--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was a narrative historian, believing…" description: "\"I was a narrative historian, believing more and more as I matured that the first function of the historian was to answer the child's question, \"What ha..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/490/a-j-p-taylor-14528_answers_i-was-a-narrative-historian-believing-mo_3008339.png" --- # I was a narrative historian, believing more and more as I… ![“I was a narrative historian, believing more and more as I matured that the first function of the historian was to answer the child's question, "What happened next?” quote by A. J. P. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/490/a-j-p-taylor-14528_answers_i-was-a-narrative-historian-believing-mo_3008339.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/490/a-j-p-taylor-14528_answers_i-was-a-narrative-historian-believing-mo_3008339.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/490/a-j-p-taylor-14528_answers_i-was-a-narrative-historian-believing-mo_3008339.png) > “I was a narrative historian, believing more and more as I matured that the first function of the historian was to answer the child's question, "What happened next?” [A. J. P. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-p-taylor/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Historians should first satisfy the natural curiosity of children: what happened next? **In simple terms:** Historians answer the child's question about what happened next. Key Takeaway Engage audiences with clear, sequential storytelling. Themes education history curiosity Mood inquisitive thoughtful Type educational inspirational When to use this quote - classroom teaching - public lectures - museum exhibits Key Concepts narrative pedagogy Questions to Reflect On - How can you make complex history accessible? - What questions drive your own learning? A Different Perspective Complex events may resist simple linear narratives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Answers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/answers/) [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Function](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/function/) [Function Historian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/function-historian-4811509/) [Happened](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happened/) [Historian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/historian/) [Historian Answer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/historian-answer-4811507/) [Historian Believing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/historian-believing-4811508/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Matured](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matured/) [Narrative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/narrative/) [Narrative Historian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/narrative-historian-4811506/) [Next](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/next/) [Question Happened](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/question-happened-326109/) ## Related quotes > [The function off the historian is neither to love the past nor to emancipate himself from the past, but to master and understand it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hallett-carr/the-function-off-the-historian-is-neither-to-love-the-past-nor-to/) [Edward Hallett Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hallett-carr/) > [I know there is much mystery, much question to what happened, and I must also say, many lies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-capriati/i-know-there-is-much-mystery-much-question-to-what-happened-and-i/) [Jennifer Capriati](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-capriati/) > [Feffs@LaBellaVita00\_ Everytime I question why it happened the way it did I remind myself that GOD knows best & I should never question his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uknown/feffs-labellavita00-everytime-i-question-why-it-happened-the-way-it/) [Uknown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uknown/) > [While Ace-Hood wakes up in that brand New Bugatti.. I wake-up riht on the Floor with Hung-overZ, head aches Like Shit, Tried as F@CK^Question…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junior-d-r-l-testament/while-ace-hood-wakes-up-in-that-brand-new-bugatti-i-wake-up-riht-on/) [Junior Dè Rèál Testament](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junior-d-r-l-testament/) > [In answer to the question of why it happened, I offer the modest proposal that our Universe is simply one of those things which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-answer-to-the-question-of-why-it-happened-i-offer-the-modest/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Two questions form the foundation of all novels: "What if?" and "What next?" (A third question, "What now?", is one the author asks himself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-clancy/two-questions-form-the-foundation-of-all-novels-what-if-and-what-next/) [Tom Clancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-clancy/) > [It's possible that I've matured as a writer, and I hope I've matured emotionally, but I always find myself revisiting these adolescent scenes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diablo-cody/it-s-possible-that-i-ve-matured-as-a-writer-and-i-hope-i-ve-matured/) [Diablo Cody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diablo-cody/) > [I became more confident within myself and matured as a person and become a little bit more opinionated - maybe the lads might say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-cunningham/i-became-more-confident-within-myself-and-matured-as-a-person-and/) [Kenny Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-cunningham/) > [I think Los Angeles certainly grew out and grew up, but I don't think it matured. It lost the appeal and the hunger and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-towne/i-think-los-angeles-certainly-grew-out-and-grew-up-but-i-don-t-think/) [Robert Towne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-towne/) > [I feel like I've matured more musically than I have personally. But I totally embrace what becoming older has to offer. I find the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-hammett/i-feel-like-i-ve-matured-more-musically-than-i-have-personally-but-i/) [Kirk Hammett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-hammett/) > [“Before, singing was my life, my vocal chords used to lead the way. Now, I'm in-charge.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-dion/before-singing-was-my-life-my-vocal-chords-used-to-lead-the-way-now-i/) [Celine Dion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-dion/) > [Mark how fleeting and paltry is the estate of man-yesterday in embryo, tomorrow a mummy or ashes. So for the hairsbreadth of time assigned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/mark-how-fleeting-and-paltry-is-the-estate-of-man-yesterday-in-embryo/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [One thing I can say is that as I've gotten older, I've gotten younger. I've grown up but I've kind of immatured (but matured!)…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-bell-bundy/one-thing-i-can-say-is-that-as-i-ve-gotten-older-i-ve-gotten-younger/) [Laura Bell Bundy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-bell-bundy/) > [As I matured, I've always had the dream of one day either having my own clothing line or owning a fashion magazine. Most of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-purdy/as-i-matured-i-ve-always-had-the-dream-of-one-day-either-having-my/) [Ashley Purdy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-purdy/) > [The quest for Love changes us. There is no seeker among those who search for Love who has not matured on the way. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-quest-for-love-changes-us-there-is-no-seeker-among-those-who/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by A. J. P. Taylor > [Like most of those who study history, he (Napoleon III) learned from the mistakes of the past how to make new ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-p-taylor/like-most-of-those-who-study-history-he-napoleon-iii-learned-from-the/) [A. J. P. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-p-taylor/) > [Human blunders usually do more to shape history than human wickedness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-p-taylor/human-blunders-usually-do-more-to-shape-history-than-human-wickedness/) [A. J. P. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-p-taylor/) > [If men are to respect each other for what they are, they must cease to respect each other for what they own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-p-taylor/if-men-are-to-respect-each-other-for-what-they-are-they-must-cease-to/) [A. J. P. 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Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-p-taylor/) > [Freedom does not always win. This is one of the bitterest lessons of history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-p-taylor/freedom-does-not-always-win-this-is-one-of-the-bitterest-lessons-of/) [A. J. P. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-p-taylor/) > [There is nothing more agreeable in life than to make peace with the establishment and nothing more corrupting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-p-taylor/there-is-nothing-more-agreeable-in-life-than-to-make-peace-with-the/) [A. J. P. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-p-taylor/) > [George VI in the conventional parlance was a Good King who sacrificed his life to his sense of duty. If we are to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-p-taylor/george-vi-in-the-conventional-parlance-was-a-good-king-who-sacrificed/) [A. J. P. 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Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-p-taylor/) > [We learn nothing from history except the infinite variety of men's behaviour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-p-taylor/we-learn-nothing-from-history-except-the-infinite-variety-of-men-s/) [A. J. P. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-p-taylor/) > [In my opinion, most of the great men of the past were only there for the beer - the wealth, prestige and grandeur that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-p-taylor/in-my-opinion-most-of-the-great-men-of-the-past-were-only-there-for/) [A. J. P. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-p-taylor/) > [Conformity may give you a quiet life; it may even bring you to a University Chair. But all change in history, all advance, comes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-p-taylor/conformity-may-give-you-a-quiet-life-it-may-even-bring-you-to-a/) [A. J. P. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-p-taylor/) [Explore all 46 A. J. P. Taylor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-p-taylor/) ## More Answers quotes > [The one thing that I keep learning over and over again is that I don't know nothing. I mean, that's my life lesson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-johnson/the-one-thing-that-i-keep-learning-over-and-over-again-is-that-i-don/) [Dwayne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-johnson/) > [Sometimes a question can hurt more than an answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/sometimes-a-question-can-hurt-more-than-an-answer/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [You feed yourself. Make sure you have all the information, whether it's aesthetic, scientific, mathematical, I don't care what it is. Then you walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/you-feed-yourself-make-sure-you-have-all-the-information-whether-it-s/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [I have long felt that the way to keep children out of trouble is to keep them interested in things. Lecturing to children is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/i-have-long-felt-that-the-way-to-keep-children-out-of-trouble-is-to/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) > [“As long as you keep searching,the answers will come.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-kynock/as-long-as-you-keep-searching-the-answers-will-come/) [Mitch Kynock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-kynock/) > [The answer to deep anxiety is the deep adoration of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/the-answer-to-deep-anxiety-is-the-deep-adoration-of-god/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [A dialogue is very important. 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