This is a selective historical overview of the progess in understanding T Tauri spectra. Originally they were understood to be very young, but the physical conditions (or even geometry) of the material on the star and in its surroundings were mysterious. The origin and meaning of the emission lines was largely unknown. Today we have a detailed consensus of what is happening near and on these newly forming stars. They are very magnetically active, and the stellar field is strong and extensive enough to control both the final accretion onto the star and the launching of outflows which solve the angular momentum problem during formation. Much of this consensus has emerged from spectral information, but much remains to be learned. I highlight some of the seminal breakthroughs that have led to the current picture. There are very complex and time-variable components to the entire physical system that constitutes a T Tauri star, and spectral information at various wavelengths and resolutions is crucial to making further progress.