I’m not sure when i started getting interested in History, because I wasn’t always.

When we lived in Honolulu from 2012-2015 near the end of that trip I went to the Bishop Museum, and learned so much about the history of the place I had been living.  And I regretted not learning more while I lived there.

I also regret not taking more time to visit all of the Smithsonian Museums when I grew up living so close to DC.

When we moved to Tennessee in 2015, I knew I wanted to know more about the place I was going to be living.  So we met up with a friend and went to the Tennessee museum.  I don’t think we even got half way through so I need to get back there and finish it.  But something I really questioned was:

How was it possible that Europens were so much further advanced in their technology, that they could travel oceans in boats, and had firearms while the Native Americans had none of these things.

I think I asked this question on facebook and someone suggested I read Guns, Germs and Steel.  I think someone else mentioned that there was a movie made out of it too, so I opted for the movie and found it in 3 parts on youtube.

My big take aways were that if getting your neccesities takes up a lot of your time, you don’t have time to advance.  So people who were able to farm could develop faster than people who were hunting and gathering.

The author mentioned 3 things for development.

• Advanced technology
• A large population
• A well organized work force.

Pretty fascinating stuff.

That led me to World History Crash Course, which are around 15 minute videos on youtube about history.  That’s what I was looking for was a big overview of history.  I was skeptical that these videos would trash Christianity, but they were pretty fair about it.

I drew my own timeline and put BIG events on there so I could see where things overlapped.  I realized that history is a lot smaller than I thought it was in my mind.  And I also realize that either I was NOT paying attention in our history classes or, our history classes didn’t teach us much.

History is fun because it’s almost like a conversation, with lots of different layers.  You ask a question and find it in history, and while learning more about history you get more questions.  Each layer peeled back you find new things to explore.

It’s also fun to think about the different ways you can look through history.  Through which lens you want to view it from.

I remember watching the History Of Us when it was on netflix and really enjoying that as well.  I was amazed at how technology was such a big part of history and how those technological advances really helped propel the US forward.

My friend Mike has read a biography on every president, I think he’s on George H Bush right now.  That’s quite the endevour and a fun way to go through US history.  Bigoraphys are such the opposite of a broad overview, you get to see history through the lens of one person.

I’ve been listening to Bonhoffers biography on audible.  I might pick up the abridged version because the full version is just to long.

I keep getting drawn back to WW2.  I went and visited Punchbowl Cemetary last week with some friends.  And I realized I had so little knowledge of the pacific theater, my friend suggested I watch World War 2 In Color.  So I’ve been watching that too and learning a lot more about what was going on during the war.

It’s interesting how museums spark the questions that lead me to want to learn more.   What’s your favorite museum?

Coins are another fun way to look at history too.  

Do you enjoy history?  What time period fascinates you?  Let us know in the comments.