--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The arc of history is longer than human…" description: "\"The arc of history is longer than human vision. It bends. We abolished slavery, we granted universal suffrage. We have done hard things before. And eve..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/10f/barbara-kingsolver-200_arcs_the-arc-of-history-is-longer-than-human_2244553.png" --- # The arc of history is longer than human vision. It bends… ![“The arc of history is longer than human vision. It bends. We abolished slavery, we granted universal suffrage. We have done hard things before. And every time it took a terrible fight between people who could not imagine changing the rules, and those who said, 'We already did. We have made the…” quote by Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/10f/barbara-kingsolver-200_arcs_the-arc-of-history-is-longer-than-human_2244553.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/10f/barbara-kingsolver-200_arcs_the-arc-of-history-is-longer-than-human_2244553.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/10f/barbara-kingsolver-200_arcs_the-arc-of-history-is-longer-than-human_2244553.png) > “The arc of history is longer than human vision. It bends. We abolished slavery, we granted universal suffrage. We have done hard things before. And every time it took a terrible fight between people who could not imagine changing the rules, and those who said, 'We already did. We have made the world new.' The hardest part will be to convince yourself of the possibilities, and hang on.” [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Historical progress requires confronting entrenched systems and believing in future change. **In simple terms:** Change needs struggle and belief. Key Takeaway Embrace difficult change for progress. Themes history change hope Mood inspirational reflective Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - civil rights movements - policy reform - community organizing Key Concepts social justice collective action Questions to Reflect On - What battles are you willing to fight for change? - How do you stay hopeful during setbacks? A Different Perspective Change can be slow and meet resistance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abolished Slavery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abolished-slavery-1722341/) [Arcs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arcs/) [Convince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/convince/) [Done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/done/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Fighting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fighting/) [Granted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/granted/) [Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard/) [Hard things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-things/) [Hardest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hardest/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [History Longer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history-longer-952200/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Imagine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagine/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Possibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/possibility/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Slavery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slavery/) [Suffrage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffrage/) [Suffrage Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffrage-hard-5102684/) [Terrible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrible/) [Universal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universal/) [Universal suffrage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universal-suffrage/) [Vision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vision/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [I'm optimistic Hong Kong will achieve universal suffrage - no matter the attitude of Beijing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-wong/i-m-optimistic-hong-kong-will-achieve-universal-suffrage-no-matter/) [Joshua Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-wong/) > [It's been a long time since universal suffrage, and I'm sick of the old white men running the show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-blanchett/it-s-been-a-long-time-since-universal-suffrage-and-i-m-sick-of-the/) [Cate Blanchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-blanchett/) > [“Parvus denied that universal suffrage was an end to itself since the middle class would always find ways to manipulate the electoral system. Freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-service/parvus-denied-that-universal-suffrage-was-an-end-to-itself-since-the/) [Robert Service](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-service/) > [I firmly believe that the wider community supports achieving the goal of universal suffrage for 2017 according to law. I also believe most political…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-lam/i-firmly-believe-that-the-wider-community-supports-achieving-the-goal/) [Carrie Lam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-lam/) > [All governments use force and all assert that they are founded on reason. In fact, whether universal suffrage prevails or not, it is always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vilfredo-pareto/all-governments-use-force-and-all-assert-that-they-are-founded-on/) [Vilfredo Pareto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vilfredo-pareto/) > [We Chinese are instinctively democratic, and Dr. Sun's objective of universal suffrage evokes from all Chinese a ready and unhesitating response.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chiang-kai-shek/we-chinese-are-instinctively-democratic-and-dr-sun-s-objective-of/) [Chiang Kai-shek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chiang-kai-shek/) > [ I need \[Beijing's\] trust in order to develop universal suffrage. The more suspicions being expressed, the more difficulty we'll have in moving towards the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-tsang/i-need-beijing-s-trust-in-order-to-develop-universal-suffrage-the/) [Donald Tsang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-tsang/) > [The alleged menace of universal suffrage having been avoided by the absolute suppression of the negro vote, the spirit of mob murder should have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ida-b-wells/the-alleged-menace-of-universal-suffrage-having-been-avoided-by-the/) [Ida B. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ida-b-wells/) > [“Universal suffrage in the end does not recognize any of the individual’s rights except the “right” to be alternately oppressor or oppressed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-gomez-davila/universal-suffrage-in-the-end-does-not-recognize-any-of-the/) [Nicolás Gómez Dávila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-gomez-davila/) > [When Britain signed up to the European Convention and its later protocols, the words 'universal suffrage' were deleted from the 'right to vote' article.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-raab/when-britain-signed-up-to-the-european-convention-and-its-later/) [Dominic Raab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-raab/) > [Everyone says Francois Mitterrand had huge charisma. But before he was president they used to call him badly dressed, old, archaic and say he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-hollande/everyone-says-francois-mitterrand-had-huge-charisma-but-before-he-was/) [Francois Hollande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-hollande/) > [Does man's freedom consist in revolting against all laws? We say no, in so far as laws are natural, economic, and social laws, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-bakunin/does-man-s-freedom-consist-in-revolting-against-all-laws-we-say-no-in/) [Mikhail Bakunin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-bakunin/) > [Hong Kongers deserve universal suffrage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-wong/hong-kongers-deserve-universal-suffrage/) [Joshua Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-wong/) > [Above all things the mass-mind is most bitterly resentful of superiority. It will not tolerate the thought of an elite; and under a political…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-j-nock/above-all-things-the-mass-mind-is-most-bitterly-resentful-of/) [Albert J. Nock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-j-nock/) > [In fact, the gravest obstacle to the restoration of civilization in North America is universal suffrage. Letting everybody vote makes no sense. Obviously they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-reed/in-fact-the-gravest-obstacle-to-the-restoration-of-civilization-in/) [Fred Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-reed/) ## More by Barbara Kingsolver > [“Jesus was a more reliable backer, evidently, less likely to drink himself unconscious or get liver cancer. No wonder people chose Him as their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/jesus-was-a-more-reliable-backer-evidently-less-likely-to-drink/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [Now I'm starting to think he wasn't supposed to be my whole life, he was just this doorway to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/now-i-m-starting-to-think-he-wasn-t-supposed-to-be-my-whole-life-he/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [Cooking is 80 percent confidence, a skill best acquired starting from when the apron strings wrap around you twice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/cooking-is-80-percent-confidence-a-skill-best-acquired-starting-from/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [“In Bobby Ogle's version of heaven everyone would wind up in one place, criminals and Muslims included.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/in-bobby-ogle-s-version-of-heaven-everyone-would-wind-up-in-one-place/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [“Weeds are job security for the gardener.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/weeds-are-job-security-for-the-gardener/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [“It's what you do that makes your soul, not the other way around.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/it-s-what-you-do-that-makes-your-soul-not-the-other-way-around/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [“Lusa turned to Crys, her eyes shining. "That was a luna." Crys shrugged. "So?" "So? So what? You want it should sing, too?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/lusa-turned-to-crys-her-eyes-shining-that-was-a-luna-crys-shrugged-so/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [The strength of motherhood is greater than natural laws.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/the-strength-of-motherhood-is-greater-than-natural-laws/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [“An imperfectly remembered life is a useless treachery. Every day, more fragments of the past roll around heavily in the chambers of an empty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/an-imperfectly-remembered-life-is-a-useless-treachery-every-day-more/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [Respecting the dignity of a spectacular food means enjoying it at its best. Europeans celebrate the short season of abundant asparagus as a form…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/respecting-the-dignity-of-a-spectacular-food-means-enjoying-it-at-its/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [“Somehow it had come to pass that this man was her whole world, and she had failed to take his measure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/somehow-it-had-come-to-pass-that-this-man-was-her-whole-world-and-she/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [After 'The Poisonwood Bible' was published, several people believed that my parents were missionaries, which could not be further from the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/after-the-poisonwood-bible-was-published-several-people-believed-that/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [I can count all the ways in which being a mother has enriched my understanding of the world, of character, my sense of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/i-can-count-all-the-ways-in-which-being-a-mother-has-enriched-my/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [But we've all ended up giving body and soul to Africa, one way or another. Even Adah, who's becoming an expert in tropical epidemiology…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/but-we-ve-all-ended-up-giving-body-and-soul-to-africa-one-way-or/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [If the Lord hasn't got a boyfriend lined up for me to marry, that's his business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/if-the-lord-hasn-t-got-a-boyfriend-lined-up-for-me-to-marry-that-s/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) [Explore all 939 Barbara Kingsolver quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) ## More Arcs quotes > [It's a challenge to work a character's arc into a format in which you only have a very limited amount of time to grow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginnifer-goodwin/it-s-a-challenge-to-work-a-character-s-arc-into-a-format-in-which-you/) [Ginnifer Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginnifer-goodwin/) > [Through the music I hope to give it an arc that gives it a greater sense of a journey through the set rather than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gotye/through-the-music-i-hope-to-give-it-an-arc-that-gives-it-a-greater/) [Gotye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gotye/) > [Because we grew up surrounded by big dramatic story arcs in books and movies, we think our lives are supposed to be filled with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/because-we-grew-up-surrounded-by-big-dramatic-story-arcs-in-books-and/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [Joan of Arc should be played as a "pain in the ass" and how do I know she was a "pain in the ass"?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-clurman/joan-of-arc-should-be-played-as-a-pain-in-the-ass-and-how-do-i-know/) [Harold Clurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-clurman/) > [When in doubt, the rule of threes is a rule that plays well with all of storytelling. When describing a thing? No more than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-wendig/when-in-doubt-the-rule-of-threes-is-a-rule-that-plays-well-with-all/) [Chuck Wendig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-wendig/) > [Sanchez looked at me and we locked eyes a second too long. There was nothing I could do about it. The signal went out.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/sanchez-looked-at-me-and-we-locked-eyes-a-second-too-long-there-was/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [When we are young, we spend much time and pains in filling our note-books with all definitions of Religion, Love, Poetry, Politics, Art, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/when-we-are-young-we-spend-much-time-and-pains-in-filling-our-note/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [I suppose that, for me at least, the biggest difference betweenThe Gunslinger Born and the next two story arcs (The Long Road Home and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-furth/i-suppose-that-for-me-at-least-the-biggest-difference-betweenthe/) [Robin Furth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-furth/) > [We've got this arc of instability from North Africa to South Asia, and we have to pay close attention to it. 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I want the intensity of lyric, but the scope and arc of narrative. so, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-orr/i-am-committed-now-to-one-thing-lyric-sequences-i-want-the-intensity/) [Gregory Orr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-orr/) > [We must move forward in the days ahead with audacious faith. The moral arc of the universe is long but it bends toward justice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/we-must-move-forward-in-the-days-ahead-with-audacious-faith-the-moral/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Most games follow a real railroad plot, no matter what you want, you're following their storyline to its unavoidable conclusion. I'd like to write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/most-games-follow-a-real-railroad-plot-no-matter-what-you-want-you-re/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [Arc, amplitude, and curvature sustain a similar relation to each other as time, motion, and velocity, or as volume, mass, and density.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-friedrich-gauss/arc-amplitude-and-curvature-sustain-a-similar-relation-to-each-other/) [Carl Friedrich Gauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-friedrich-gauss/) [Browse all 250 Arcs quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arcs/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The arc of history is longer than human vision. It bends. We abolished slavery, we granted universal suffrage. We have done hard things before. And every time it took a terrible fight between people who could not imagine changing the rules, and those who said, 'We already did. 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