us the Ten Commandments. Then they showed me a Bible verse from Galations 4:24-35 and a video by Bob Cornuke. WOW! My faith isn't changed but linking the Bible and world events became a desire for me to learn and study. Our Christian heritage is the greatest one we've got!
34. Ashley L said the following at 12:38 PM on May 1:
If you would have asked me what I thought about US or World History before I met my husband, I would have quickly responded "Yuck!" In college and seminary, church history piqued my interest. But there was still this dichotomy in my mind between church and "secular" history. Anything not involving the martyrdom of sold-out believers seemed so boring.
This changed when I met my husband. Of course, my initial "interest" in history was to win over this guy who was a history major. Eventually, though, his passion for all history and understanding of it as one complete story (whether church history or not) helped me to realize all of history reveals God's glory.
Now history is more than just a subject I have to tolerate. I enjoy listening to my husband's recounting of US History as he prepares for his teaching lessons. I appreciate the rich heritage left by previous generations. I even pay more attention to today's events, knowing that my children and grandchildren will study my current experiences in their history classes. Through sharing my view of what happened, I want them to gain the appreciation I did not grow up having.
35. Leah said the following at 12:43 PM on May 1:
I received a homeschool education for most of my life (from first to ninth grade) so much of my passion for history came from reading ahead in my history book when my mom wasn't watching. I had an extra interest in World War II, so when I went to the library, I picked up novels and diaries about children during that time. In public high school, I gave a book presentation in my senior year English class of some book that had to do with the Holocaust, and though I apologized for the somewhat depressing nature of the subject, I explained why it is vitally important to learn from the lessons of our history so that it would never happen again. I doubt that my classmates will ever forget. :)
36. Mandi said the following at 1:10 PM on May 1:
I've always avoided reading history books because my high school and college professors were so dry that classes were just a dull recitation of facts and dates that had no life or interest and just had to be memorized. I'm a sucker for fiction, though, and read avidly. When I picked up my first book by Edward Rutherford (London), I was finally introduced to the amazing world of historical fiction: that wonderful genre that combines reality with imagination to bring history alive. That first book sparked in me a passion for British history which has led to a love of world history in general. I still avoid most standard history books but am learning to root out books by authors who make their subject real and pertinent to life today...it's so rewarding to see how God has shaped our world by studying our history!
37. Joel said the following at 1:36 PM on May 1:
I didn't have much interest in history in high school or even college. I had times when history came alive then though. Walking battle fields in Virginia, visiting historic homes, seeing where the history I learned about took place. That is what brought history to life. Recently I read the book America: The Last Best Hope Vol. 1 by William J. Bennett. His portrayal of American history brought to life the struggles and triumphs of America in a way I had never seen before. I am eager to read Vol. 2. I am more interested in history than ever before.
38. Lissa said the following at 2:06 PM on May 1:
History came alive to me when I went on vacation with my family to different places and we learned the history of that area. I remember my dad somehow just knew everything about history and all the different battles. One time we went horseback riding through the same secret trails that were used in the civil war to carry mail and other important information back and forth to the different troops. It was so eye opening to realize I was walking where they did. It made me think that we weren't all that different.
39. BDB said the following at 2:21 PM on May 1:
There were two high school teachers that brought history alive for me.
One was quite a character. He was a political science major, nearing retirement. He would teach the zero-hour class at 7am so he could leave the school at 1pm to go play cards at some club. This irritated the administration, but he had tenure, and the students loved him, so he didn’t care.
During high school I took his class for U.S. History in my junior year (at 7am every day – no idea how I did that) and for Civics and Contemporary World Problem as a senior. He spent the whole Civics semester going through challenges to the U.S. government and how that led to massive deficits and debt – continually showing us how the U.S. was living beyond its means. For Contemporary World Problems, he boiled the semester down to three issues: The U.S. relationship with the Soviet Union, the U.S. relationship to Japan, and the Middle East. He went through all the history leading up to the conflicts we saw in the news today. One day, he pointed to the map of the Persian Gulf and said, “That’s where our next war will be.” This was in 1989. In 1990, when Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait, I was VERY impressed that this teacher had predicted it.
The other was the Debate coach. Technically he was an English major, and debate counted as an English elective. But he was also going to law school at night. We had 120 students enrolled in debate or contest speaking classes. Our debate team was #1 in Washington, Oregon and Alaska for years!
A Democrat, many debate team members took the Republican side, just to spar with him. In order to win the extemporaneous speaking individual event, the speaker needed to prepare a 7-minute speech in just 30 minutes of preparation time. One of three topics needs to be chosen. These topics would be on a wide variety of issues, usually one foreign policy, one domestic policy, and one philosophical/values proposition. Topics such as, “Who will win the Iran-Iraq War?” or “What should the U.S. do about the AIDS epidemic?” The only way to do this is to be well read in current events in advance of the tournament. I graduated with 13 trophies, and I was only the 7th best on the team.
What both teachers did was allow students to challenge them. They didn’t ridicule students for their personal qualifications – neither engaged in ad hominem attacks. But they DID publicly challenge any policy statement or political position that wasn’t thought through. If someone spouted off a statement that was empty rhetoric, they would blow the argument out of the water, pointing out how it ignored the history leading up to the incident in question, or how the underlying values were bad for society. Because they allowed themselves and their positions to be challenged publicly in class, it motivated students to go dig into the history of the issue to make another run at the teacher on the subject. It not only made history come alive, but it taught students critical thinking without knowing they were learning it.
I’m sure their influence contributed to my completing both undergraduate and graduate degrees in political science, studying economic history in my MBA program, and taking all four History of the Christian Church classes in seminary. God led me to schools where some professors were careful to acknowledge the role that faith played in American history, even in the face of pressure to excise the role of Christians from the historical narrative. It is important to remember that history so we know how we got to where we are today.
40. Brian Krieger said the following at 2:42 PM on May 1:
I had, um, terrible history teachers growing up. I never was interested. I got into College and really enjoyed an art history course (part of my CAPSTONE coursework) that really struck me (really it just amounted to the class being interesting), but by and large, history really just bored me. Add to that the face that post college I rarely read. After being called to Christ, though, a quote has stuck with me:
Leaders are readers.
If I want to grow and influence, I needed to read and understand and study. After hearing my pastor speak on a historical timeline of art, culture and the church, I really began to see the beauty of studying the past how it intertwined (and repeated itself). I'm not someone who is dying to pick up WWII or heavy history books, but next on my reading list is Church History in Plain Language by Shelley.
It's great to understand why we are where we are.
41. jessica said the following at 2:48 PM on May 1:
So there I was, all piqued, had my answer ready....and then I read the last paragraph...sigh. But I'll answer the question anyway: History for me was my mum telling me of my great great great grandmother and drawing family trees with my sisters, trying to see how far back we could trace our roots...
42. jenna :D said the following at 3:13 PM on May 1:
I was always jealous of my friend in college who was a history major.. she just got to sit in class, and be surrounded by it allllll day..
for me - when I read the biblical account - I think that is when I am the most likely to encounter the historical side, because I want to- as best I can- see the full and whole picture.. I want it to come alive to the children that I teach on sundays.. and I want, mostly, for myself - to understand it in vivid detail..
I prefer historical fiction over most any other book too.. for the very fact of - "here's what it was probably like.."
I am most likely to learn by other peoples stories too.. so I think that is when history comes alive for me - when others (normally the elderly, I love Love LOVE sitting, and chatting with them) tell their stories..
:D
43. Lerrina Collins said the following at 3:13 PM on May 1:
History was nothing more to me than a bunch of unconnected facts during my school years. Obviously, I did not benefit from a good history teacher. However, I did realize somehow history had played an important role in making us 'who' we are and forming the beliefs upon which our foundations rest. Still history remained, for the most part, a disjointed potpourri of loosely related facts.
Three things really made history come alive to me over the next few years.
The first thing which started me down the 'loving history' road was a Sunday School class. We were studying one of the Old Testament books. I found myself struggling to find a 'peg' on my erratic timeline upon which to hang the historical events which permeated the book. Thus I took on the challenge of 'creating' a timeline for the events in this OT book.
As the timeline progressed, I decided to go a bit further than just biblical history. As a result, my finished product intertwined ancient history and biblical history - a fascinating viewpoint from which to understand the world in which these OT characters lived.
The second thing which further excited my love for history came via a friend's recommendation. As my eldest son reached those double-digit years, I started searching for quality books for him to read.
While the world is overrun with printed medium, I wanted something which would pique his interest, help him to learn useful information, and spur him to develop Christian character qualities. I found all this and more in the writings of an old English author, GA Henty.
Like most authors, some of his books are average but many are excellent. A prolific writer, his historical research is fantastic. And, obviously, my son was not the only one learning from and enjoying his books!
The third thing which really clinched my passion for history came during the few years I taught in a small Christian school. Due to my already obvious love of history, I was asked to teach a highschool history course on early American history.
With the help of Gary DeMar's fine historical textbooks, the students and I delved into, lived in, and grew from our nation's early years. While I still enjoy the entertainment and story qualities which stimulate our first interest in history, I credit DeMar's books for taking me beyond the surface. Teaching through his textbooks taught me to dig deeper, to seek the connections between the past and present, in other words, to try and learn from history.
That, I believe, is history's greatest gift to each succeeding generation. That is something each generation must realize or, as one wise person said, "We are doomed to repeat it!"
44. Tori said the following at 3:19 PM on May 1:
It was a combination of good biographies and historical fiction that made me first love history. I found the lives that people would live during the major events in history made those events completely real to me. My sisters and I often took it to the next step as those stories and events became the frame of our childhood pretend and make-believe games. Who needs video games when you can be on a ship bound for the new world or slaves escaping along the underground railroad?!
45. Becky said the following at 3:26 PM on May 1:
Thanks to my parents, history was often brought to life as they took us to historical sites and other venues throughout my growing up. Texas has 'historical markers' throughout the state highway system, giving information about the events that happened in that spot.
We stopped at just about every marker, reading and marveling at the events of the past. Dad took us to forts, museums, state parks, memorial sites...
And now I have the joy of instilling this in my children. We have collected many great children's books on history: Landmark, We Were There, GA Henty's are among the favorites.
However, not all of my children find reading fun or easy. One daughter has dyslexia and the video-type histories make it much more 'alive' for her.
We would LOVE to have the DVD set!
46. Sarah Duex said the following at 3:46 PM on May 1:
Honestly, I never enjoyed history through elementary school, middle school or high school, I found it dull and not nearly as exciting as math or science. Then when I started attending college one of the requirements was U.S. History. I wasn't thrilled at taking the class, but knowing I had to I signed up my first semester. That is when history came alive for me. My college professor was so enthusiastic about history I couldn't help but get excited about it back! I attened class 3 times a week, at 8:00 excited to learn history for the first time in my life! This professor went beyond the things I learned in high school and told some of the most interesting stories about the civil war I have ever heard. Since then I can honestly say, I enjoy history now!
47. Dana said the following at 4:04 PM on May 1:
History came alive for the first time for me when my college professor pointed out that history is simply "our story," as in all people's story. When we learn the history of any people, we learn about ourselves. It was the style of this professor's teaching to lecture by telling us the stories of the people and places being discussed that day. History comes alive when you realize that it is even more exciting than fictional stories. History is full of people just like us with problems, emotions, fears, and dreams, rather than just one dimensional figures on a page in a textbook.
48. Ellen said the following at 4:35 PM on May 1:
A statue emblazoned in the greatest history book! A head of gold. Arms of silver. Thighs of bronze. Legs of iron. Feet of iron and clay. History was brought to life in a classroom located on Commonwealth Avenue. No. It wasn't a college history professor, nor the overly-priced cumbersome history textbooks that aroused my interest in this subject, but a skinny college undergraduate in sociology who could articulate the link between our world's history (from 609BC to present) and the books of Daniel and Revelation. The succession of kings from King Nebuchadnezzar of Bablyon down to the breakup of the Roman empire into 10 divided kingdoms. King Cyrus, King Darius, and Alexander the Great (King of Greece) are a few of the legends in history I have become familiar with. Fast forward a few hundred years to the travels of Paul the apostle to various cities - Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamous, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea. This time around, I was the teacher which meant history really came to life since I was the one digging through the history books and Bible. History books have further bolstered my belief in the veracity of the Scripture and love for the Greatest Historian of the past, present, and future! Now I've become somewhat of an archaeologist of the Bible for more history lessons!
49. Kim V said the following at 6:01 PM on May 1:
The hippies next door to my family, brought history alive to me. I was just a kid, but they treated me like a person with intelligence and really talked to me about things. The war in Vietnam, Waatergate, Nixon -- you name it we talked about it. We never had those kind of discussions at home, but whenever I visited Gail and John we did. Wherever they are zi thank them.
50. Christina (in green) said the following at 8:02 PM on May 1:
Funny that this would be my first comment in a REALLY long time...
I absolutely love history. It is my favorite subject. And what brings history alive for me is actually my faith. Odd as that may seem, when I look at history I can see so many different threads weaving together into one coherent pattern. None of it is isolated! And for some reason that brings into a clearer perspective the vision of one creator with a plan.
My favorite concentration in history is Middle Eastern history, and that just fascinates me because there is so much going on in that part of the world and its odd how it has always been that way. Israel, as tiny as it is, seems to be a mover and shaker of time and history...and if anyone wants to deny it, all they need to do is look at what that tiny piece of land is doing to today's politics. And somehow, I think God put his chosen people there because of how central that area is to the world. Even when the greatest nations of the world are Britain or the USA, it is still a focal point of the world.
And history just shows that off...
51. Iren said the following at 9:10 PM on May 1:
History has always been alive for me. Ii started when I was young, reading everything I could, and watching that ancient world come alive in my head! As I grew older, I began to travel and find historical sites on my own. I wanted to know what happened there, at the spot I was standing, and when it happened, years or even centuries before. I used to watch documentaries so I can be in places and see things that I would love to someday be able to see on my own. I spend hours listening and askng questions about people's histories. Things they remember from long ago. Experiences, feelings, world events that happened, and their interpretations of them. Our past slowly disappears as our older generations pass on, taking their valuable lessons with them. I would love to be able to write them down some day, because I know that someday, others will look for that kind of history too. I am presently searching for a school where I may be able to get a degree in Christian History, and someday teach or write about the living past, because that is what history is, our past that is still living here and now, in us, in our memories, in our stories, in our people, It would be a terrible shame to let that go to waste!
52. Leah said the following at 10:03 PM on May 1:
Growing up, I was always the kid with her nose stuck in a book. Thanks to the combination of an active imagination and the works of writers like Laura Ingles Wilder, Avi, James and Chris Collier, and C.S. Lewis there really wasn't ever a time when history was "dead" to me.
Nonetheless, I don't think history really came "alive" until I was in the 6th grade. My teacher, Mrs. Thompson, had a way of not just teaching history, but actually bringing it into the classroom. For example, when we studied the Ancient Greeks, we had "toga day." We learned how to make our own togas, what they represented, who wore what, etc. We had our very own Olympic games and we had a feast featuring the types of food eaten by the people of the era. We did the same sort of activities for Ancient Egypt, Rome, and (because this was a public school)the cave men.
In all, these days served to give me a less abstract sense of history. Essentially, it moved from the realm of imagination into real life.
53. Jeremy poland said the following at 10:32 PM on May 1:
HIS-story shows us his patience and preemptive grace colliding perpendicular to the rebellious trajectory of mankind's strivings. To peer into the past is to benefit from lessons learned and gain confidence from renegades redeemed. We find confirmation of mans wickedness and proof of God's mercy throughout the annals of days prior.
54. Rupak said the following at 10:37 PM on May 1:
Today we are in a new age ,and it seems to be tottaly diffrent from the past we are now becomig bit meture these days, we don't want to listen to our parents advice ,we wanted to be free but in the past there were some conditions for that i admire,The past remind us the grand culture ,tradition ."The history is a book that guides us to remember the mistakes that the people done in past and do not repet them in present and use that problem for devlopment in future"History gives knowledge to us to make a better world of tommorow,history teches us that "Yesterday is gone,future has to come and we have today so live it fully"History not just teach us the mistakes but in many stories we learn some skillls to be a good human in the world,the history is huge book of expirences of people who hard work for us to live such a wonderful life of today.The book of history contains 'peoples,cultures,traditions,wars,about great humans'So we should respect it and do not ignore this because whatever we are now is the continuse proses that is made by so many people and that's the word"HISTORY"
55. Catherine said the following at 10:48 PM on May 1:
What brought History alive to me was an elementary assignment to make a replica of a Historic artifact or symbol of America. I decided to make a replica of the Liberty Bell out of homemade play dough. To my horror, the next morning a large crack ran up the side of the play dough figured bell that I had set out to dry overnight. However, my precious Mother shared that that is exactly what happened to the original Liberty Bell over time. I knew then I was destined to love History through hands on experiences.
56. A said the following at 11:36 PM on May 1:
I never really was an "american history buff" but when the movie "National Treasure" came out it really got me thinking about our history. Lately I can't get enough of it! I feel like a dried up sponge that is being put in water, I am just soaking it all up and all I want is more! I love the "Drive Thru History" show and watch it whenever I see that it is on. I have learned so much from these programs and am so thankful that is it available! I especially like his Bible History shows, it gives me a great visual foundation of the land and that is invaluable when I am reading my Bible!
57. Natasha said the following at 4:53 AM on May 2:
The Bible Brought History alive for me, it showed me there is nothing ever new under the sun. and our struggles are no different than those of old, just more recent.
58. Phondie said the following at 6:45 AM on May 2:
What brought history alive for me?
Well when I was young two things brought history alive for me. The first was my sixth grade history teacher who would creatively relate what he taught. At one point he At one point while teaching English history he taught us how to play chess so we could understand the lords and knights system.
The second was historical fiction. I used to pour over series like Gilbert Moore, Francine Rivers, and (..lol) Lori Wick. Yes, Lori Wick books were pretty fluffy (as a close friend would put it), but I always enjoyed how she set all the drama at different ages.
So chess and fluffy love series did it for me...:)
59. Jon Coffman said the following at 8:35 AM on May 2:
History bored me in high school. It was dry. I discovered Steven Ambrose and his books (like Band of Brothers, Citizen Soldiers, and the like) that I really began to enjoy reading history (or listening to it on books on tape). So much history, and it seemed so boring in high school! But with story tellers like Ambrose, David McCullough (wrote John Adams and 1776), Kenneth Davis (Don't know much about history), history came alive. History is story telling, and there are some great stories out there.
60. Nickolina said the following at 10:29 AM on May 2:
My grandmother's stories about her mother escaping an indian attack & losing her doll. Her dad would not go back for it so she used their wooden potato masher (stumpe) and called it her stumpebaby. My daughter also loved that story & made it into a book for a history project when she was 10.
In Norway, another ancestor found an old stave church that had been abandoned & covered with vines when a bear living in the sanctuary attacked him as he explored. He shot the bear & an aunt visited the church & saw the hide in a case in the sanctuary.
Hearing these & other accounts of people I am related to made history real. If you know the people are real, history moves out of legend & myth. The challenge is retelling the tale accurately or it becomes legend & myth!
61. sandy said the following at 10:52 AM on May 2:
watching tv growing up- watching kunta kinta and the mini series back in the 70's did it for me, and watching pbs specials
62. Jesse said the following at 12:53 PM on May 2:
My dad is a high school history teacher - everything (and I mean EVERYTHING) has some history to it, and he tries to bring it out whenever he gets the chance. Now that I'm on my own, I see most things that way. It's a good reminder to consider where we've been - it shows us where we're going..
63. alicia said the following at 3:02 PM on May 2:
I work in the military. Many of my co-workers were already in the service when I was born. Hearing their stories - trust me, they are usually all too willing to share! - bridges the gap that my history books in high school never did. Although I would never call them walking archives to their face, more often than not they are a library that no one visits. To pull out a book on the shelf of their memories, dust the cover off, and realize that the cover is much more interesting than original intent might have conveyed, is a gift that God gives when he gives us longevity - when was the last time you really asked your grandmother about growing up in the Great Depression? How many times HAVE you heard that story from your great uncle, that one that he holds on to because that's the last time he felt truly valued and alive in this world? Did your neighbor's faded POW baseball cap ever mean more to you than a permanent fixture on his graying head?
God gives us relationships as a foretaste of ours with Him. The people that were around before us offer a step back in history that few of us give more than a passing glance. Look closely next time, past the wrinkles and the Christmas sweaters, and you will see a twinkle in their eye that begs to share their history and make it yours, too.
64. Brittany said the following at 6:10 PM on May 2:
I have always loved history. I thought about majoring in it, but I wanted to keep it less professional, and more personal. My love affair with American history happened when I was in the 2nd Grade. My family was visiting PA and we went to the Civil War Battlefield at Gettysburg. That moment was literally life changing. That battlefied captivated me and my parents could hardly get me to leave. While there I made them stop at every monument, and I had to read every display. After we left I read everything I could about the Civil War. The leaders and their stories captivated me. In my mind I could transplant myself onto those battlefields. I could see the troops moving and imagine the conflict and grave decisions the commanders had to make. The stories of spies, brave nurses, and dummer boys dominated my reading literature throughout elementary and junior high. Anytime the family went on vacation near a Civil War Battlefield, I demanded that they stop. I then began to study the American actions in World War II and pre/post WWII Israel. I was again enthralled. Thus, it should have come to no surprise to my parents when, as I began to look at colleges and I began to look at what God had put in my heart, American military leadership rose to the top. On 29 June 1998 I found myself dumbfounded as I raised my hand, on the military plain at West Point, to take my oath to become a cadet. There I was, becoming part of the same Long Gray Line of which men like Lee, Grant, Longstreet, MacArthur, Eisenhower, Bradley, and Schwarzkopff are a part. Many a times, while I was a cadet and especially on winter nights as snow blanketed the granite fortress, I would look back at it in disbelief that I too was a part of this history. Of course, we studied military history with intensity, and one of the most memorable moments I have as a cadet is when, while wearing an American uniform, I walked across the field, with my classmates and instructors, where Pickett's Charge took place at Gettysburg. West Point often claims that "Much of the history we teach was made by those we taught." In the seven years since I joined the line of graduates, I have been a part of that history. I have patrolled the roads of Baghdad, secured the road and town networks outside of Fallujah, and conducted hundreds of miles of hasty route reconnaissance in search of alternate supply routes. I have seen dictators fall, militias rise, and the American Soldier give more than I could imagine or ask of them. I have spent two years in Germany and worked with both the German military and police. Will history talk about me? Maybe so, maybe not, but books have already been written about my class. In three years I'll be on the other side of the desk as I become an instructor at West Point and have the opportunity to mold, mentor, and shape some of our future leaders. History is a valuable tool in that molding process.
At the age of seven, American history captivated my mind, and God used it to direct my path in life. I'm proud to of our history, and my goal is to continue that legacy.
65. Adam said the following at 8:08 AM on May 3:
I am a history teacher, so one of my goals is to make history come aive to my students for whom history is not seen as anything more than a class they need to graduate.
Two things made history come alive for me. The first is a vivd imagination. After studying a historical event when I was growing up I would imagine what it would be like to have been at that event, to have talked to the people, to have seen it, to have experienced it.
The second thing that made it come alive for me was one of my high school history teachers who would bring in artifacts and activities to engage us as students. It is he that inspired me to teaching and to love history even more and I hope I can do the same for my kids.
As the title of a book I read in college said history is, "More than Dates and Dead People." And it truly is.
66. Kate said the following at 10:46 AM on May 3:
I've always been a pretty forward-thinking person. I try to not get too wrapped up in the past and lose focus of what is yet to come. When I was in school, even as far back as elementary school, I had very little appreciation for history because I felt that we put too much importance on it and did not spend enough time planning for and considering the future. My thoughts tended to run along the lines of, "Why should we spend all this time learning about things that a bunch of dead guys did when I need to be learning about how to make decisions for myself about things that are going to affect my life." (Pretty selfish and naive, huh?)
It has only been over the last few years that I've been able to get passed my preconceived opinions and truly begin to appreciate history for what it is and for the benefits it holds for someone who takes the time to study it. There was no big event that happened that changed my perspective; just a slow realization, as I began making my own decisions, that learning about history could be used to make more knowledgeable and mature decisions and a new fascination with the past.
I've been pretty fortunate to be able to do some traveling to historical places within the States, especially along the northeast coast (Boston and New England), which makes history lessons so much more alive for me. Actually getting to see where these events took place and how people lived is so much more meaningful than reading about it in a book (though books have their place!).
Recently, I have started researching things on Wikipedia (not always the most reliable resource, but a good start). Things that we studied in school, that at the time were not fascinating in the least, have now become increasingly more fun to study. I got started with Biblical history a couple years ago when I was taking a New Testament Greek class and began reading about the spread of the Greek culture and the Roman empire. I hope to get to one day travel to those areas and see some of the amazing places that were involved with the foundation of the early church. I'm now doing some more research into the spread of Christianity and changes that started taking place during the Crusades through the start of the church in the States leading up to the Reformation and Re-Awakening. I remember reading Jonathan Edward's sermon, "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God," in school and trying to figure out where he was coming from, but never wanting to take the time to get into the history of it. I'm not quite there in my time line of study, but am excited to eventually get there and learn about what was going on during that period of church history.
I used to be so averse to delving into history and am sometimes surprised at how excited I get about learning something new about the past. Who would have thought that I would ever get this excited about learning after graduating from college?!?
67. Ken Todd said the following at 12:47 PM on May 3:
I used these as a Study for my students, they loved it, I loved it and I hope to get the two I don't yet have. If you have ever wanted to see history and the Christian life intersect in practical faith building ways you need to pick these up. I hope there are more titles soon.
68. Cindy said the following at 1:31 PM on May 3:
We are a military family and we were stationed in Gaeta, Italy. Walking around the local area was absolutely amazing! We lived less than an hour from Rome for three years. We saw history come alive as we walked in the Colosseum in Rome, strolled through the Pompeii ruins near Mount Vesuvious, took pictures in front of the statue of David in Florence, touched the leaning tower of Pisa, and took a gondola ride in Venice. When we came back to the states, our whole concept of family, history, and geneology was totally changed. I have been working on my family tree now for 15 years because of that adventure! Walking where the disciples walked had a huge impact on my Christian faith as well! I look forward to returning some day and also taking a trip to Jerusalem!
69. Joan said the following at 3:38 PM on May 3:
Hisorical Fiction books first brought hisoty to life for me, because I became engrossed in the characters and what they might be feeling and thinking as they made decisions-it was exciting to realize that just as their decisions made history, ours- even mine- did also! I have two daughters still in high school, and they each have a special need (for different reasons) for something like "Drive Thru History".
70. Rebekah said the following at 10:38 PM on May 3:
My father has always been proud of his youngest child, but I still knew there were two things in which I disappointed him... I thought olives were gross and I had no interest in history.
The first flicker of interest came on a family trip to Gettysburg. I was still pretty young, we hadn't yet covered the Civil War in school. I listened unengagedly to the taped guide and to my brothers' commentary. Then we got out of the car. My parents were surveying the battlefield, and my brothers had found a cannon. Dan was commenting on the size of the thing, while Pete and Matt argued over who got to "fire" it. I listlessly touched the could metal of the barrel, and it came alive! I could feel the heat from repeated firings, and smell the powder in the air. It was the first time I'd sensed someone else in centuries past had been just as real as I was.
A couple years later and I'd developed my first love, the love of words. Ever since I'd realized a Bluebird was called a Bluebird because it was a bird that was blue, I'd been fascinated with words. In pursuit of this love, I was reading Sir Walter Scott's Ivanhoe. I was really confused when he told me the powerful in England were speaking French! Enter William and his Normans, with their porc and boef. It finally hit me how something that happened in faraway 1066 could affect something so elemental as the words I used today.
With all of this somewhere in the back of my mind, I entered my Sophomore year of High School. Attending the same small school that my brothers had, afforded some unique benefits. Just as the teachers got to know all the Ashmores, we got to know all the teachers. Dinner conversation often revolved around the crazy math classes with Mr. Dahlke, the disjointed Physics from Mr. Nutter, and most of all, the capers through Western Civilization with Mr. Druin.
Mr. Druin truly brought history alive for me. He was a storyteller at heart, and his classes were like really exciting episodes of Paul Harvey's "The Rest of the Story." One classic lesson involved discussion of the advent of iron weapons. "They were the Sherman Tanks of their time." Thanks to a heads up from my brothers, I was in the back of the class when the trash can was hurled into the wall as he yelled, "They annihilated them!"
He whetted an appetite for history that has yet to be satiated. Unfortunately, I still don't like olives.
71. David Hogan said the following at 11:47 PM on May 3:
good luck all
72. shannon Baas said the following at 11:52 PM on May 3:
My high school history teacher, Mr. Worley. That was a long time ago but he got us thinking outside the normal realm.
73. Denise said the following at 6:17 AM on May 4:
Truthfully, watching Little House on the Prairie got my interested in history.
74. Erin A said the following at 7:11 AM on May 4:
I was really turned on to history in college from one history professor. Since then, I really love to read and learn as much as I can. It has become a passion for me. Thanks for the giveaway!
75. Mary Casper said the following at 10:38 AM on May 4:
thanks for the chance
76. Karen B said the following at 10:42 AM on May 4:
My mother, who told me so many stories about her side of the family, and my paternal grandfather, who was the first historian of our family. Both sides go back to before the revolutionary war in PA, both fought in the war and were granted land in the PA mountains. DAR membership papers and a history of our family going back to the early 1700s (printed by the present clan historian) make history come alive! Statues, monuments, historic markers, old newspaper clippings, ancient deserted homesteads - how could I not be fascinated by history! And then there was my 8th greatgrandfather who was burned at the stake.
77. Angela J said the following at 11:40 AM on May 4:
This looks like learning History would be fun, for me, it was only after I was out of school that history became important
78. john iavarone said the following at 11:51 AM on May 4:
Would love to win this.
79. Tami said the following at 12:21 PM on May 4:
John I. -- judging by the entries, I think *many* of us would love to win this :)
80. Abby said the following at 1:17 PM on May 4:
In the last couple years I became a huge fan of historical fiction books. Following a story in a book that tells it more on a personal level helps to bring the story more alive for me. My latest book I just finished was Feast of Roses I learned so much about the Mughal empire. I always wondered about! You should check out the book its really good!
81. Margaret B said the following at 1:49 PM on May 4:
Unfortunately I had the stereotypical high school coach for a history teacer. We spent more time discussing last night's game than American history. But this never stopped me from being interested in the past and the lives my ancestors lived. Works of historical fiction bring the past to life in ways that inform me and entertain me, specifically Francine Rivers' Mark of the Lion series which recreated first century Rome in all its glory and horrors. I will never complain of Christian persecution in America after reading about the Coliseum! I realized I was destined to study history when I saw the HBO series on John Adams. I enjoyed it way too much! So I am now working on a degree in History Education so that I can return to high school and teach history the right way, with passion and energy. Toward that end, this DVD series would be very helpful. Thanks for this opportunity! I have never posted before, but I love Boundless and the Christian worldview that is so hard to find in this world.
82. christopher h said the following at 2:30 PM on May 4:
playing dungeons and dragons got me interested in history. first medieval history, then ancient history, then history in general.
83. susan varney said the following at 3:09 PM on May 4:
Watching the discovery channel.
84. mary mclughlin said the following at 4:20 PM on May 4:
I know that i used to be just ok with history but somewhere along the line it started to become more real, i think that my old english teacher she really put the interest there with out trying by an asaigment she gave us one time about shakespere and it just opened up the whole intrest in history for me.
85. Mike said the following at 6:41 PM on May 4:
I'm game for this.
86. Sarah White said the following at 9:05 PM on May 4:
I don't remember a time when I was not interested in history- even before I knew what history was. I have always loved to read stories. My idea of a fun time was to sit around with the "adults" and listen to them tell stories about when they were young. Hearing my grandparents laugh hysterically over crazy things that happened to them when they were young, or talking about my parents, aunts & uncles when we all would get together was something that piqued my interest to know more about their lives and what they lived through. The fire was fueled as I read historical biographies and fiction that helped make history come more alive. Today, I am still very interested in history, but also very interested in peoples' life stories that I come in contact with. We all have a life stories that will someday be a part of history for our children and grandchildren. There is so much the same and so much we can learn from studying history. I just hope I can pass that love of learning history to my children. May we also be known for our love of Christ and devotion to Him despite the bumps in our life.
87. Lynne said the following at 10:13 PM on May 4:
History came alive for me when I had Mr. Freeman in junior high school during the 1970's. He was honest and passionate about what he taught. My favorite recollection of him was studying U.S. history through dance. We spent our lunch period learning dances like the charleston, swing, and cha cha. It was hard work combined with a lot of enjoyment and satifaction. In the end we performed the dances in front of our class and we were a big hit! I was utterly amazed at the impact it had on us as well as our fellow students. Now, when my children have history classes, I love studying with them and researching the food or music that were part of that time period. I hope to assist in making history come alive for them too. Thank you Mr. Freeman.
88. Emily L said the following at 10:20 PM on May 4:
My high school Shakespeare instructor. He was awesome.
89. Kelly said the following at 7:12 AM on May 5:
drive me baby!
90. Amy Blevins said the following at 11:01 AM on May 5:
History came alive for me through some great teachers in jr. high, Mr. Lemond comes to mind as the only name I can remember and also through reading countless books of Historical fiction. I especially love Michael Phillips because his books are so full of history!
91. Jaye Barnes said the following at 11:36 AM on May 5:
Coming to Christ was actually what spurred a growing interest in history for me. I came to know the Lord at 29, and as I became involved in a deeper relationship with Him, I realized that so much of what the early Church went through was a product of the historical time period into which God allowed it to be born. God used this growing interest in me to send me back to college after an eleven year hiatus, and just this month, I finished up a bachelor's degree in Ancient History, Classical Greek language, and Classical Latin language at a university I began attending 18 years ago. Next fall, I will continue my studies in history in the Biblical Archaeology program at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Illinois. History is such an important part of what has gone into making the Church. It helps us to understand why the apostles went through what they did, and why God allowed Jesus to be born into the time which He was. When I study about the time that Jesus walked on this earth, it becomes more than just words on a page for me, sometimes I feel like I can smell the aromas in the air as I walk through the ancient marketplaces or past the Temple, or feel the rough texture of the fabrics against my skin. The Bible itself makes history come alive.
92. CHARLES KASSING said the following at 11:44 AM on May 5:
thanks
93. Ashley Harris said the following at 12:52 PM on May 5:
Christina in green!
I have been wondering where you went. How are you? It was great to see your name in the comment section :)
94. Mike Weisberg said the following at 2:29 PM on May 5:
i would like to win this
95. Abby I. said the following at 4:46 PM on May 5:
I have loved history my entire life. I love learning new and not very well-known facts; I love reading and watching things about history. I actually used to take laminated sheets of historical dates and facts into the shower with me so I could spend the time learning something new!
But here's the thing, although my childhood and adolescence were pretty much soaked in historical studies, I never truly felt the significance of the lives of those who had gone on before 'til I stood on the actual road in Concord that Mr. Revere raced along that fateful April night. And I can never completely describe to anyone who has not been there, the electric thrill that comes over you when you stand in Independence Hall and realize you are in the room where decisions were made that affected the world!
I really hope these DVD's are able to light a spark in people of all ages to get out and learn about those who have come before!
96. JoAn Knudson said the following at 7:33 PM on May 5:
What piqued my interest in our history was the plaque that is found in the Robert F. Lee house, which is located in Arlington Cemetery. It explained that General Lee, although he lived in the North, in Virginia, joined the Confederate Army of the South, because his relatives lived in the South. It also explained that General George Washington, one of our Founding Fathers and the first President of the United State of America, were actually related through marriage on Martha Washington's side of the family and her descendants.
It just reminded me of God's sovereignty and purpose that our country would remain united, and slavery would be abolished through the Civil War between the North and the South.
Given that we have removed prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance in our schools, may we pray and humble ourselves to honor God and ask for His continued protection and blessing:
2 Chronicles 7:14
If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
97. Maria Aurora Guia Navarro said the following at 11:25 PM on May 5:
History was not my best subject when I was younger.But now, as a homeschool mom, I got the privilege of learning about the Founding Fathers of America. And as I learned about their lives, how they lived their lives and how they depended on God alone, history became alive for me. I love the history of the United States. Another instrument that helped history become alive for me was the series of textbooks called The Story of the World. They presented history as stories which made it more interesting and not boring. I also have watched some Drive Thru History shows on TBN and the way Dave Stotts presented history made me more interested, especially how he related historical places and incidents with Bible facts. I also appreciate the way he tells facts. He presents it in a way that people will want to remember them and be able to remember them without trying so hard to memorize them. Now, I can say that history is one of my favorite subjects as a homeschool mom.
98. Erma said the following at 5:28 AM on May 6:
I would love the chance to win, thanks.
99. zoey said the following at 10:59 AM on May 6:
My personal family story brought history alive for me.
During World War II, the European colonies in South East Asia were annexed by the Japanese Empire. After the Japanese army defeated the British Armed Forces in the Malay Peninsula, they invaded the Dutch East Indies. At first only the adult males were taken prisoner. Unfortunately, eventually all Dutch Indonesian females and adolescents were interned also.
My family became prisoners of war, and held in the Japanese Concentration Camps in Indonesia for approximately five years. During their captivity, they endured humiliation and starvation. The family also lost almost everything of value to them. My grandfather was never heard from again. Even family photos were burned. However, my family never lost their courage, nor sense of family loyalty and love.
As the oldest, my mother was a strong teenager and chosen to work in the camp hospital. She endured many beating in her attempts to spare her patients (fellow prisoners of war) from the brutality delivered by the Japanese guards. However, her capturers never broke her humanity and caring spirit. When food became scarce, mom learned how to substitute weeds for their “vegetable soup.” At night they sifted through rice hulls from the trash for overlooked pieces of rice.
After the Japanese surrendered, my mother, grandmother and aunts were liberated. However, they did not have a home to return to. They discovered that my oldest uncle was also dead. A teenage uncle was the only surviving male. Together they reestablish their existence. Eventually, they immigrated to the Netherlands, and then to the United States.
Growing up, my elders would recall their stories rich with intrigue and adventure and I am sure just a tad of bravado. Around our family dinner table I learned that history was more important, interesting and rewarding than television.
100. Sonya Allstun said the following at 12:30 PM on May 6:
what brought history alive for me was when I started researching my family tree which lead to different things that my family through time have had to live through like the depression and Nazi Germany. This made me want to learn more about these things.