With the release of the film Harriet, the story of Harriet Tubman, much was brought to light about her life that we were blind to before. For instance, Harriet Tubman’s real name was not actually Harriet; she took on her mother’s name when asked what she wanted her free name to be. 

     Her story is a thriller, with chases and high stakes, feeling more like something out of a fantasy novel than something that actually happened. But in fact, it did happen, and her actions made her all the more prominent and influential in history because of it. But she, and so many other historical figures, are swept under the rug in schools.

     Another example, the hit musical Hamilton that was released in 2015. Before the musical blew up, Alexander Hamilton and his comrades were just names you heard in history class and memorized their political affiliations for the next test. The musical brought them to life for many teens though, with fresh music and contemporary styles. 

     There was so much information packed into that musical that no one had known before. Hamilton’s story is fascinating, one filled with personal achievement and love and loss, one that was totally ignored because the curriculum decided that all you needed to know was that he was a Federalist.

     Harriet and Hamilton, while two very important historical figures, share the same sad fate of being stripped down into what school decides their students need to know for the next test. This is the sad story for pretty much every semi-important historical figure, with a few exceptions such as George Washington and Abraham Lincoln (who we learn so much about that they’re overplayed and boring). 

     While it’s sad that amazing and talented people who changed the world are being forgotten, there’s another point to be made about all of this. History class would be so much more interesting and memorable of we learned about the crazy cool stuff people did to change the world! If history class taught you about Vlad the Impaler, who the story Dracula is based off of, or the amazing Nikola Tesla who got shortchanged in every part of his life, and for whom the Tesla car company is named after. 

     If you look at it through the right lens, world history might just be the best adventure story of all time. Daring individuals all across time and space see problems in their worlds and use their ingenuity and talents for the advancement of the rest of the world, good or bad. And we all know you remember more about that action movie than you do about the War of 1812. So turn history into a thriller! Read up about the scientists who died in World War II protecting the seed bank for the future! 

     The curriculum and modern culture forget about so many details of the past and just decide they are unimportant, but they’re not! We’re tired of learning about the same crusty old white men that make us fall asleep in class and we forget about or mix up their names! Give us the stories we’ll remember, the ones about courage and fighting the good fight and changing the world for the better. Give us the history that matters.