Israel offers another example of history being used to construct a national identity
and sense of unity. When the nation was established in 1948, the population
consisted of peoples from Europe, the Middle East, and other regions. There was no
common language, values, or customs. To overcome this, the government drew on
the ancient history of the area as the birthplace of the Jewish people to help forge a
national unity.^5
The discussion of history provided in
this chapter encompasses much more
than a chronology of events and dates.
Granted those are important, but taken
in isolation, they paint a rather limited
and bleak landscape. As part of a culture’s
deep structure, history incorporates the formal and informal governmental proce-
dures, sense of community, political and economic processes, the key historical
heroes, and even geography. All of these factors coalesce to give the members of
every culture their identity, values, goals, and expectations. For example, a long-
held value in the United States is the concept of equal opportunity—anyone can
achieve fame and personal wealth if they are willing to persevere and work hard.
This value is a constant theme in U.S. historical accounts, such as Bill Clinton’s
path from rural Arkansas to the White House and Barack Obama’sovercoming
the divisive issue of racism to become the nation’s first African American president.
Accounts of how the computer companies Apple and Hewlett Packard had
their beginning in garages are used to inspire students of business, as are stories of
Microsoft, Google, and Facebook being conceived of by college students. Such
stories are examples of how history can influence perception, affect behavior, and
shape national character.
The progression of history is important when reflecting on current geopolitical
problems. The long-standing conflict between Israel and Palestine becomes more
understandable—if mistrust, animosity, and violence can be understood—when you
know that Christians, Muslims, and Jews alike have considered the area sacred for
almost two thousand years. The current strife in the Middle East between Sunni and
Shia can be traced to a seventh-century political decision.^6 Later in this chapter we
will illustrate that leaders in both China and Russia today use their nations’early
history to build a strong sense of contemporary nationalism.
Interest in learning history is predicated on two assumptions. The first is that his-
torical events help explain the character and actions of a culture. Kerblay enunciates
this, noting,“For all people, history is the source of the collective consciousness.”^7
From the earliest westward movement of the initial East Coast settlements to the
explorations of outer space, Americans have agreed on a history of embracing new
challenges, of exploring new frontiers. The second assumption is that what a culture
seeks to remember and pass on to following generations is significant in accounting
for the values of that culture.^8 U.S. history books are replete with examples of
single, determined individuals making a difference, even in the face of intimidating
adversity. Everyone has heard of how Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr., and
César Chávez brought about social changes that significantly improved the lives
of many Americans. U.S. students are often treated to accounts of the historical
accomplishments of individuals like Daniel Boone, the intrepid frontiersman; Audie
Murphy, the most decorated soldier in World War II; or Helen Keller, the famous
author and first deaf and blind person to earn a college degree. The enduring legacyREMEMBER THIS
An awareness of a culture’s historical heritage helps to explain
the current values, traditions, and institutions guiding that
culture.Cultural History: Precursor to the Present and Future 163Copyright 2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s).