Memorizing Dates Isn't Learning History
How to Create A Mental Model of Time Instead
History isn’t just a subject—it’s the story of humanity.
My 10 year old has never memorized a single date in history but she can tell you…
Who came first the Greeks or the Romans
What led to the fall of the Roman Empire & what the Byzantine Empire was
Who built the Hagia Sofia, what he had to do with the Roman Empire, and who turned the Hagia Sofia into a mosque
Why Japan closed its borders after the printing press was invented
What happened to King Henry VIII’s wives & why it was important to the fall of the Holy Roman Empire
Which European countries conquered which parts of the Americas
Who consolidated Spain under a single rule, & their story
Who are the Maori (New Zealand) people & what they have in common with the Trojan War
Where was the Indus Valley Civilization & who were the Mughals (of India) descendants of
What are some of her favorite architectural wonders
Which King built Versailles and what did people call him
What was a common issue for ancient civilizations and how one mythical ruler of China tamed the rivers
Don’t believe me? I recorded a conversation with my 10 year old where I asked her these questions.
PS. We didn’t study for this. I picked these topics because I figured most people would know the answers. We’ve studied the entire world including Central, South America, and deep into Africa and Asia from 5,000BC to 1700s - so far.
How is this level of historical knowledge—this understanding of time and place—even possible?
✨The Classical Method
The classical method of teaching history is so vastly superior to any other method out there, it’s not worth comparing. It creates a mental model of how the whole world fits together in time.
It's remarkable & you need to be doing it!
Here’s How in 4 Steps👇
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