--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: History is only conjecture, and the best…" description: "\"History is only conjecture, and the best historians try to do it as accurately as they can. They try to accurately reassemble the facts and then put th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbe/ridley-scott-1610_accurately_history-is-only-conjecture-and-the-best_2151154.jpg" --- # History is only conjecture, and the best historians try to… ![“History is only conjecture, and the best historians try to do it as accurately as they can. They try to accurately reassemble the facts and then put them down on paper.” quote by Ridley Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbe/ridley-scott-1610_accurately_history-is-only-conjecture-and-the-best_2151154.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbe/ridley-scott-1610_accurately_history-is-only-conjecture-and-the-best_2151154.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbe/ridley-scott-1610_accurately_history-is-only-conjecture-and-the-best_2151154.jpg) > “History is only conjecture, and the best historians try to do it as accurately as they can. They try to accurately reassemble the facts and then put them down on paper.” [Ridley Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ridley-scott/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Historians aim to reconstruct past events as accurately as possible using evidence and analysis. **In simple terms:** Historians try to piece together facts accurately. Key Takeaway Seek reliable sources and verify claims. Themes history accuracy research Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type analytical reflective When to use this quote - academic writing - documentary filmmaking - archival work Key Concepts methodology critical thinking Questions to Reflect On - How do you handle missing evidence? - What standards define “accurate” history? A Different Perspective Historical reconstruction can never be fully certain due to gaps in evidence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accurately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accurately/) [Best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best/) [Best Historians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-historians-3306522/) [Conjecture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conjecture/) [Down](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/down/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Historians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/historians/) [Historians Try](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/historians-try-470861/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [History Conjecture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history-conjecture-1993845/) [Only](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/only/) [Paper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paper/) [Put](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/put/) [Reassemble Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reassemble-facts-4523087/) [Them](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/them/) [Then](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/then/) [Try](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/try/) ## Related quotes > [“There is no room in History for conjecture. History is fact because it deals with facts, you’ll learn in time...' 'Fuck that, man. That’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-l-christopher/there-is-no-room-in-history-for-conjecture-history-is-fact-because-it/) [D.L. Christopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-l-christopher/) > [We must consider how very little history there is--I mean real, authentic history. That certain kings reigned and certain battles were fought, we can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/we-must-consider-how-very-little-history-there-is-i-mean-real/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [“The dirty secret about history is how much of it is conjecture.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erika-swyler/the-dirty-secret-about-history-is-how-much-of-it-is-conjecture/) [Erika Swyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erika-swyler/) > [ “\[T\]he best historians...take a thorough knowledge of the evidence of their subject and combine it with a sharp intellect, the warmest understanding of people… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliot-perlman/t-he-best-historians-take-a-thorough-knowledge-of-the-evidence-of/) [Elliot Perlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliot-perlman/) > [Sallust is indisputably one of the best historians among the Romans, both for the purity of his language and the elegance of his style.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/sallust-is-indisputably-one-of-the-best-historians-among-the-romans/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [I want my children to have access to something that looks beyond what I call the tyranny of now. You read the paper, everyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-stone/i-want-my-children-to-have-access-to-something-that-looks-beyond-what/) [Oliver Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-stone/) > [“These muddles were as nothing to the ones which historians had to try and unravel once time trouble was discovered and battles started pre-erupting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/these-muddles-were-as-nothing-to-the-ones-which-historians-had-to-try/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [The beauty of history is that historians have the ability to find patterns, the big picture. When you make a movie, you try to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-stone/the-beauty-of-history-is-that-historians-have-the-ability-to-find/) [Oliver Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-stone/) > [On one hand, to be able to go from one direction in the sky to study such an object to another direction to study…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-nicollier/on-one-hand-to-be-able-to-go-from-one-direction-in-the-sky-to-study/) [Claude Nicollier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-nicollier/) > [What is originality? It is being one's self, and reporting accurately what we see and are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/what-is-originality-it-is-being-one-s-self-and-reporting-accurately/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Hello, my name is Lisa Jakub. But most people in a restaurant/dentist's office/yoga studio dressing room, call me 'Hey, you look like that girl…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-jakub/hello-my-name-is-lisa-jakub-but-most-people-in-a-restaurant-dentist-s/) [Lisa Jakub](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-jakub/) > [If we cannot accurately measure poverty, we surely cannot accurately measure our efforts to tackle it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-ibrahim/if-we-cannot-accurately-measure-poverty-we-surely-cannot-accurately/) [Mo Ibrahim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-ibrahim/) > [“If you look accurately into your life , it is full of fun and enjoyment.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/if-you-look-accurately-into-your-life-it-is-full-of-fun-and-enjoyment/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [The mathematics of quantum mechanics very accurately describes how our universe works.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-garrett-lisi/the-mathematics-of-quantum-mechanics-very-accurately-describes-how/) [Antony Garrett Lisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-garrett-lisi/) > [It is important for investors to understand what they do and don't know. Learn to recognize that you cannot possibly know what is going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/it-is-important-for-investors-to-understand-what-they-do-and-don-t/) [Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/) ## More by Ridley Scott > [The word 'comedy' implies slapstick.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ridley-scott/the-word-comedy-implies-slapstick/) [Ridley Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ridley-scott/) > [It's hard writing screenplays.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ridley-scott/it-s-hard-writing-screenplays/) [Ridley Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ridley-scott/) > [I'll reshoot a corridor 13 different ways, and you'll never recognise them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ridley-scott/i-ll-reshoot-a-corridor-13-different-ways-and-you-ll-never-recognise/) [Ridley Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ridley-scott/) > [I unfortunately do suffer for my art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ridley-scott/i-unfortunately-do-suffer-for-my-art/) [Ridley Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ridley-scott/) > [As soon as you're at the higher levels of budgeting, you've got to get the film made, and the only way to support the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ridley-scott/as-soon-as-you-re-at-the-higher-levels-of-budgeting-you-ve-got-to-get/) [Ridley Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ridley-scott/) > [I'm agnostic because I went through the usual process of parents insisting you go to church, and yet they didn't. So there's me, sitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ridley-scott/i-m-agnostic-because-i-went-through-the-usual-process-of-parents/) [Ridley Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ridley-scott/) > [Your landscape in a western is one of the most important characters the film has. The best westerns are about man against his own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ridley-scott/your-landscape-in-a-western-is-one-of-the-most-important-characters/) [Ridley Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ridley-scott/) > [There's still a lot of investors wondering what to invest in. And, of course, I think entertainment looks attractive when you read the few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ridley-scott/there-s-still-a-lot-of-investors-wondering-what-to-invest-in-and-of/) [Ridley Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ridley-scott/) > [When you're at a certain point in your time - age, that is, when you're older - you start to realize that, actually, what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ridley-scott/when-you-re-at-a-certain-point-in-your-time-age-that-is-when-you-re/) [Ridley Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ridley-scott/) > [There's a little thing on your shoulder called intuition and it whispers in your ear. Everyone has that, there is a voice telling you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ridley-scott/there-s-a-little-thing-on-your-shoulder-called-intuition-and-it/) [Ridley Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ridley-scott/) > [I always shoot my movies with score as certainly part of the dialogue. Music is dialogue. People don't think about it that way, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ridley-scott/i-always-shoot-my-movies-with-score-as-certainly-part-of-the-dialogue/) [Ridley Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ridley-scott/) > [Are we the first hominids? I really, really, really doubt it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ridley-scott/are-we-the-first-hominids-i-really-really-really-doubt-it/) [Ridley Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ridley-scott/) > [That's a heavy word, but picking up a newspaper every day, how can you not despair at what's happening in the world, and how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ridley-scott/that-s-a-heavy-word-but-picking-up-a-newspaper-every-day-how-can-you/) [Ridley Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ridley-scott/) > [I do like to make films with a political theme, but sometimes it's nice simply to make people laugh. That's the hardest thing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ridley-scott/i-do-like-to-make-films-with-a-political-theme-but-sometimes-it-s/) [Ridley Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ridley-scott/) > [Business fascinates me. It's very creative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ridley-scott/business-fascinates-me-it-s-very-creative/) [Ridley Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ridley-scott/) [Explore all 223 Ridley Scott quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ridley-scott/) ## More Accurately quotes > [It is important for investors to understand what they do and don't know. Learn to recognize that you cannot possibly know what is going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/it-is-important-for-investors-to-understand-what-they-do-and-don-t/) [Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/) > [The mathematics of quantum mechanics very accurately describes how our universe works.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-garrett-lisi/the-mathematics-of-quantum-mechanics-very-accurately-describes-how/) [Antony Garrett Lisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-garrett-lisi/) > [“If you look accurately into your life , it is full of fun and enjoyment.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/if-you-look-accurately-into-your-life-it-is-full-of-fun-and-enjoyment/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [If we cannot accurately measure poverty, we surely cannot accurately measure our efforts to tackle it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-ibrahim/if-we-cannot-accurately-measure-poverty-we-surely-cannot-accurately/) [Mo Ibrahim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-ibrahim/) > [Hello, my name is Lisa Jakub. But most people in a restaurant/dentist's office/yoga studio dressing room, call me 'Hey, you look like that girl…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-jakub/hello-my-name-is-lisa-jakub-but-most-people-in-a-restaurant-dentist-s/) [Lisa Jakub](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-jakub/) > [What is originality? It is being one's self, and reporting accurately what we see and are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/what-is-originality-it-is-being-one-s-self-and-reporting-accurately/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [On one hand, to be able to go from one direction in the sky to study such an object to another direction to study…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-nicollier/on-one-hand-to-be-able-to-go-from-one-direction-in-the-sky-to-study/) [Claude Nicollier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-nicollier/) > [Well, logos is science or reason, something that helps us to function practically and effectively in the world, and it must therefore be closely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/well-logos-is-science-or-reason-something-that-helps-us-to-function/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [The guns on the walls that surround the prison accurately, though unwittingly, index the true character of the penitentiary in our day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-v-debs/the-guns-on-the-walls-that-surround-the-prison-accurately-though/) [Eugene V. Debs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-v-debs/) > [The only one you can accurately compare yourself to is you!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mentzer/the-only-one-you-can-accurately-compare-yourself-to-is-you/) [Mike Mentzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mentzer/) > [Your true character Is most accurately measured by how you treat those who can do 'Nothing' for you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/your-true-character-is-most-accurately-measured-by-how-you-treat/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I profess accurately to describe native Africa - Africa in those places where it has not received the slightest impulse, whether for good or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-profess-accurately-to-describe-native-africa-africa-in-those-places/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There's always a slight tension when you sell a book to Hollywood, especially a nonfiction book. The author wants his story told intact; the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-burrough/there-s-always-a-slight-tension-when-you-sell-a-book-to-hollywood/) [Bryan Burrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-burrough/) > [My function is, as objectively and accurately as I can, to present reality to people out there, and doing that as quickly as we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-koppel/my-function-is-as-objectively-and-accurately-as-i-can-to-present/) [Ted Koppel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-koppel/) > [I'm fast and I hit people accurately.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-o-malley/i-m-fast-and-i-hit-people-accurately/) [Sean O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-o-malley/) [Browse all 65 Accurately quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accurately/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "History is only conjecture, and the best historians try to do it as accurately as they can. 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