Why are historical events important for new citizens to learn about?

Learning about historical events is important for new citizens because it helps them get a better understanding of their new country. Speaking on the United States, a new citizen may know that he or she is entitled to free speech, but can he or she truly understand the concept unless they know the history behind it? This simple question can be applied to an endless amount of social, political, economic, and cultural aspects of any country. Coming into a new country, assimilation—or simply a newfound respect for the new country—is hastened by a solid understanding of that country's historical significance. One may come to appreciate freedom in the US when he or she learns of each conflict the US has been involved in and the amount of lives sacrificed for it. A new citizen studying the history of a country will be able to judge what makes the individual country great and what needs to be improved.

The idea behind learning history prior to gaining citizenship in the United States is to establish a strong understanding of the Constitution. A great way to become familiar with laws and ways of life of a country is to educate yourself on why they have been put in place, to begin with. It can be difficult to respect something without knowing where it came from. A country's history tells the story of how it came to be. When a person learns that history, it gives them an idea of what it took to gain that status, what kind of struggles the people had to overcome, and why certain laws were put in place. The thought here is that a certain respect comes with knowing the work put in toward something. In the United States, it is important that citizens are law-abiding and have "good moral standing" to ensure a sense of integrity and reliability across the nation.