Since 2012, the r/HistoryMemes subreddit has amassed more than 3.6M members with several thousand researchers scrolling through the forum at any given time. Online communities like this one show us how learning events that happened before us can help us better understand the present. 

Finding the time to explore history is always a great idea. This way, we fill our heads with compelling knowledge and valuable context that allows us to see how our actions shaped the world. While not all things in our past are fun and full of joy, there are plenty of interesting topics for virtually everyone. 

To learn more about this subject and why history buffs enjoy looking at hilarious Reddit memes about our past, we reached out to Darren R. Reid, Ph.D., a lecturer in history at Coventry University. When asked whether funny pictures and jokes can be used in teaching, he said that they are a great way of communicating complex ideas in a fun and accessible way.

"They can be very clever and I think students really appreciate using memes to help them to connect to the topics they’re studying," Reid told Bored Panda. When so many people enjoy encountering funny history memes online, the lecturer said that "when they’re good, they are intelligent, witty, and fun. They also help people easily understand (and remember!) important events or ideas."

While some believe that history is a dull subject that is slowly losing its significance in the academic world, Reid said that it’s, in fact, one of the most enduring and popular ones. 

"Practically everyone, at some point in their life, will set out to learn something about the past. History memes let us explore that enthusiasm in a new way, connecting with a broader and younger audience." 

"If someone doesn’t love history yet, they probably haven’t learned about the area and period that will capture their imagination," he continued. "Memes are a great way to tell stories in a really accessible way — and they help people to learn about compelling chapters of the past that they didn’t even know existed."

Studying the little details, even if from Reddit memes, that surround a specific era or event can help us deepen our knowledge and grasp why things happened the way they did. After all, learning about our past can change our perspective, improve critical thinking, and let us come up with new brilliant ideas. While the basic facts provide us with context, understanding how civilizations, cultures, and governments evolved is the truly fascinating part. 

If you’re wondering why people should pursue history at all and why there are so many members in the r/HistoryMemes subreddit, it "teaches you how to investigate complex, world-shaping events," Reid explained. "It teaches you how to systematically find and analyze evidence. It teaches you how to communicate your ideas. At Coventry University, our students even learn how to make documentaries."

"People who study history become critical thinkers with a powerful analytical toolset and the ability to communicate complex ideas," he added. "Those are incredibly important skills — and they develop them whilst learning about the past and the forces that have shaped our society." 

Reid stressed that studying history is not just about gaining knowledge: "It’s about gaining important skills that can be used to find success in a dizzying array of jobs and careers."

However, with so much information and funny history memes floating around the web, not every historic truth or detail is true. Some might even believe in false facts and bogus theories without actually knowing they are incorrect. Reid explained that we must check our sources. "The internet is an incredible tool, but it is also responsible for producing and disenchanting a lot of bad information."

"Don’t take anything for granted," he said. Today, we can find documents, letters, speeches, and many more sources quite quickly, so it’s always important to check how people support their points. "Look to the works of credible scholars to ensure the accuracy of whatever you’ve read or whatever you intend to produce," the lecturer added. 

But for now, let’s return to our selection of Reddit memes on historical events, shall we? There’s still plenty of them on this list for you to check out!

Darren R. Reid advised you to be curious and explore the past. "Learn the lessons our ancestors teach us through their words and actions. Learning about the past is one of the best ways to understand why we — all of us — act the way we do."