History, as we are told, shows how yesterday was and is a tool for society to have a better understanding of itself today.
An example of how the past influences societies today is that in the past, women could not study because it was considered immoral, as women should only worry about raising descendants for their husbands. This resulted in a generation of women who were oppressed and undervalued, unable to impose their values on society because as they had no right to education, they believed in all that men said and men always said they were inferior.
This has influenced today's society. Today, people recognize the importance of women having access to quality education. This recognition came from the observation of the past where women in oppressed. This has generated a desire to do differently in today's society and allow the girls of this century to have a different life.