Significance Of A Place

What makes a place significant in History/Geography can be underlined by many factors. When we study about what happened in the past we always look at important figures, important events, important group and people, ideas and movements. Cultures, customs, laws, agriculture, location, landscapes and time are all factors which lead to a place of significance in History and Geography (Stearns, 1993). All the events that occur in history need to be recorded or rediscovered so that they maintain their significance. Significance is determined by the community of historians and because they are just as much a part of our society they tend to share the same notion of significance as is held by society as a whole.

Every place in the world could be significant, it depends on the perspective that each of us have. However one of these countless places can be distinguished from others because of the number of things which makes that place unique. Take former USSR as an example, dominated by a Communist Party until 1991 (Soviet Union, 2011). The events that took place in this country are what make it significant. Even though the country is ceased to exist today, it is important that children learn its history and how the country shaped the world today. With an area of 22,402,200 square kilometers, the Soviet Union was the world's largest state, covering a sixth of the Earth's land surface (Soviet Union, 2011). It was known for its production of natural resource and its great emphasis on science and technology within its economy. However what made the Soviet most significant was their success in technology, such as producing the worlds first space satellite and sending the first man into space .The launch of their Sputnik in 1957 kicked off the space race (Soviet Union, 2011). Soviet scientists were among the world's best-trained specialists in several areas, such as energy physics, selected areas of medicine, mathematics, welding and military technologies (Soviet Union, 2011). The ending of World War II in 1945 was a very significant event which marked the Soviets place in history books ( Soviet Union 2011).

Also the ideas of what is historically or geographically significant are constantly changing. The discovery of what is significant or revealing from the past can be made by an individual or collectively by community. Deciding what is historically significant is no longer the preserve of the expert but involves the shared judgment of everyone with an interest (Azaryahu, 1999). This may mean that the values of previous generations could end up been rejected. For example the cotton mills of Yorkshire and Manchester were originally statements of commercial power, and then became symbols of industrial decline (Azaryahu, 1999). Now they are valued because they give a sense of identity to great centres of population. Pride in previous achievements may be easier to evaluate with the passage of time. The restoration of industrial buildings contributes to regeneration by renewing a communitys confidence in its future.

Symbolic places that celebrate history and invest locations with mythical meaning provide a sense of identity in place and time. They tend to fuse history and geography in terms of myth and memory (Stearns, 1993). The retrieval and evocation of ancient history in terms of symbolic places seems to be especially significant in periods of national revival, when the invention and reinvention of tradition feature prominently in the framework of nation building (Stearns, 1993). Take Egypt for example, the significance of this ancient place in history till today tends to mystify historians. Its symbolic locations elaborate on the cultural and political meanings.

Places of birth or places where the famous people live or lived can also make a place significant in history. People have been the tools for creating important events in the past, their contribution somehow have really changed the society in a significant way. We learn more and more about prominent leaders who had initiated people for some good cause in society. Thus they take place in the history and are living in the memories of the people even after their death. Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela who is still alive have initiated their people and have brought about some revolution in their society (Grosjean, 2008) . The tyrant rulers such as Hitler and Suddam Hussein should never be forgotten so that the mistakes that occurred in the past will not be repeated in the future. Scientists like Einstein also have contributed a lot to

the society by their valuable work in their respective fields (Grosjean, 2008). This is why we should emphasise on important people when we study history, because future generations might tend to forget about these people and their valuable services to mankind. Another example of a person who had made a place significant is Michael Jackson. For much of his career, he had an "unparalleled" level of worldwide influence over the younger generation through his musical and humanitarian contributions (Michael Jackson, 2011). After his death his Ranch in Neverland in Los Olivios California became a place where his fans went to pay tribute to him (Michael Jackson, 2011). The generations of people who loved his music consider this place a very special and sacred place in their hearts. The generations of people over a long period of time would eventually have a decreased emphasis on Neverland and it would end up having little significance to them. We might not be able to copy the influential people in history or completely absorb their ideas in our life, but when we study them we prevent these ideas from being lost and we can pass these on to our next generation.

Setting standards for History and Geography in the school requires a clear vision of the place and importance of history in the general education of all students (Patrick,1993). The subjects make a distinctive contribution to the curriculum. The concept of geographical and historical significance helps decide which aspect of the subject to emphasise on. Emphasis on a place and its significance in History will always differ from culture to culture and with the increased multi cultural societies in the world this gap can diminish (Grosjean, 2008). It is important that society understands their own culture and history and teach it as part of their curriculum even though we know that each country will have an emphasis on their side of the story (Grosjean, 2008).

The aim of incorporating History into the curriculum is to be open to new ideas about what is significant, to share the significance in new and exciting ways and actively engage everyone in the care of places rich in history. This requires constant dialogue with those who want to be involved , and sharing the lessons learnt with the younger generation, to bring wider benefits for the nation (Patrick, 1993).

References
Azaryahu. M, Kellerman, A., (1999), Symbolic Places of National History and Revival: a Study in Zionist Mythical Geography, Royal Geographical Society, Haifa, Israel.

Patrick, John J., (1993), Geography and History: A Necessary Connection in School Curriculum, ERIC Digests, ERIC Clearinghouse of Social Studies/Social Science Education, Bloomington, Indiana. Grosjean. P., (2008), The Role of Geography & History in Cultural Diffusion: A Gravitational Approach, University Of California at Berkeley. Soviet Union . (n.d). Retrieved July 23, 2011, from Wikipedia: http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_Union, Micheal Jackson. (n.d). Retrieved July 25, 2011, from Wikipedia: http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micheal_Jackson Stearns, P.N., (1993), Meaning Over Memory: Recasting the Teaching of History and Culture, Chapel Hill, N.C: University of North Carolina Press.