I sure as heck didn't learn it in school. Ever since an early age, even before I could read, I would look for hours on end through my father's vast collection of history books. Books with subjects spanning centuries. As I grew older, my interest in history and geography broadened even farther. I had maps the World, Europe, N. America, and the MidEast, hanging up on my bedroom walls. By the time I started high school, I could point out every country on the planet.

When I was eleven, I began playing Dungeons & Dragons. This game really opened up my mind to ancient and medieval history. How many twelve year olds do you know that have books on Norse, Greek, Egyptian, and Mesopotamian mythology, or could expound on the achievements of 12th century friar Roger Bacon?

It also didn't hurt that my favorite show growing up was the national evening news (ABC, CBS, and NBC). Whatever I was doing outside came to an end around 5:30 so I could go in and watch them.

So while I learned some things in school, I would have to say that most of what I know came from other sources.