History

Quotations about History

Using Quotations in a Speech or Text about History

As well as keeping your audience engaged, adding quotations to a speech or a text can significantly enhance its impact and effectiveness. Quotations are useful for explaining complex ideas concisely, much in the same way that analogies are used. Additionally, quotations from experts or celebrities can add credibility to your message.

Here are some funny and poignant quotations about history. If your speech is serious, do not automatically avoid funny quotations as they can often be the most impactful, forcing your audience into the thinking about the hidden analogous message in your selected quotation.

"Comedy is simply a funny way of being serious." (British actor Peter Ustinov)
"When a thing is funny, search it carefully for a hidden truth." (Irish dramatist George Bernard Shaw)

If you are looking to make a fuller speech about history, then below this selection of quotations are three funny themes and three serious themes on the topic of history that might help trigger some ideas for your speech or text.

"That men do not learn very much from the lessons of history is the most important of all the lessons of history." Aldous Huxley (English novelist, 1894-1963)

"History is a set of lies agreed upon." Napoleon Bonaparte (French military commander, 1769-1821)

"History will be kind to me for I intend to write it." Winston Churchill (British Conservative statesman, 1874-1965)

Those who do not remember the past are condemned to *repeat it.*death.*the bedroom.* George Santayana (Spanish-American philosopher, 1863-1952)

"History is not a burden on the memory but an illumination of the soul." John Dalberg-Acton (English Catholic historian and politician, 1834-1902)

"The very *ink*thoughts*pen* with which history is written is merely fluid prejudice." Mark Twain (American writer, 1835-1910)

"It takes an endless amount of history to make even a little tradition." Henry James (American novelist, 1843-1916)

"History is a cyclic poem written by time upon the memories of man." Percy Bysshe Shelley (English poet, 1792-1822)

History is a vast *early warning system.*waste of time.*desert of memories.* Norman Cousins (American political journalist, 1915-1990)

"History never looks like history when you are living through it." John W. Gardner (American politician, 1912-2002)

"History is indeed little more than the register of the crimes, follies, and misfortunes of mankind." Edward Gibbon (English historian, 1737-1794)

"History repeats itself; *historians*academics*we all* repeat one other." Rupert Brooke (English poet, 1887-1915)

"It is odd that it should be so dull, for a great deal of it must be invention." Jane Austen (English novelist, 1775-1817) describing history

"History is a commentary on the various and continuing incapabilities of men. What is history? History is women following behind with the buckets." Alan Bennett (English dramatist and actor, 1934-)

"History: An account, mostly false, of events, mostly unimportant, which are brought about by rulers, mostly knaves, and soldiers, mostly fools." Ambrose Bierce (American writer, 1842-1914)

"One of the lessons of history is nothing is often a good thing to do and always a clever thing to say." Will Durant (American historian, 1855-1981)

"History teaches us that men and nations behave wisely once they have exhausted all other alternatives." Abba Eban (Israeli diplomat, 1915-2002)

"Does Magna Carta mean nothing to you? Did she die in vain?" Ray Galton (English writer, 1930-)

"People don't alter history any more than birds alter the sky; they just make brief patterns in it." Terry Pratchett (English fantasy writer, 1948-2015)

History is not what you thought. It is what you can *remember.*record.*do.* W. C. Sellar (British author, 1898-1951)

"Like most of those who study history, Napoleon III learned from the mistakes of the past how to make new ones." A. J. P. Taylor (British historian, 1906-90)

"History gets thicker as it approaches recent times." A. J. P. Taylor (British historian, 1906-90)

"The one duty we owe to history is to rewrite it." Oscar Wilde (Irish dramatist and poet, 1854-1900)

Thinking Template for a Speech or Text on History

Below are 3 funny themes and 3 serious themes related to history. These have been included to help you identify areas to explore.

Funny Themes:

Historical Blunders: Hilarious Mistakes in History
- Share amusing stories of historical blunders and mistakes, highlighting the humorous side of decisions and actions that went awry in history.
Quirky Historical Facts: The Funniest Tidbits from the Past
- Highlight some of the quirkiest and funniest historical facts, showcasing the oddities and peculiarities that have occurred throughout history.
Comedic Historical Figures: The Humorous Side of Famous People
- Explore humorous anecdotes involving historical figures, emphasizing the funny and unexpected aspects of their personalities and lives.

Serious Themes:

The Importance of Learning History: Understanding Our Past
- Discuss the importance of studying history to understand our past, learn from previous mistakes, and gain insights into current events and future possibilities.
Historical Milestones: Key Events That Shaped the World
- Address significant historical milestones and their impact on society, politics, and culture, highlighting how these events have shaped the modern world.
Diverse Perspectives: The Role of Different Cultures in History
- Explore the contributions of various cultures to world history, emphasizing the importance of diverse perspectives in understanding the full scope of historical events.