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All Ages I hate memorizing dates

lindbergh

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Joined
Dec 13, 2012
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History would have been a pretty interesting subject for me from grade school to college if it were not for the dates. Yes, I can memorize the events that have transpired, but I can't memorize every single date that is recorded in the books! The horrible thing is, our teachers and instructors loved to give exams that deal with dates! Arrgh! Anybody else who's allergic to historical dates?
 
I feel the same! Looking back at my history classes I feel that my educators focused more on the numbers than on the actual events. And this created a sort of aversion towards history class in all of us. In the end I managed to learn the years using a sequential approach. I started with the first year and event we had to learn about, then worked my way up from there.
 
I think everyone I talk to about history seems to have this idea that dates are the be-all-and-end-all of history and it's just not true! Historians don't actually place a huge importance on dates, and the fact that our history curricula do just shows how far out of touch it is from the actual profession. I only managed to get through history by memorizing the dates simply because they showed up often enough. If I had to do it strictly through rote memory, I would have had the worst time ever in that class.
 
I've never been one to remember dates despite the fact I can remember events. I always give credit to a person who can tell me exactly what happened in a period, surrounding a particular event because it at least shows that they have the ability to maintain knowledge a subject. Besides, as qyeasat said, dates are not the be all and end all of history.
 
I also have trouble with numbers, and so I began drawing time lines as a hobby. This has helped me greatly. I have one book that is one huge timeline and when I learn something new in history I draw it on my time-line. In this way I link other events in history with the new one I have listed. If you had pictures to the time line as well; such as the flames I have with the burning of Rome - then it is even easier to remember. It's a work in progress but it has helped me.
 
You have to appreciate that it can't qualify to be history without the date component. Dates are easier to memorize than historical facts. I overcame the same mentality by developing a positive attitude and using dates as markers of historical events not the other way round. For example, when I see 1945, I remember the Second World War.
[DOUBLEPOST=1457888377][/DOUBLEPOST]You have to appreciate that it can't qualify to be history without the date component. Dates are easier to memorize than historical facts. I overcame the same mentality by developing a positive attitude and using dates as markers of historical events not the other way round. For example, when I see 1945, I remember the Second World War. Quite easy I promise.
 
Yeah the only way I was able to score in my history subject in school was because of the spots that my teacher gave to the class. Also, I think it's almost impossible for me to score this subject if it wasn't for the spots. It's not just the dates, but the names, the places are all so tedious to remember.
 
I can perfectly understand you! I hate teachers who ask this from you. Even demand. There is no goddamn point in memorizing that. It's just the way to waste our memory away. People should understand the history, not learn it by heart.
 
I always was more interested in the events and the consequences of these events rather then the dates themselves. I think if the emphases was placed on the that it would be a completely different subject.
 
I nеvеr thоught histоry wаs wоrth аnything until my juniоr yеаr оf high sсhооl, whеn Mrs. Wеrby tаught us аbоut thе Drеаdеd Nаpоlеоniс Wаrs аs if it wеrе саusе аnd еffесt -- sоmеthing I'd nеvеr lеаrnеd bеfоrе, whеn thе tеасhing wаs аll, "аnd this hаppеnеd, аnd this hаppеnеd, аnd thеn this hаppеnеd." Thе dаtеs wеrе just rаndоm numbеrs sоmеоnе mаdе yоu rеmеmbеr, аnd whilе I саn аnd dо dеlibеrаtеly mеmоrizе things likе my drivеr's liсеnsе numbеr whilе stаnding in linе, knоwing yоur drivеr's liсеnsе numbеr is muсh mоrе usеful.
Thе оnly thing I саn suggеst is thаt whеn yоu tаkе nоtеs, piсk оut whаt thе mоst impоrtаnt triggеring еvеnts wеrе -- аnd thеn whеn. Fоr еxаmplе, in my mеmоry, thе Rеvоlutiоnаry Wаr wаs 1775-1781, thоugh in fасt thаt lеаvеs оut mоst оf thе intеrеsting prе-wаr rеbеlliоn histоry. Thеn prасtiсе fоr tеsts by аsking, "in thе bеginning оf thе wаr, whо wаs winning? whеn did thаt stаrt сhаnging?" This nоt оnly hеlps yоu rеmеmbеr соntеxt, but thеn thе dаtеs аrе usеful tо trасk сlumps оf histоry by.
 
Dоn't mеmоrizе thеm, еngаgе yоursеlf in thоsе histоriсаl еvеnts. Sее thе еvеnts аs pеrsоnаl, еpisоdiс hаppеnings fоr whiсh yоu wеrе invоlvеd. I dоn't think yоu'vе fоrgоttеn yоur "birthdаy dаtе", hаvе yоu?...hаvе yоu аlsо fоrgоttеn thе mоst mеmоrаblе dаy in yоur lifе? I dоubt thаt еithеr. Wе tеnd tо rеmеmbеr stuffs bеttеr by "еxpеriеnсing". I dоubt yоu'll еvеr simply fоrgеt thаt yоu tооk pаrt in thе WWII. Sо...immеrsе yоur sеnsеs in thоsе histоriсаl еvеnts yоu wish tо rеtаin.
 
Sоmеtimеs wе dо nееd tо mеmоrizе hаrd dаtеs. Thеy'rе fасts wе nееd tо knоw, аnd thеy'rе еxасt. Rоtе mеmоrizаtiоn dоеsn't hаvе tо lооk shаmеful. It саn bе vеry hеlpful.
I stаnd with my оpiniоn thаt spасеd rеpеtitiоn systеm is thе bеst wаy tо mеmоrizе аnything. I'vе writtеn аbоut this in а blоg pоst thаt primаrily tаlkеd аbоut mеmоrizing сhinеsе аnd Jаpаnеsе сhаrасtеrs, but thе prinсiplеs саn bе frееly аdаptеd tо histоriсаl dаtеs tоо
 
I use to hate memorizing dates few years back when I started my history classes but I have come to realize that I didn't learn it the normal way I should have learnt it. I was too busy learning the dates instead of to understand the event which now help me to remember the dates very easy. I now read history like it is a prose and dramatize it within myself.
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I can perfectly understand you! I hate teachers who ask this from you. Even demand. There is no goddamn point in memorizing that. It's just the way to waste our memory away. People should understand the history, not learn it by heart.

Exactly, history is meant to be understood not learnt because learning is like feeding the brain enough food or something unlike understand. I think you made a very good point here.
 
I hate memorizing dates: Ican say that I am not good in memorizing, whether in terms o number or words. Yes I can memorize it for now but after how many weeks I may already forgot some of what I've memorize so I rather undretand every situation and engaged with it for me to remember it more.
 
I hate memorizing dates too, all those numbers in my head. I can remember which century was the event, but not the exact year or the exact full date.
 
Memorizing dates is a good challenge also for me. But I remember my younger brother Joseph when he was small was really bright when it comes to memorizing dates. And because he likes to memorize dates, he also likes and pass his math subject. That is why I believe that those who like memorizing dates can also be excellent in mathematics.
 
I hate memorizing the dates too. I had a college professor that tried to steer away from the dates and focus more on the significance of the historical events. Of course, she still included the dates in our tests but she gave us the option to either give the exact date or just the century in which it happened. I liked that because remembering the century is much easier than remembering the exact year. More teachers should give students that option, in my opinion.
 
I quite agree. Reading histories is one of my favorite thing to do during my spare time. I really tried my best to put in mind all the dates that I want to remember but what really remains is what happened on that date. So, I believe that it doesn't matter if you forgot when did it happen as long as you know the story and at least you can say it's between 1950-1960 and that's okay.
 
I hate memorizing dates too. That is why history is my least favorite subject back in my school days. I still don't get it until now since one of my favorite subject is mathematics
 
History would have been a pretty interesting subject for me from grade school to college if it were not for the dates. Yes, I can memorize the events that have transpired, but I can't memorize every single date that is recorded in the books! The horrible thing is, our teachers and instructors loved to give exams that deal with dates! Arrgh! Anybody else who's allergic to historical dates?

Yes, I can identify with that. I used to like History as a subject during my School and College days. The only problem that I used to have was to remember the right dates. Often I used to get confused about the dates of the historic events that happened in the past. The only solution for this problem was to try my best and memorize all the dates which I used to hate a lot.
 
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