--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: How can we know who we are and where we…" description: "\"“How can we know who we are and where we are going if we don't know anything about where we have come from and what we have been through, the courage s..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f9/david-mccullough-1091_cost_how-can-we-know-who-we-are-and-where-we_2885680.jpg" --- # How can we know who we are and where we are going if we… ![“How can we know who we are and where we are going if we don't know anything about where we have come from and what we have been through, the courage shown, the costs paid, to be where we are?” quote by David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f9/david-mccullough-1091_cost_how-can-we-know-who-we-are-and-where-we_2885680.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f9/david-mccullough-1091_cost_how-can-we-know-who-we-are-and-where-we_2885680.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f9/david-mccullough-1091_cost_how-can-we-know-who-we-are-and-where-we_2885680.jpg) > ““How can we know who we are and where we are going if we don't know anything about where we have come from and what we have been through, the courage shown, the costs paid, to be where we are?”” [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Understanding our past, including hardships and sacrifices, is essential for shaping identity and future direction. **In simple terms:** Know history to guide future. Key Takeaway Study your roots. Themes history identity future Mood thoughtful inspired Type historical philosophical When to use this quote - education - policy making - personal reflection - community storytelling Key Concepts collective memory cultural heritage Questions to Reflect On - What lessons from history resonate with you? - How can we honor past sacrifices today? A Different Perspective Past narratives can be biased or incomplete. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/) ## Related quotes > [Courage! I have shown it for years; think you I shall lose it at the moment when my sufferings are to end?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-antoinette/courage-i-have-shown-it-for-years-think-you-i-shall-lose-it-at-the/) [Marie Antoinette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-antoinette/) > [History knows no greater display of courage than that shown by the people of the Soviet Union.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-l-stimson/history-knows-no-greater-display-of-courage-than-that-shown-by-the/) [Henry L. Stimson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-l-stimson/) > [ “...\[T\]hou knowest not the heart of woman... \[N\]ot in thy fiercest battles hast thou displayed more of thy vaunted courage than has been shown… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-scott/t-hou-knowest-not-the-heart-of-woman-n-ot-in-thy-fiercest-battles/) [Walter Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-scott/) > [“Women have their own braveries, their own mighty courageousness that is of woman, and not to be compared with the courage shown by man.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-llewellyn/women-have-their-own-braveries-their-own-mighty-courageousness-that/) [Richard Llewellyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-llewellyn/) > [True courage is shown through physical acts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wise-person/true-courage-is-shown-through-physical-acts/) Wise Person > [Hold your ground, hold your ground! Sons of Gondor, of Rohan, my brothers! I see in your eyes the same fear that would take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aragorn/hold-your-ground-hold-your-ground-sons-of-gondor-of-rohan-my-brothers/) [Aragorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aragorn/) > [True success will come when you have the courage to be yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcela-valladolid/true-success-will-come-when-you-have-the-courage-to-be-yourself/) [Marcela Valladolid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcela-valladolid/) > [Love taught me to cry So come on courage! Teach me to be shy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damien-rice/love-taught-me-to-cry-so-come-on-courage-teach-me-to-be-shy/) [Damien Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damien-rice/) > [All our dreams can come through, if we have the courage to pursue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/all-our-dreams-can-come-through-if-we-have-the-courage-to-pursue/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [“A day may come when the courage of men fails, when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship, but it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/a-day-may-come-when-the-courage-of-men-fails-when-we-forsake-our/) [J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/) > [Love tought me to cry. So come on courage, teach me to be shy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damien-rice/love-tought-me-to-cry-so-come-on-courage-teach-me-to-be-shy/) [Damien Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damien-rice/) > [I feel that history is in many ways the most important of all subjects because it is about everything and because it's about who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/i-feel-that-history-is-in-many-ways-the-most-important-of-all/) [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) > [So Americans understand the costs of war. Yet as a country, we will never tolerate our security being threatened, nor stand idly by when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-americans-understand-the-costs-of-war-yet-as-a-country-we-will/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [“One of the critical factors that make people’s dreams become nightmares is that they don’t know there is a cost to be paid!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/one-of-the-critical-factors-that-make-people-s-dreams-become/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [The term 'cost shifting,' as I use it, refers to those items in a university's budget that used to be reimbursed by the federal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-term-cost-shifting-as-i-use-it-refers-to-those-items-in-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by David McCullough > [With the Truman book, I wrote the entire account of his experiences in World War I before going over to Europe to follow his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/with-the-truman-book-i-wrote-the-entire-account-of-his-experiences-in/) [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) > [“Steamboats by this time were becoming a familiar presence on the rivers and coastal waters of America, but not until 1838 did steam-powered ships…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/steamboats-by-this-time-were-becoming-a-familiar-presence-on-the/) [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) > [I feel that history is in many ways the most important of all subjects because it is about everything and because it's about who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/i-feel-that-history-is-in-many-ways-the-most-important-of-all/) [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) > [“Even mighty states and kingdoms are not exempted. If we look into history, we shall find some nations rising from contemptible beginnings and spreading…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/even-mighty-states-and-kingdoms-are-not-exempted-if-we-look-into/) [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) > [History isn't just what happened, but what happened to whom and why and what would have been different if the cast of characters had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/history-isn-t-just-what-happened-but-what-happened-to-whom-and-why/) [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) > [Nobody ever lived in the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/nobody-ever-lived-in-the-past/) [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) > [“Only TR openly declared his love for the job. “Nobody ever enjoyed the presidency as I did,” he boasted, and by all evidence that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/only-tr-openly-declared-his-love-for-the-job-nobody-ever-enjoyed-the/) [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) > [“s ships Phoenix and Rose, in the company of three tenders, cast off their moorings at Staten Island and started up the harbor under…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/s-ships-phoenix-and-rose-in-the-company-of-three-tenders-cast-off/) [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) > [“a people may let a King fall, yet still remain a people, but if a King let his people slip from him, he is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/a-people-may-let-a-king-fall-yet-still-remain-a-people-but-if-a-king/) [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) > [Why limit yourself to the experience of your own relatively brief time on earth, according to your biological clock, when the whole realm of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/why-limit-yourself-to-the-experience-of-your-own-relatively-brief/) [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) > [“He worked at a plain, tall desk at which he wrote standing up or perched on a high stool,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/he-worked-at-a-plain-tall-desk-at-which-he-wrote-standing-up-or/) [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) > [“Nothing happens in isolation. Everything that happens has consequences. We”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/nothing-happens-in-isolation-everything-that-happens-has-consequences/) [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) > [America faces an enemy who believes in enforced ignorance. And all that we stand for is the open mind, the generous spirit, the ideal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/america-faces-an-enemy-who-believes-in-enforced-ignorance-and-all/) [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) > [My shorthand answer is that I try to write the kind of book that I would like to read. If I can make it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/my-shorthand-answer-is-that-i-try-to-write-the-kind-of-book-that-i/) [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) > [“Seen under the microscope, Stegomyia is a creature of striking beauty. Its general color is dark gray, but the thorax is marked with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/seen-under-the-microscope-stegomyia-is-a-creature-of-striking-beauty/) [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) [Explore all 291 David McCullough quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) ## More Cost quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I would borrow money all day long, if the cost of borrowing is less than the expected return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-schneider/i-would-borrow-money-all-day-long-if-the-cost-of-borrowing-is-less/) [Brad Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-schneider/) > [I do not want to live at the cost of the life even of a snake. I should let him bite me to death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-do-not-want-to-live-at-the-cost-of-the-life-even-of-a-snake-i/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [What a thrill. You know you've entered new territory when you realise that your outfit cost more than your film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-yu/what-a-thrill-you-know-you-ve-entered-new-territory-when-you-realise/) Jessica Yu > [ \[Photography is \] likewise even French impressionists. So the Sculls bought pop. It was politics, and they moved with it. And I think that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-winogrand/photography-is-likewise-even-french-impressionists-so-the-sculls/) [Garry Winogrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-winogrand/) > [What has drug addiction done for me? It's cost me my career, my fortune and basically my sex life when I found out I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robbin-crosby/what-has-drug-addiction-done-for-me-it-s-cost-me-my-career-my-fortune/) Robbin Crosby > [I agreed a long time ago, I would not live at any cost. If I am moved or forced away from what I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/i-agreed-a-long-time-ago-i-would-not-live-at-any-cost-if-i-am-moved/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [I believe that government is too large, costs too much, spends too much, and has too much regulatory power in our lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-walberg/i-believe-that-government-is-too-large-costs-too-much-spends-too-much/) [Tim Walberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-walberg/) > [One reason for the tremendous increase in health-care costs in the U.S. is managerial neglect of the "hotel services" by the people who dominate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/one-reason-for-the-tremendous-increase-in-health-care-costs-in-the-u/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) > [They brought on someone who cost more than our stadium.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendan-rodgers/they-brought-on-someone-who-cost-more-than-our-stadium/) [Brendan Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brendan-rodgers/) > [When the government pays, health care's lack of affordability becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. In health care, as in other things, government is the high-cost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-kling/when-the-government-pays-health-care-s-lack-of-affordability-becomes/) [Arnold Kling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-kling/) > [“In your goals to go the extra mile, prepare to pay an extra cost. Excellence is to be exceptional, surpassing, more competent and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/in-your-goals-to-go-the-extra-mile-prepare-to-pay-an-extra-cost/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [First impressions are often the truest, as we find (not infrequently) to our cost, when we have been wheedled out of them by plausible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/first-impressions-are-often-the-truest-as-we-find-not-infrequently-to/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [The term 'cost shifting,' as I use it, refers to those items in a university's budget that used to be reimbursed by the federal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-term-cost-shifting-as-i-use-it-refers-to-those-items-in-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Beauty's a doubtful good, a glass, a flower, Lost, faded, broken, dead within an hour; And beauty, blemish'd once, for ever's lost, In spite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/beauty-s-a-doubtful-good-a-glass-a-flower-lost-faded-broken-dead/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) Browse all 3,987 Cost quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“How can we know who we are and where we are going if we don't know anything about where we have come from and what we have been through, the courage shown, the costs paid, to be where we are?”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David McCullough" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/how-can-we-know-who-we-are-and-where-we-are-going-if-we-don-t-know/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cost" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/how-can-we-know-who-we-are-and-where-we-are-going-if-we-don-t-know/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f9/david-mccullough-1091_cost_how-can-we-know-who-we-are-and-where-we_2885680.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f9/david-mccullough-1091_cost_how-can-we-know-who-we-are-and-where-we_2885680.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f9/david-mccullough-1091_cost_how-can-we-know-who-we-are-and-where-we_2885680.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“How can we know who we are and where we are going if we don't know anything about where we have come from…” — David McCullough", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "David McCullough", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“How can we know who we...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/how-can-we-know-who-we-are-and-where-we-are-going-if-we-don-t-know/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/how-can-we-know-who-we-are-and-where-we-are-going-if-we-don-t-know/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```