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Thomas Jefferson

100 quotes

Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826) was an American Founding Father who served as the third President of the United States. He was the principal author of the Declaration of Independence, a champion of democracy, religious freedom, and individual rights. Jefferson was also an architect, inventor, and founder of the University of Virginia.

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“The second office in the government is honorable and easy the first is but a splendid misery.”

— Thomas Jefferson

Government

All Quotes by Thomas Jefferson

“Ignorance is preferable to error, and he is less remote from the truth who believes nothing than he who believes what is wrong.”

— Thomas Jefferson

Truth

“Experience hath shewn, that even under the best forms of government those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny.”

— Thomas Jefferson

Best

“War is an instrument entirely inefficient toward redressing wrong and multiplies, instead of indemnifying losses.”

— Thomas Jefferson

War

“One man with courage is a majority.”

— Thomas Jefferson

Courage

“Timid men prefer the calm of despotism to the tempestuous sea of liberty.”

— Thomas Jefferson

Men

“I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past.”

— Thomas Jefferson

Dreams

“I abhor war and view it as the greatest scourge of mankind.”

— Thomas Jefferson

War

“To penetrate and dissipate these clouds of darkness, the general mind must be strengthened by education.”

— Thomas Jefferson

Education

“As our enemies have found we can reason like men, so now let us show them we can fight like men also.”

— Thomas Jefferson

Men

“That government is the strongest of which every man feels himself a part.”

— Thomas Jefferson

Government

“It is in our lives and not our words that our religion must be read.”

— Thomas Jefferson

Religion

“Never spend your money before you have earned it.”

— Thomas Jefferson

Money

“In truth, politeness is artificial good humor, it covers the natural want of it, and ends by rendering habitual a substitute nearly equivalent to the real virtue.”

— Thomas Jefferson

Good

“When a man assumes a public trust he should consider himself a public property.”

— Thomas Jefferson

Trust

“Do you want to know who you are? Don't ask. Act! Action will delineate and define you.”

— Thomas Jefferson

Motivational

“I hope our wisdom will grow with our power, and teach us, that the less we use our power the greater it will be.”

— Thomas Jefferson

Hope

“Nothing gives one person so much advantage over another as to remain always cool and unruffled under all circumstances.”

— Thomas Jefferson

Cool

“The care of human life and happiness, and not their destruction, is the first and only object of good government.”

— Thomas Jefferson

Good

“If we can but prevent the government from wasting the labours of the people, under the pretence of taking care of them, they must become happy.”

— Thomas Jefferson

Government

“My reading of history convinces me that most bad government results from too much government.”

— Thomas Jefferson

Government