Ernest William Hamilton Quotes
Make-believe has so long held sway that truth arrives on the scene with all the aspect of an ogre. As a consequence, the real history of their country is a sealed book to the vast majority of the Irish. They neither ask for it nor is it given them.
Ernest William Hamilton, 1858–1939, English Historian & Soldier, Member of Parliament (Conservative), The Irish Rising Of 1641, With A Detailed Account Of The Massacres
Sourced by: Eigen's Political and Historical Quotations
Napoleon’s defeat and abdication took place at the same time and that was the major foreign policy news that effected Englishmen at the time. The War with America was strategically a side show. At the same time, the Americans ships had bested the English almost every time they fought (the biggest and best armed ships were needed for the European War with Napoleon so the English fought with second rate ships in the Atlantic). And although the English had the better of most of the land conflicts, the final Battle of New Orleans was such a humiliating, and one sided, rout of His Majesty’s army, that there was nothing politically to be gained by publicizing the facts of the war. The British government just wanted to negotiate a treaty ending the conflict with America and get on with the activity in Europe. The result is that the English people have never known very much about the War of 1812.
Most countries have long national memories that can be very destructive at times because the past cannot be forgotten. The Balkan nations for example, often determine their current policies by what occurred over 1000 years ago.
In the Middle Ages, the Muslim World, was the leading scientific, philosophical, mathematical, medical, and historical center of the world. The intellectual decline of Islam has been striking and history has been no exception. The vast majority of 21st century Muslims have little or no idea of the past intellectual achievements of Islam.
Dr. Dobson argued that religion had been a major tenet of the Founding Fathers in the creation of the Constitution. Opponents claim that the historical records shows that the writers of the Constitution overtly wanted to maintain a wall of separation between church and state. The only thing that both sides agree upon is that people should study history and their side would prevail.
See Montesquieu {618579} for a slightly earlier version.
Stein did not place much value on history.
