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Messages from America's Founding Fathers

This page provides quotes from the first Americans, our Founding Fathers. These quotes are as relevant today as they were over two centuries ago. For more information about the Founding Fathers and America's History please browse the links on the right.

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America. - The Preamble to the United States Constitution

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.   - The First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States

"Enlightened statesmen will not always be at the helm." - James Madison, Federalist No. 10, November 23, 1787

"Guard against the impostures of pretended patriotism." - George Washington, Farewell Address, September 19, 1796

"[H]onesty will be found on every experiment, to be the best and only true policy; let us then as a Nation be just." - George Washington, Circular letter to the States, June 14, 1783

"There is more honor and magnanimity in correcting, than persevering in an error." - Thomas Jefferson: Batture at New Orleans, 1812.

"I tolerate with the utmost latitude the right of others to differ from me in opinion without imputing to them criminality." - Thomas Jefferson to Abigail Adams, 1804.

"The opinions of men are not the object of civil government, nor under its jurisdiction." - Thomas Jefferson: Bill for Establishing Religious Freedom, 1779.

"A Constitution of Government once changed from Freedom, can never be restored. Liberty, once lost, is lost forever." - John Adams in a letter to Abigail Adams, 1775

"Government is instituted for the common good; for the protection, safety, prosperity, and happiness of the people; and not for profit, honor, or private interest of any one man, family, or class of men; therefore, the people alone have an incontestable, unalienable, and indefeasible right to institute government; and to reform, alter, or totally change the same, when their protection, safety, prosperity, and happiness require it." - John Adams, Thoughts on Government, 1776.

"Laws for the liberal education of the youth, especially of the lower class of the people, are so extremely wise and useful, that, to a humane and generous mind, no expense for this purpose would be thought extravagant." - John Adams, Thoughts on Government, 1776

"They that can give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety." - Benjamin Franklin, Historical Review of Pennsylvania, 1759

"All men having power ought to be distrusted to a certain degree." - James Madison, speech at the Constitutional Convention, July 11, 1787

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