26 History Quotes To Broaden Your Mind

It’s a shame that there aren’t that many people these days who are interested in history, especially the younger generation. Most of them are not interested on the course of events that has made the world what it is today.

How would you know where you are going when you don’t know where you’ve come from? I bet the younger generation of today has heard the saying “History repeats itself”, but half of them don’t even know what that really means because they are not bothered by real history.

History is defined as “A usually chronological record of events, as of the life or development of a people or institution, often including an explanation of or commentary on those events.” In my personal opinion most the South African youth are not concerned about our rich history. Back in 1995 I matriculated at a school in the Limpopo Province of South Africa.

This subject was one of favorite subjects when I was in school. Not that many kids take this subject for their last 3 years of school (which is really sad) in South Africa nowadays. Call me old fashioned if you want, but it’s nice to have knowledge of past events in ones own country. I urge the younger generation of our country to start to read more books on this subject.

Today’s post features quotes about history from famous authors, leaders and other historical figures:

Hope you all find this insightful and worthy of your attention span. Feel free to voice your opinion by commenting on this post.

1. “Remember that all through history the way of truth and love has always won. There have been tyrants and murderers and for a time they seem invincible but in the end, they always fall — think of it, Always.” Mahatma Ghandi (Indian Independence Activist)

2. “The history of the world is full of men who rose to leadership, by sheer force of self-confidence, bravery and tenacity.” Mahatma Ghandi (Indian Independence Activist)

3. “Anybody can make history; only a great man can write it” Oscar Wilde (Irish Author)

4. “Disobedience, in the eyes of anyone who has read history, is man’s original virtue. It is through disobedience that progress has been made, through disobedience and through rebellion.” Oscar Wilde (Irish Author)

5. “History will be kind to me for I intend to write it” Winston Churchill (British Prime Minister)

6. “History is written by the victors.” Winston Churchill (British Prime Minister)

7. “The whole history of the world is summed up in the fact that, when nations are strong, they are not always just, and when they wish to be just, they are no longer strong.” Winston Churchill (British Prime Minister)

8. “It is from numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped. Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope.” Robert F. Kennedy (US Attorney General)

9. “History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the strident clamor of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people.” Martin Luther King Jr. (American Civil Rights Leader)

10. “History is nothing but a pack of tricks that we play upon the dead.” Voltaire (French Author)

11. “Indeed, history is nothing more than a tableau of crimes and misfortunes.” Voltaire (French Author)

12. “History is the version of past events that people have decided to agree upon.” Napoleon Bonaparte (French Military and Political leader)

13. “History teaches us that men and nations behave wisely once they have exhausted all other alternatives.” Abba Eban (Israeli Foreign Minister)

14. “We have the power to make this the best generation of mankind in the history of the world – or to make it the last.” John F. Kennedy (American President)

15. “What is history? An echo of the past in the future; a reflex from the future on the past” Victor Hugo (French Novelist / Poet)

16. “Throughout history, it has been the inaction of those who could have acted; the indifference of those who should have known better; the silence of the voice of justice when it mattered most; that has made it possible for evil to triumph.” Haile Selassie (Ethiophian Leader / Emperor).

17. “That men do not learn very much from the lessons of history is the most important of all the lessons that History has to teach.” Aldous Huxley (English Author)

18. “Poetry is nearer to vital truth than history.” Plato (Greek Philosopher)

19. “There is a history in all men’s lives.” William Shakespeare (English Author)

20. “If history repeats itself, and the unexpected always happens, how incapable must Man be of learning from experience.” George Bernard Shaw (Irish Literary Critic / Playwright)

21. “If I have seen further than others, it is by standing upon the shoulders of giants.” Isaac Newton (English Scientist)

22. “Without question, the greatest invention in the history of mankind is beer. Oh, I grant you that the wheel was also a fine invention, but the wheel does not go nearly as well with pizza.” David Barry (American Humorist)

23. “The only thing new in this world is the history that you don’t know.” Harry S. Truman (American President)

24. “History has informed us that bodies of men as well as individuals are susceptible of the spirit of tyranny.” Thomas Jefferson (American President)

25. “I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past.” Thomas Jefferson (American President)

26. “It is not worthwhile to try to keep history from repeating itself, for man’s character will always make the preventing of the repetitions impossible.” Mark Twain (American Author)

There is literally hundreds of quotes about history from famous people, politicians, authors, presidents, prime ministers, philosophers, etc. Since History is such a popular subject to comment about I will be doing a follow up post for this topic in the near future. The enthusiastic tone of my writing should indicate that I’m really excited about this. History is truly one of my passions and will continue to be for a long time.

Watch this space for updates in the Quotes category on Running Wolf’s Rant.