History classes that just drill dates and names fail to show why the past matters to our present choices. I remember memorizing the Treaty of Versailles for an exam, yet nobody explained how its harsh terms fueled resentment that shaped later conflicts. Should schools prioritize teaching historical thinking—like analyzing sources and debating causes—over covering the maximum amount of facts? I think yes, because the skill of questioning narratives is more useful than recalling that the War of 1812 ended in 1815. But I wonder if dropping chronological coverage leaves students with no framework to understand change over time. What matters more: a mind bursting with dates or one trained to ask why?