Choose five of the following questions.  Thoroughly explain your ideas and examples; using first person (I, me, mine, myself) is always acceptable in any assignments you complete for this course. 7-9 sentences per question.



1) Moyers compares the study of history to “the view in the rearview mirror.”  In what ways is this quote an apt comparison?


2) Give two contemporary or personal examples of Christopher Lasch’s quote on page 1.


3)What reasons does Moyers cite as to why Americans might not be interested in the study of history?  Do you think he’s correct?  Explain.


4) According to Moyers, what happened to the optimistic view of history as a “pattern of improving civilization?”  Were we all really optimistic?  Were just certain groups optimistic, i.e. were blacks, Hispanics, the poor ever optimistic?


5) Do you think we can learn from the past, or have our circumstances changed so dramatically that the past is irrelevant? Explain your position. 


6) “You can stop history after all.  Just by dropping it.” (p. 6) How does one “drop” history? 


7) Using the example of the lemmings at the end of the article, consider our country’s history, both past and present.  What do you think America is running from in our past?  Running to in our future?  What should we be running to in our future?