STUDYING HISTORY
The study of history is largely a matter of Remembering What You Read. Children who have difficulty in remembering what they read, as a rule, do not like to study history. The lesson made into a visual picture will fix the points in mind with one reading, but this reading must not be careless or hasty. Help the child to read slowly and to pause long enough to make a mind's eye picture of each circumstance and change. It will be helpful to take a piece of paper and draw the scene of the battle. Mark in roughly the hills, mountains and rivers. Show the positions of the opposing armies, then roughly sketch the changes which take place. This drawing will help you to make a definite picture impression.
Take advantage of the pictures on the page of the book. The child's mind will naturally associate with the picture the many circumstances happening before and after, if he hears or reads them while the picture is visible.
For example, the picture of the landing of the Pilgrims on the shores of Massachusetts will bring to mind the facts which led to their making the journey. It will also suggest circumstances after the landing.
Those stories and facts which the child hears, while looking at the picture, are joined with it in the mind by the law of association, and the operation of the same natural law will tend to recall them whenever the child sees the picture.
A series of large pictures, which all of the class can see while the history lesson is being studied and recited, would help in fixing the facts in the minds of the children. Children who are taught to visualize can form their own pictures and have a wonderful advantage.
This troublesome matter is easily mastered when the child understands the use of the number code as given in the book on Memory. This principle can be applied in every case. As a rule, the century in which the date occurs is not confusing, and the effort can be confined to the particular year. For example, in order to remember the date of the Battle of Bunker Hill, it is only necessary to remember '75, for the year, as every student will know that it was in 1775 and not 1875, or 1675.
A boy twelve years of age learned more history dates in one week after knowing how to use the Number Code than he had learned in weeks before. The knowledge of how to visualize the lesson and how to remember the dates will overcome any prejudice or any difficulty which the child may have with history lessons.
The following are samples of how the Number Code has been applied to remembering history dates:
Landing of the English at Jamestown, 1607. During the first year there was much sickness and the word SICK is '07. The picture of the Jamestown settlers "sick on the beach" will fix the year in mind.
The following dates were in one lesson, and are the word-pictures which a child used in remembering them. Marquette and Joliet explored the Mississippi River in 1673. The word COMB is '73. They were "combing" the river.
LaSalle reached the mouth of the Mississippi River in 1682. He planted the French flag and had a celebration. FUN is '82, they had fun when they planted the flag.
New Orleans was settled by Bienville in 1718. He had a hard time finding a good place for the city, TOUGH (tuf) is '18, they had a tough time.
Washington and the Virginian troops drove the French troops from Fort DuQuesne in 1754. He drove them from their LAIR, '54.
General Braddock was defeated and killed in 1755. He was buried in the woods of Pennsylvania. '55 is LILY, see a lily on his grave.
Some other examples follow: Alaska was purchased in 1867. 18 may be DOVE and '67 CHECK, a picture of a DOVE flying to Russia with the CHECK. Or if you prefer you can use the two words, STOVE-SHACK, or TOUGH-JOKE, it was a tough joke on Russia to sell it for so little.
The Battle of Bunker Hill was June 17th, 1775. This can be remembered by the association SHOOTING KILL. Sh is 6; TING is 17; KILL is '75. 6-17-'75 is the date and it is in the two words SHOOTING KILL, which is easily remembered with Bunker Hill.
The Battle of Bull Run, July 21st, '61. This is 7-21-'61. CAN'T SHOOT (because they ran so fast they couldn't shoot) and the two words CAN'T SHOOT stand for 7-21-'61.
Peary reached the North Pole April 6th, 1909. This can be represented by URGES UP. This is 4-6-'09. He urges his men up to the pole.
Panama Canal was officially opened August 15th, 1914. This is 8-15-'14. VITAL DOOR will represent these numbers. The canal is a VITAL DOOR between the two great oceans.
Examples of the dates of the reigns of the English kings at the end of feudalism. The War of Roses.
Here the Code word TIE stands for I, the first king—Henry hear, for Henry fourth; "them pipe" is 1399; "their doom" is 1413. The whole can easily be visualized into a picture of Henry using the TIE to make an ear trumpet to HEAR THEM PIPE THEIR DOOM. A peculiar idea, perhaps, but it will accomplish the purpose. Use the same plan for other similar lists and make strong picture associations and they will aid you greatly. They can be recalled when the numbers can not.
The following are examples of dates of Greek and Roman History:
Draco codifies Laws of Athens, 621. Joined—He joined the laws.Peloponnesian War, 431-404. Remote—Razor.Corinthian War, 395-387. Mabel—Moving.Alexander King of Macedonia, 336-323. May homage—My name.Founding of Rome, 753-(?). Column.Rome supreme in Italy, 264. New Chair.Sack of Rome by the Gauls, 390. Mobs.Great Latin War, 340-338. Mars—May move.Peace between Rome and Carthage, 201. Nice Tie.Julian Emperors, 27 B. C.-41 A. D. INK Bottle Can—RIDE After Dark.Claudian and Flavian Emperors, 41-96. Red—Badge.Good Emperors, 96-180. Push—Thieves.Invasion of Barbarians, 337-376. May make—My cash.Charles the Great crowned Emperor of the Romans, 800 Vices.
Draco codifies Laws of Athens, 621. Joined—He joined the laws.
Peloponnesian War, 431-404. Remote—Razor.
Corinthian War, 395-387. Mabel—Moving.
Alexander King of Macedonia, 336-323. May homage—My name.
Founding of Rome, 753-(?). Column.
Rome supreme in Italy, 264. New Chair.
Sack of Rome by the Gauls, 390. Mobs.
Great Latin War, 340-338. Mars—May move.
Peace between Rome and Carthage, 201. Nice Tie.
Julian Emperors, 27 B. C.-41 A. D. INK Bottle Can—RIDE After Dark.
Claudian and Flavian Emperors, 41-96. Red—Badge.
Good Emperors, 96-180. Push—Thieves.
Invasion of Barbarians, 337-376. May make—My cash.
Charles the Great crowned Emperor of the Romans, 800 Vices.
Secure pictures of the principal events in history and paste them on a series of cards. Have nothing on the cards but the picture, no printing, or names. Take three blank cards about 2×3 inches and on the first place the date of the event; on the second the names of the leaders; if a battle, the opposing generals; on the third put the name of the peoples concerned.
For example, first card, a picture of the Battle of Bunker Hill; second card, June 17th, 1775; third card, General Wm. Howe and General Joseph Warren; fourth card, British and American colonists.
A series of such cards should be made covering the events that are being studied at that time. The pictures are shuffled and laid in a draw pile on the table, and the cards are shuffled and dealt to the players. The one to the left of the dealer draws and plays a picture into the middle of the table, and then any cards which he holds which belong with it. The next player has the next opportunity to play, and so on around the group. The player who places the fourth card takes the book and is entitled to draw and play a picture into the center of the table.
Any card which is played in error that does not belong with the event in the picture shall be forfeited to the one who started the play with the picture card. The one getting the most books wins.
Secure the pictures of a group of 48 or more men of the present and immediate past who are well known in national or international circles. Place the picture on one card, the name on another, on the third, his nationality, and on the fourth, the thing for which he is best known. The last card can contain more than one thing, if you wish.
The game is played like the History Game above, and requires the players to be familiar with the well known men and their deeds, also to be able to call them by name, and to know their nationality.
The same idea can be used by making a game of the famous men of Colonial History; or of the period of the Civil War; or of the great World War just passed. Do you know the face of Gen. Haig, his nationality and principal event of his life? To look up the information for the cards is a good history lesson in itself. Take the ideas of all these games and by using your Productive Imagination make them fit the needs of your study, or the things which you wish most to master.