--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In the 19th Century people were looking…" description: "\"In the 19th Century people were looking for the Northwest Passage. Ships were lost and brave people were killed, but that doesn't mean we never went ba..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/884/john-l-phillips-29030_19th-century_in-the-19th-century-people-were-looking_3039996.png" --- # In the 19th Century people were looking for the Northwest… ![“In the 19th Century people were looking for the Northwest Passage. Ships were lost and brave people were killed, but that doesn't mean we never went back to that part of the world again, and I consider it the same in space exploration.” quote by John L. Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/884/john-l-phillips-29030_19th-century_in-the-19th-century-people-were-looking_3039996.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/884/john-l-phillips-29030_19th-century_in-the-19th-century-people-were-looking_3039996.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/884/john-l-phillips-29030_19th-century_in-the-19th-century-people-were-looking_3039996.png) > “In the 19th Century people were looking for the Northwest Passage. Ships were lost and brave people were killed, but that doesn't mean we never went back to that part of the world again, and I consider it the same in space exploration.” [John L. Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-l-phillips/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Historical quests mirror modern space exploration despite risks. **In simple terms:** Past quests inspire space travel. Key Takeaway Learn from history’s daring. Themes exploration risk history Mood inspired cautious Type historical exploratory When to use this quote - navigation - space missions - education Key Concepts human ambition frontier theory Questions to Reflect On - What lessons apply to space? - How does history guide future journeys? A Different Perspective Space missions face unique technical challenges. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [19th century](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/19th-century/) [Brave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brave/) [Century](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/century/) [Exploration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exploration/) [Looking Northwest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looking-northwest-5006217/) [Lost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lost/) [Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) [Northwest Passage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/northwest-passage-2199922/) [Passage Ships](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passage-ships-5006218/) [Passages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passages/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Ships](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ships/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) [Space exploration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space-exploration/) [Travel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/travel/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [“Thanks to global warming it is beginning to seem likely that the Northwest Passage will open for longer and longer periods each year, until,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-brandt/thanks-to-global-warming-it-is-beginning-to-seem-likely-that-the/) [Anthony Brandt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-brandt/) > [The Northwest Passage is Canadian. People can't just abuse it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-trudeau/the-northwest-passage-is-canadian-people-can-t-just-abuse-it/) [Justin Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-trudeau/) > [Today, we are on a path of decay. We are seeing the book close on five decades of accomplishment as the leader in human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/today-we-are-on-a-path-of-decay-we-are-seeing-the-book-close-on-five/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Star Trek was an attempt to say that humanity will reach maturity and wisdom on the day that it begins not just to tolerate,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-roddenberry/star-trek-was-an-attempt-to-say-that-humanity-will-reach-maturity-and/) [Gene Roddenberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-roddenberry/) > [India has no dearth of brave young men and women and if they get the opportunity and help then we can compete with other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atal-bihari-vajpayee/india-has-no-dearth-of-brave-young-men-and-women-and-if-they-get-the/) [Atal Bihari Vajpayee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atal-bihari-vajpayee/) > [“Fleshers used to spin fantasies about aliens arriving to ‘conquer’ Earth, to steal their ‘precious’ physical resources, to wipe them out for fear of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-egan/fleshers-used-to-spin-fantasies-about-aliens-arriving-to-conquer/) [Greg Egan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-egan/) > [“Many people object to “wasting money in space” yet have no idea how much is actually spent on space exploration. The CSA’s budget, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hadfield/many-people-object-to-wasting-money-in-space-yet-have-no-idea-how/) [Chris Hadfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hadfield/) > [The Earth is just too small and fragile a basket for the human race to keep all its eggs in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/the-earth-is-just-too-small-and-fragile-a-basket-for-the-human-race/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [The choice is: the Universe...or nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells/the-choice-is-the-universe-or-nothing/) [H. G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells/) > [But does Man have any 'right' to spread through the universe? Man is what he is, a wild animal with the will to survive,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/but-does-man-have-any-right-to-spread-through-the-universe-man-is/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [“You have business and pleasure to attend to. As an expert in both, allow me to advise you to put them aside for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-s-jennsen/you-have-business-and-pleasure-to-attend-to-as-an-expert-in-both/) [G.S. Jennsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-s-jennsen/) > [“Earth is a small town with many neighborhoods in a very big universe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/earth-is-a-small-town-with-many-neighborhoods-in-a-very-big-universe/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The Earth was small, light blue, and so touchingly alone, our home that must be defended like a holy relic. The Earth was absolutely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexey-leonov/the-earth-was-small-light-blue-and-so-touchingly-alone-our-home-that/) [Alexey Leonov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexey-leonov/) > [I stayed in the astronaut program until 1993. People ask me why I left. I thought I had a lot of things to contribute…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-jemison/i-stayed-in-the-astronaut-program-until-1993-people-ask-me-why-i-left/) [Mae Jemison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-jemison/) > [No one, it has been said, will ever look at the Moon in the same way again. More significantly can one say that no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/no-one-it-has-been-said-will-ever-look-at-the-moon-in-the-same-way/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) ## More by John L. Phillips > [Small samples in the centrifuge will spin at varying rates to create synthetic gravity, like the gravity of Mars or the gravity of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-l-phillips/small-samples-in-the-centrifuge-will-spin-at-varying-rates-to-create/) [John L. Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-l-phillips/) > [Every day, we get a little bit closer to the kind of expertise and the kind of experience we're going to need to go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-l-phillips/every-day-we-get-a-little-bit-closer-to-the-kind-of-expertise-and-the/) [John L. Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-l-phillips/) > [It took me a long time to get selected as an astronaut. In fact, I applied for 20 years before I was selected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-l-phillips/it-took-me-a-long-time-to-get-selected-as-an-astronaut-in-fact-i/) [John L. Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-l-phillips/) > [Since the Columbia accident, the Russian space agency, or the Russian space program, has been literally carrying the load bringing us all the supplies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-l-phillips/since-the-columbia-accident-the-russian-space-agency-or-the-russian/) [John L. Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-l-phillips/) > [I think it's going to be a very important, unique data set in terms of measuring the behavior of your lower body in space…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-l-phillips/i-think-it-s-going-to-be-a-very-important-unique-data-set-in-terms-of/) [John L. Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-l-phillips/) > [My dad served in two wars has been flying airplanes for 60 years now. He was certainly quite an inspiration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-l-phillips/my-dad-served-in-two-wars-has-been-flying-airplanes-for-60-years-now/) [John L. Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-l-phillips/) > [If I wasn't doing this kind of exploration, I'd like to be doing some other kind of exploration. It might be more risky, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-l-phillips/if-i-wasn-t-doing-this-kind-of-exploration-i-d-like-to-be-doing-some/) [John L. Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-l-phillips/) > [The Space Shuttle will stop directly below the Space Station and Sergei and I will be looking out two different windows looking straight down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-l-phillips/the-space-shuttle-will-stop-directly-below-the-space-station-and/) [John L. Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-l-phillips/) > [It so happened that my goals kind of matched my career progression toward becoming an astronaut.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-l-phillips/it-so-happened-that-my-goals-kind-of-matched-my-career-progression/) [John L. Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-l-phillips/) > [A civilization that only looks inward will stagnate. We have to keep looking outward; we have to keep finding new avenues for human endeavor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-l-phillips/a-civilization-that-only-looks-inward-will-stagnate-we-have-to-keep/) [John L. Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-l-phillips/) > [We would like to carry out 100 percent, or maybe more, of our scientific program; I would like to devote some of my spare…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-l-phillips/we-would-like-to-carry-out-100-percent-or-maybe-more-of-our/) [John L. Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-l-phillips/) > [I never made a career decision based solely on my desire to be an astronaut. I attended the Naval Academy because I wanted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-l-phillips/i-never-made-a-career-decision-based-solely-on-my-desire-to-be-an/) [John L. Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-l-phillips/) > [Researchers can measure what kind of angles your legs take up during the day when they're just trailing around behind you in weightless conditions,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-l-phillips/researchers-can-measure-what-kind-of-angles-your-legs-take-up-during/) [John L. Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-l-phillips/) > [There weren't any astronauts until I was about 10. Yuri Gagarin went into space right around my 10th birthday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-l-phillips/there-weren-t-any-astronauts-until-i-was-about-10-yuri-gagarin-went/) [John L. Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-l-phillips/) > [We're going to be focusing our science on things that will take us farther and longer into space. For many of those experiments, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-l-phillips/we-re-going-to-be-focusing-our-science-on-things-that-will-take-us/) [John L. Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-l-phillips/) [Explore all 18 John L. Phillips quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-l-phillips/) ## More 19th century quotes > [Though my grandmother had picked up modern ideas in America, she still had some conflicting 19th-century Irish notions. She believed that daughters, educated though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosemary-mahoney/though-my-grandmother-had-picked-up-modern-ideas-in-america-she-still/) [Rosemary Mahoney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosemary-mahoney/) > [Nineteenth-century English literature I know; 19th-century sewage systems, not so much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-duncan/nineteenth-century-english-literature-i-know-19th-century-sewage/) [Glen Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-duncan/) > [“Washington was no politician as we understand the word," replied Ratcliffe abruptly. "He stood outside of politics. The thing couldn't be done today. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-adams/washington-was-no-politician-as-we-understand-the-word-replied/) [Henry Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-adams/) > [Then years back, when I moved to California, I happened to see a book about fashions of 19th-century Victorian England, only four pages of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/then-years-back-when-i-moved-to-california-i-happened-to-see-a-book/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Like the railroads that brought us together in the 19th century, these trails will bring us together in the 20th and 21st centuries. (at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/like-the-railroads-that-brought-us-together-in-the-19th-century-these/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [By tracing the careers of the four members of the Philosophical Breakfast Club, Laura Snyder has found a wonderful way not just to tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-standage/by-tracing-the-careers-of-the-four-members-of-the-philosophical/) [Tom Standage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-standage/) > [If you look back on the history of the 20th century, the 19th century or even to the ancien régime of the 18th, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zygmunt-bauman/if-you-look-back-on-the-history-of-the-20th-century-the-19th-century/) [Zygmunt Bauman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zygmunt-bauman/) > [If you look at that incredible burst of fantastic characters that emerged in the late 19th century/early 20th century, you can see so many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-moore/if-you-look-at-that-incredible-burst-of-fantastic-characters-that/) [Alan Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-moore/) > [ . . . Luddites were those frenzied traditionalists of the early 19th century who toured \[England\] wrecking new weaving machines on the theory that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-michener/luddites-were-those-frenzied-traditionalists-of-the-early-19th/) [James A. Michener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-michener/) > [“The Victorian era was an age of superlatives and larger-than-life characters, and as far as that goes, Dr. Wildman Whitehouse fit right in: what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/the-victorian-era-was-an-age-of-superlatives-and-larger-than-life/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [Take any writer you want in the 19th century: they wrote with quill pens, dipping a piece of goose feather in ink and writing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-murch/take-any-writer-you-want-in-the-19th-century-they-wrote-with-quill/) [Walter Murch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-murch/) > [There are real issues that the president Donald Trump and particularly Steve Bannon, his political adviser, are pushing. It's a vision, a rather dark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-franklin-jeffrey/there-are-real-issues-that-the-president-donald-trump-and/) [James Franklin Jeffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-franklin-jeffrey/) > [While every historical era has its unique appeal as a setting for tales of crime and detection, the 19th century is exceptional - it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-weinman/while-every-historical-era-has-its-unique-appeal-as-a-setting-for/) [Sarah Weinman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-weinman/) > [Adolescence was invented in the 19th century to enable middle-class families to keep their children out of sweatshops. But it has degenerated into a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/newt-gingrich/adolescence-was-invented-in-the-19th-century-to-enable-middle-class/) [Newt Gingrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/newt-gingrich/) > [An ethic of maternalism was central to the utopianism of 19th century feminists. I don't think that today's women see motherhood as a source…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clare-wright/an-ethic-of-maternalism-was-central-to-the-utopianism-of-19th-century/) [Clare Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clare-wright/) [Browse all 383 19th century quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/19th-century/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In the 19th Century people were looking for the Northwest Passage. Ships were lost and brave people were killed, but that doesn't mean we never went back to that part of the world again, and I consider it the same in space exploration.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John L. 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