Albert Bushnell Hart Quotes, born in Clarksville, Pennsylvania, was a prominent American historian, writer, and educator based at Harvard University. A pioneer among professionally trained historians, he edited the 28-volume American Nation series (1904–1918) and authored works like Formation of the Union (1892). A mentor to figures like Franklin D. Roosevelt and W.E.B. Du Bois, Hart’s scholarship focused on American colonial history, government, and political traditions. These 15 quotes—sourced from his writings, speeches, and historical works—reflect his insights on governance, history, and societal progress, capturing his authoritative yet accessible voice.
15 Albert Bushnell Hart Quotes
- “The residence of the Plymouth settlers in the Netherlands, and the later conquest of the Dutch colonies, had brought the Americans into contact with the singularly wise and free institutions of the Dutch.” (Epochs of American History, 1909)
- “In some of the middle colonies the towns and counties were both active and had a relation with each other which was the forerunner of the present system of local government in the Western States.” (Epochs of American History, 1909)
- “The old charters of Massachusetts, Virginia, and the Carolinas had given title to strips of territory extending from the Atlantic westward to the Pacific.” (Epochs of American History, 1909)
- “One of the strongest and most persistent elements in national development has been that inheritance of political traditions and usages which the new settlers brought with them.” (Epochs of American History, 1909)
- “In appearance the labor system of all the colonies was the same.” (Epochs of American History, 1909)
- “The growth of constitutional government, as we now understand it, was promoted by the establishment of two different sets of machinery for making laws and carrying on government.” (Epochs of American History, 1909)
- “The participation of the people in their own government was the more significant, because the colonies actually had what England only seemed to have, – three departments of government.” (Epochs of American History, 1909)
- “In government as well as in trade a new era came to the colonies in 1763.” (Epochs of American History, 1909)
- “Everywhere among the English-speaking race criminal justice was rude, and punishments were barbarous; but the tendency was to do away with special privileges and legal exemptions.” (Epochs of American History, 1909)
- “Few characters in history are indispensable.” (Epochs of American History, 1909)
- “‘Good wine needs no bush,’ and if there were need to urge the reading of history it would be proof that history is too dull and unattractive to be read.” (Studies in American Education, 1895)
- “On March 10, 1764, preliminary resolutions passed the House of Commons looking towards the Stamp Act.” (Epochs of American History, 1909)
- “From William of Orange to William Pitt the younger there was but one man without whom English history must have taken a different turn, and that was William Pitt the elder.” (Epochs of American History, 1909)
- “Each colony became accustomed to planting new settlements and to claiming new boundaries.” (Epochs of American History, 1909)
- “I believe that the best thing for the happiness of American and of other people is for us to remain within our present boundaries, and give our strength to governing ourselves well.” (Letter to Theodore Roosevelt, January 11, 1896, quoted in Baird, 143)
Albert Bushnell Hart’s quotes are a scholarly blend of historical insight, clarity, and reverence for America’s political evolution, inspiring readers to appreciate the roots of governance and the value of studying history. Which one’s got you reflecting on the foundations of modern democracy? Drop it in the comments and keep his historical legacy alive!
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