Ancient History Personal Statement

Why do you want to study this course or subject?

Studying history throughout my academic years has shown me how we can use the mistakes and accomplishments of the past and use them to better our future. The political and cultural movements that are constantly changing by the endless discovery of our past have always made me eager to discover more about the topic. I've always seen the subject to have no limitations, the ever-changing debates of the past encompass all aspects of life as we know today. This wide coverage of the subject urges me to continue my study of history at a more advanced level. By further continuing my study of history, I am elevated to constantly be learning new aspects of our past. The idea of covering numerous modules across the years of my university course enthralls me. This vast range of coverage undoubtedly means I will be able to make wide connections across history and further my understanding of how the events of the past link to the present of today.

How have your qualifications and studies helped you to prepare for this course or subject?

History at an A-level standard has left a significant impact on the way I interpret societies' morals and how these values have been shaped by our actions of the past. At A-Level I study psychology, a case study based subject, it has aided my critical analysis of information and also helped me with my structural essay writing skills which can be transferred to my other subjects. Alongside history and psychology, I've studied English Literature. I have always been an ardent reader and inquisitive to what historical background a text has. My passion for this also has encouraged me to read around specific units I have studied throughout my education, the way I can express my ideas and analyse others' interpretations in history has been aided by English. I am currently studying Tennessee Williams' famous ''A Streetcar Named Desire'' set at the time of the American Depression. I was keen to see how the playwright Williams was influenced by the impact of the Depression during this time to society. I read into T.H. Watkins' ''The Great Depression: America in the 1930s'', his narrative of the time recounts the uncertainty in society at the time and a political revolution that transformed the American life. This book really enhanced the life of the characters within ''StreetCar'' and how the struggle for economic relief controlled their lives.

What else have you done to prepare outside of education, and why are these experiences useful?

Throughout my academic years, I have had several opportunities to expand my historical knowledge. In year 12, I visited the British National Archives in London. We were given the chance to do our own personal research into the Cold War, this developed my application of analytical skills of important documents on a professional level. Being able to delve into different parts of the war and seeing the original documents signed by the leaders of the time, solidified my choice of history at university. Although I have loved the topics my academic set work has covered, there have always been other eras of our past I would love to read into. I am currently at the conclusion of an online FutureLearn Course for history titled ''Bonnie Prince Charles and the Jacobites''. Industrial Revolution is a period we cover in our second year of history. Studying the Jacobites has given me more of a background and context for when I have gone on to study this set work. It has helped me understand how the rulers of the time were divided, creating two rival courts - the Williamites and the Jacobites - and how this may have had an influence on how our country is managed today by the government.