Not long ago, a fire broke out at the well-known, visited, and praised Notre Dame Cathedral in France. Thousands of individuals were devastated at the news and thousands of others, including the very wealthy, quickly came to the rescue by giving over one billion dollars in donations to rebuild and repair the attraction. This was found odd, however, as it seems that these individualsthe world, did not understand the history of this place. Its unknown Notre Dame has been one to harm hundreds of indigenous peoples, non-catholic or non-Christian peoples because of what they did and did not believe in in regards to religion. Even France has had a long history of religious missionary work as theyve colonized many places, forcing multitudes of people to convert their religious beliefs. Hundreds of years of religious persecution are hidden away behind the glorified stained-glass windows and what people claim to be of utmost importance as eight-hundred-plus years of art, history, and culture. Learning about history is a crucial par
t of peoples education. It helps them better understand why things have turned out the way they did, who or what they should or should not support, to see a cause-and-effect relationship, to remember those who positively made an impact on the present, and most importantly avoid repeating the same mistakes countries, places, or other people have already made in the past. Whats additionally important is how these people address their mistakes. Similar to a child whos taught at a young age what is right and what is wrong, they should be able to take responsibility for their actions, own up to them, and apologize to make things right. When it comes to war, a country in the wrong should be able to reconcile with other countries and be able to be seen as trustworthy. They should feel empathy for those they have wronged. Countries and places should resolve their mistakes by reconciling with their neighboring countries, building and leaving the proper memorials, and being able to face their consequential choices unafraid of shame.