History has been called the memory of human group experience, the collective record of all that has happened in the past, and the emotions, ideals, and values that have given human experience its sense of continuity, causation, and meaning. As an academic discipline it is perhaps the broadest of the liberal arts, certainly the least restricted by subject and scope. It requires the development of analytical skills, the use of deductive and inductive reasoning, the mastery of knowledge from different cultures and epochs, and the ability to express ideas in clear, readable prose. The study of history has practical rewards as well. It provides students with a broad cultural background and inculcates skills of analysis and composition that are considered essential to the study of education, literature, law, government, communications, journalism, public service, and business.