The amount of change that has occurred globally in the past four years begs the question of what our history books will look like in the near future.
So much has happened over the past couple of years that one article won’t do it justice, but here are a couple of the big moments that are sure to show up in the history textbooks of future generations.
Caitlyn Jenner came out about who she is.
It was four years ago that Caitlyn Jenner sat down with host Diane Sawyer and discussed her transition into who she is and has always been. After this, movements around the LGBTQIA+ community launched. Politicians began having hard conversations about creating legislation that provides a comfortable community for these individuals. Isn’t it crazy that it was only four years ago?
Can you imagine what it will be like to learn about the musical, Hamilton?
One day in a classroom, teachers will refer to Hamilton’s soundtrack to explain the American Revolution. Students won’t be just reading anymore, but rapping—all thanks to the king himself, Lin Manuel-Miranda.
Not only that, but learning history will be entertaining for children. It will no longer be just another class you sit and read in, but one you interact with and make your own. So not only will musicals like Hamilton be written about, but they will change the way our next generation learns.
The First Women’s March took place two years ago.
Women’s rights have always been a part of history. But the past two years have brought an upsurge in the movement. The first-ever Women’s March in Washington DC was two years ago and it gathered women from all over the world to shine a light on issues women face every day. It was filled with performances, advocacy, and speeches in front of an audience of over four million people, making it the largest single-day demonstration recorded in American history, according to The Washington Post.
That is an event that one day will mark our history books the same way that the American Revolution did. It will be something every kid who grows up will know and be taught from an early age. It’s not because of the size of the event, but the meaning of it. The March will be remembered for so much more than just people attending—it will be known for equality.
Our president tweets!!!
How could I not include this one? Big update and it’s not a joke! We live in a new age where our president tweets about foreign policy decisions, and personal opinion. It marks yet another change in the relationship between media and politics in today’s digital age.
We are living in a time where that is the new normal and that’s what the history books will show. The way we learned about FDR using the radio to communicate his “Fireside Chats,” children in the future will learn about Trump using Twitter to release his stance on a new bill in Congress. Isn’t that crazy to think about?
Elections became a comedy skit.
The perfect way to end this article is by telling one of the craziest developments I think our history books will use: pictures from Saturday Night Live! This is really what our history has turned into. Our lives have changed to become a social channel that we watch for fun.
As a society, we have translated our fears and concerns of presidencies into a comedy show that allows us to grapple with the information in lighter terms. This is what children will learn about soon and why history is really changing.
I’m pretty sure people before thought the development of the radio, television, and political systems were so crazy that the future wouldn’t understand. Honestly, that’s probably how a lot of us are feeling right now but I think it’s important to remember that history continues to happen every day. The best thing we can do is live it, remember it and teach it, so the world knows what has happened before.
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