--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To have common glories in the past, a…" description: "\"To have common glories in the past, a common will in the present; to have done great things together; to wish to do greater; these are the essential co..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c5/ernest-renan-11034_common_to-have-common-glories-in-the-past-a-com_175313.jpg" --- # To have common glories in the past, a common will in the… ![“To have common glories in the past, a common will in the present; to have done great things together; to wish to do greater; these are the essential conditions which make up a people” quote by Ernest Renan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c5/ernest-renan-11034_common_to-have-common-glories-in-the-past-a-com_175313.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c5/ernest-renan-11034_common_to-have-common-glories-in-the-past-a-com_175313.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c5/ernest-renan-11034_common_to-have-common-glories-in-the-past-a-com_175313.jpg) > “To have common glories in the past, a common will in the present; to have done great things together; to wish to do greater; these are the essential conditions which make up a people” [Ernest Renan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-renan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A nation's greatness stems from shared past achievements, a united present will, and collective aspirations for future deeds. **In simple terms:** Shared history and common purpose build a strong people. Key Takeaway Foster unity and shared goals to achieve greatness. Themes national identity collective will historical pride Mood inspirational thoughtful Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - education - public ceremonies - community projects Key Concepts social cohesion shared purpose future vision Questions to Reflect On - How can diverse groups find common purpose? - What role does inclusive history play in unity? A Different Perspective Historical narratives can exclude minority experiences, risking division. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Glory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/glory/) [Great things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-things/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Wish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wish/) ## Related quotes > [To have common glories in the past, a common will in the present; to have done great things together, to will to do the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-renan/to-have-common-glories-in-the-past-a-common-will-in-the-present-to-2/) [Ernest Renan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-renan/) > [“The present is a great treasure, live in the present.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/the-present-is-a-great-treasure-live-in-the-present/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“But to know that you are not present is a great success:”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/but-to-know-that-you-are-not-present-is-a-great-success/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [If past was great then future could be great, but if present is great then who cares for past and future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivek-yadav/if-past-was-great-then-future-could-be-great-but-if-present-is-great/) [Vivek Yadav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivek-yadav/) > [I do not want to live more from the past. I have my present and a great future that is on the other side.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-deulofeu/i-do-not-want-to-live-more-from-the-past-i-have-my-present-and-a/) [Gerard Deulofeu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerard-deulofeu/) > [The present is great with the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gottfried-leibniz/the-present-is-great-with-the-future/) [Gottfried Leibniz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gottfried-leibniz/) > [Life is too short, Stop doubting about the future, motivate yourself, step up and take responsibility for making your present a great story for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemmy-nola/life-is-too-short-stop-doubting-about-the-future-motivate-yourself/) [Kemmy Nola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemmy-nola/) > [Man is not on this earth merely to be happy, or even to be simply honest. He is there to realize great things for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-renan/man-is-not-on-this-earth-merely-to-be-happy-or-even-to-be-simply/) [Ernest Renan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-renan/) > [A nation is a body of people who have done great things together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-renan/a-nation-is-a-body-of-people-who-have-done-great-things-together/) [Ernest Renan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-renan/) > [I have so much respect for the country, I don't like blanket indictments. There's a lot of really great things about this country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cris-collinsworth/i-have-so-much-respect-for-the-country-i-don-t-like-blanket/) [Cris Collinsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cris-collinsworth/) > [“Second letter from Mom: So! What if you colored the world? This still does not seem a great thing. In fact it seems very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elena-d-calin/second-letter-from-mom-so-what-if-you-colored-the-world-this-still/) [Elena D. Calin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elena-d-calin/) > [Who can really be faithful in great things if he has not learned to be faithful in the things of daily life?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/who-can-really-be-faithful-in-great-things-if-he-has-not-learned-to/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [Great things that can happen when you're doing a movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-l-brooks/great-things-that-can-happen-when-you-re-doing-a-movie/) [James L. Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-l-brooks/) > [No matter how many great things you say about Jacques Pepin, there's always more. Through his books and videos, he taught me the importance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-kenji-lopez-alt/no-matter-how-many-great-things-you-say-about-jacques-pepin-there-s/) [J. Kenji Lopez-Alt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-kenji-lopez-alt/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) ## More by Ernest Renan > [The prayer of the agnostic: "O God, if there is a God, save my soul if I have a soul."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-renan/the-prayer-of-the-agnostic-o-god-if-there-is-a-god-save-my-soul-if-i/) [Ernest Renan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-renan/) > [The epic disappeared along with the age of personal heroism; there can be no epic with artillery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-renan/the-epic-disappeared-along-with-the-age-of-personal-heroism-there-can/) [Ernest Renan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-renan/) > [Muslims are the first victims of Islam. To liberate a Muslim from his religion is the best service that one can render him!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-renan/muslims-are-the-first-victims-of-islam-to-liberate-a-muslim-from-his/) [Ernest Renan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-renan/) > [It is evident, indeed, that such a doctrine, taken by itself in a literal manner, had no future. The world, in continuing to exist,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-renan/it-is-evident-indeed-that-such-a-doctrine-taken-by-itself-in-a/) [Ernest Renan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-renan/) > [A nation is a body of people who have done great things together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-renan/a-nation-is-a-body-of-people-who-have-done-great-things-together/) [Ernest Renan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-renan/) > [Man is not on this earth merely to be happy, or even to be simply honest. 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Observation never once contradicted, teaches us that miracles occur only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-renan/none-of-the-miracles-with-which-ancient-histories-are-filled-occurred/) [Ernest Renan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-renan/) > [I can die when I wish to: that is my elixir of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-renan/i-can-die-when-i-wish-to-that-is-my-elixir-of-life/) [Ernest Renan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-renan/) > [“Islam has been liberal when it has been weak and violent when it has been strong.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-renan/islam-has-been-liberal-when-it-has-been-weak-and-violent-when-it-has/) [Ernest Renan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-renan/) > [“What is human life? Is it not a maimed happiness—care and weariness, weariness and care, with the baseless expectation...of a brighter tomorrow?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-renan/what-is-human-life-is-it-not-a-maimed-happiness-care-and-weariness/) [Ernest Renan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-renan/) > [Man makes holy what he believes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-renan/man-makes-holy-what-he-believes/) [Ernest Renan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-renan/) > [“Woe to him who becomes useless to human progress!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-renan/woe-to-him-who-becomes-useless-to-human-progress/) [Ernest Renan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-renan/) > [He whom God has touched will always be a being apart: he is, whatever he may do, a stranger among men; he is marked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-renan/he-whom-god-has-touched-will-always-be-a-being-apart-he-is-whatever/) [Ernest Renan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-renan/) [Explore all 62 Ernest Renan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-renan/) ## More Common quotes > [I'm Fine!, the most common LIE in the world...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/punkinhead-abhishek/i-m-fine-the-most-common-lie-in-the-world/) [Punkinhead Abhishek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/punkinhead-abhishek/) > [A flourishing, morally credible media is a vital component in the maintenance of genuinely public talk, argument about common good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rowan-williams/a-flourishing-morally-credible-media-is-a-vital-component-in-the/) [Rowan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rowan-williams/) > [We find few historians who have been diligent enough in their search for truth; it is their common method to take on trust what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/we-find-few-historians-who-have-been-diligent-enough-in-their-search/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. 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