By Mr. McGuire Join Frank in exploring different Fields of History! People who study the past  Historian Archeologist Anthropologist Paleontologist Geologist Historian Definition: A person who studies the past trying to give an objective interpretation of it. This area is more general Archeologist Studies the past by using artifacts to discover clues to ancient civilizations and mysteries. Anthropologist Studies the past by looking at the culture of a specific group or civilization Paleontologist Studies the past by examining fossils to discover and reconstruct the past Geologist Studies the past by examining rocks and minerals to identify climate and other natural patterns of the past Why are they important? What do you think??????????? Here are a few ideas 1) Helps us understand who we are today, by knowing where we come from. 2) Insights to how the ancient cultures worked and functioned, so we may apply this information to ourselves. 3) Because it is fun to learn about.