<p>Prompt: Do we need knowledge of the past to fully understand the present?</p>
<p>Here is a brief version of my essay -</p>
<p>Intro: Knowledge of the past is necessary to understand the present because we learn from our mistakes. It was said, "Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it"</p>
<p>Example 1: In World War 2 America first let Germany have what it wanted, but eventually learned that it must be aggressive as Hitler got too much power, and finally America joined Britain and put an end to Hitler's regime, learning from it's past mistake.</p>
<p>Example 2: I joined the school math team in middle school knowing nothing about math competitions, and at my first one I did poorly. After that I purchased problem solving books and was well-prepared for my next competition, winning 2nd place.</p>
<p>Conclusion: Knowledge of the past is important for present since it helps us learn from our mistakes. Even today, past knowledge is applied. Immediately after the World Trade Center was attacked, President George W. Bush declared war on Iraq, learning that appeasement didn't work in the past. And currently I'm always well prepared before taking action.</p>