If we are to gain a philosophic understanding of history, as the Durants insist that we must, then there must be those historians among us who diligently produce a reliable manifestation of that understanding. In order to gain perspective and enlightenment from an understanding of the peoples of the past, particularly Native Americans, whose way of life had been all but obliterated by the coming of white settlers, we must delve into past events and consider their impact on the culture and norms of contemporary society. They call historiography "an industry, an art, and a philosophy-an industry by ferreting out the facts, an art by establishing a meaningful order in the chaos of the materials, a philosophy by seeking perspective and enlightenment." A true evaluation of the history of the American West is an important consideration for Americans, because as the Durants claim, there is much to gain from a proper understanding of it. Noted historians Will and Ariel Durant have outlined the importance of knowing, understanding, and celebrating history as a valuable heritage.
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