--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Some history-making is intentional; much…" description: "\"“Some history-making is intentional; much of it is accidental. People make history when they scale a mountain, ignite a bomb, or refuse to move to the ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ddf/laurel-thatcher-ulrich-47636_history_some-history-making-is-intentional-much_951934.jpg" --- # Some history-making is intentional; much of it is… ![“Some history-making is intentional; much of it is accidental. People make history when they scale a mountain, ignite a bomb, or refuse to move to the back of the bus. But they also make history by keeping diaries, writing letters, or embroidering initials on linen sheets. History is a conversation…” quote by Laurel Thatcher Ulrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ddf/laurel-thatcher-ulrich-47636_history_some-history-making-is-intentional-much_951934.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ddf/laurel-thatcher-ulrich-47636_history_some-history-making-is-intentional-much_951934.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ddf/laurel-thatcher-ulrich-47636_history_some-history-making-is-intentional-much_951934.jpg) > ““Some history-making is intentional; much of it is accidental. People make history when they scale a mountain, ignite a bomb, or refuse to move to the back of the bus. But they also make history by keeping diaries, writing letters, or embroidering initials on linen sheets. History is a conversation and sometimes a shouting match between present and past, though often the voices we most want to hear are barely audible. People make history by passing on gossip, saving old records, and by naming rivers, mountains, and children. Some people leave only their bones, though bones too make a history when someone notices.”” [Laurel Thatcher Ulrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurel-thatcher-ulrich/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. History is shaped both by grand events and everyday acts, many of which go unheard. **In simple terms:** Everyday actions also create history. Key Takeaway Recognize the value of small contributions. Themes history agency memory Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type historical inspirational When to use this quote - writing diaries - preserving records - naming places - daily activism - storytelling Key Concepts social narrative microhistory collective memory Questions to Reflect On - What small act could you record today? - How do you decide which stories matter? A Different Perspective Not all contributions are recorded; many are lost. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [History making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history-making/) [Writing Letters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-letters/) ## Related quotes > [History is a conversation and sometimes a shouting match between present and past, though often the voices we most want to hear are barely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurel-thatcher-ulrich/history-is-a-conversation-and-sometimes-a-shouting-match-between/) [Laurel Thatcher Ulrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurel-thatcher-ulrich/) > [Men make history, but they can never know the history they are making.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-j-ellis/men-make-history-but-they-can-never-know-the-history-they-are-making/) [Joseph J. Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-j-ellis/) > [Some history-making is intentional; much of it is accidental.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurel-thatcher-ulrich/some-history-making-is-intentional-much-of-it-is-accidental/) [Laurel Thatcher Ulrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurel-thatcher-ulrich/) > [So what do people see when they read that well-behaved women rarely make history? Do they imagine good-time girls in stiletto heels or do-good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurel-thatcher-ulrich/so-what-do-people-see-when-they-read-that-well-behaved-women-rarely/) [Laurel Thatcher Ulrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurel-thatcher-ulrich/) > [I want to see how far I can get, how many history making things I can put my name under.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhea-ripley/i-want-to-see-how-far-i-can-get-how-many-history-making-things-i-can/) [Rhea Ripley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhea-ripley/) > [You see history in the making and that is definitely the highlight. You get to meet these amazing sportsmen and women, and see them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-douglas/you-see-history-in-the-making-and-that-is-definitely-the-highlight/) [Jill Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-douglas/) > [Seldom aware of the intricate connection between the patterns of their own lives and the course of world history, ordinary people do not usually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-wright-mills/seldom-aware-of-the-intricate-connection-between-the-patterns-of/) [C. Wright Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-wright-mills/) > [That utterance of Jesus, "Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's," is one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-truett/that-utterance-of-jesus-render-therefore-unto-caesar-the-things-which/) [George W Truett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-truett/) > [I am so proud to be running with another strong history-making woman, Hillary Clinton, to be president of the United States. I'm proud because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-kaine/i-am-so-proud-to-be-running-with-another-strong-history-making-woman/) [Tim Kaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-kaine/) > [Anything that is history making, then of course you want to be a part of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-aries/anything-that-is-history-making-then-of-course-you-want-to-be-a-part/) [Austin Aries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-aries/) > [No harm's done to history by making it something someone would want to read.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/no-harm-s-done-to-history-by-making-it-something-someone-would-want/) [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) > [From the begining to the end know I'm into making history not into making friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drake/from-the-begining-to-the-end-know-i-m-into-making-history-not-into/) [Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drake/) > [“After all, words are what remain when all the deeds have been done. Words can shatter faith; start a war; change the course of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-harris/after-all-words-are-what-remain-when-all-the-deeds-have-been-done/) [Joanne Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-harris/) > [However rich we may become in knowledge of the deeper causes of historical results, we forgo all understanding of history if we forget this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ernest-hocking/however-rich-we-may-become-in-knowledge-of-the-deeper-causes-of/) [William Ernest Hocking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ernest-hocking/) > [We've witnessed history in the making.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-shriver/we-ve-witnessed-history-in-the-making/) [Maria Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-shriver/) ## More by Laurel Thatcher Ulrich > [Some history-making is intentional; much of it is accidental.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurel-thatcher-ulrich/some-history-making-is-intentional-much-of-it-is-accidental/) [Laurel Thatcher Ulrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurel-thatcher-ulrich/) > [Well-behaved women seldom make history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurel-thatcher-ulrich/well-behaved-women-seldom-make-history/) [Laurel Thatcher Ulrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurel-thatcher-ulrich/) > [An androgynous mind was not a male mind. It was a mind attuned to the full range of human experience, including the invisible lives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurel-thatcher-ulrich/an-androgynous-mind-was-not-a-male-mind-it-was-a-mind-attuned-to-the/) [Laurel Thatcher Ulrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurel-thatcher-ulrich/) > [History is a conversation and sometimes a shouting match between present and past, though often the voices we most want to hear are barely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurel-thatcher-ulrich/history-is-a-conversation-and-sometimes-a-shouting-match-between/) [Laurel Thatcher Ulrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurel-thatcher-ulrich/) > [A well-behaved woman seldom makes history](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurel-thatcher-ulrich/a-well-behaved-woman-seldom-makes-history/) [Laurel Thatcher Ulrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurel-thatcher-ulrich/) > [So what do people see when they read that well-behaved women rarely make history? 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A human career, too, results from an accumulating series of decisions about large and small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/it-is-said-that-history-turns-on-small-hinges-a-human-career-too/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [The history of mankind interests us only as it exhibits a steady gain of truth and right, in the incessant conflict which it records…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-history-of-mankind-interests-us-only-as-it-exhibits-a-steady-gain/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [In the entire history of the universe, let alone in your own history, there has never been another day just like today, and there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/in-the-entire-history-of-the-universe-let-alone-in-your-own-history/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [The NBA is my history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penny-hardaway/the-nba-is-my-history/) [Penny Hardaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penny-hardaway/) > [History has often showed us the strength of the forces that are unleashed by the yearning for freedom. It moved people to overcome their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-merkel/history-has-often-showed-us-the-strength-of-the-forces-that-are/) [Angela Merkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-merkel/) > [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/) > [What is history after all? History is facts which become lies in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-cocteau/what-is-history-after-all-history-is-facts-which-become-lies-in-the/) [Jean Cocteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-cocteau/) > [Things live and die, and then someone processes them into edible portions. This is a complete telling of the story, 'Food.' The basic plot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fahrenthold/things-live-and-die-and-then-someone-processes-them-into-edible/) [David Fahrenthold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fahrenthold/) > [History is a certain way, but you just change the point of view a little bit, and you discover a whole new side of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-schroeder/history-is-a-certain-way-but-you-just-change-the-point-of-view-a/) [Allison Schroeder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-schroeder/) > [We're at a point in history were we have to become a part of the neighborhood of inhabited planets, like a neighborhood of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-mitchell/we-re-at-a-point-in-history-were-we-have-to-become-a-part-of-the/) [Edgar Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-mitchell/) > [Today is a reality, tomorrow's a promise, and yesterday's history!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-blanks/today-is-a-reality-tomorrow-s-a-promise-and-yesterday-s-history/) [Billy Blanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-blanks/) > [Truth be told from compulsive liars with a history/Everything must change 2nd chances are a mystery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-dash/truth-be-told-from-compulsive-liars-with-a-history-everything-must/) C-DASH > [Every army in the history of the world has always had some deserters, usually much greater than we have today, because once again every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-hilferty/every-army-in-the-history-of-the-world-has-always-had-some-deserters/) [Bryan Hilferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-hilferty/) > [“To those great geniuses now in petticoats, who shall write novels for the beloved reader's children, these men and things will be as much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/to-those-great-geniuses-now-in-petticoats-who-shall-write-novels-for/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) [Browse all 27,263 History quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Some history-making is intentional; much of it is accidental. 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