Thomas Jefferson
Traced to source
9 quotes we’ve traced to Thomas Jefferson
“Christianity neither is, nor ever was a part of the common law”
Verified“Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom”
Verified“Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve the homage of reason, than that of blindfolded fear”
Verified“A democracy is nothing more than mob rule, where fifty-one percent of the people may take away the rights of the other forty-nine”
Disputed“I have recently been examining all the known superstitions of the world, and do not find in our particular superstition one redeeming feature”
Disputed“I sincerely believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies”
Disputed“If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around them will deprive the people of all property until their children wake up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered”
Disputed“The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not”
Disputed“The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is as a last resort to protect themselves against tyranny in government”
DisputedNot actually Thomas Jefferson
Often misattributed to Thomas Jefferson
Famous lines widely pinned on Thomas Jefferson that we’ve traced to someone else.
“A democracy is nothing more than mob rule, where fifty-one percent of the people may take away the rights of the other forty-nine”
actually Unknown
“A government big enough to give you everything you want is a government big enough to take from you everything you have”
actually Gerald R. Ford
“Dissent is the highest form of patriotism”
actually Origin unknown
“I have recently been examining all the known superstitions of the world, and do not find in our particular superstition one redeeming feature”
actually Unknown
“If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around them will deprive the people of all property until their children wake up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered”
actually Unknown
“I'm a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it”
actually Coleman Cox
“My reading of history convinces me that most bad government results from too much government”
actually John Sharp Williams
“The best government is that which governs least”
actually The United States Magazine and Democratic Review (John L. O’Sullivan, ed.)
“The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not”
actually Unknown
“The price of freedom is eternal vigilance”
actually John Philpot Curran (idea) & Wendell Phillips (popular form)
“The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is as a last resort to protect themselves against tyranny in government”
actually Unknown — first known in print in 1989
“When governments fear the people, there is liberty. When the people fear the government, there is tyranny”
actually John Basil Barnhill
“When the people fear the government there is tyranny; when the government fears the people there is liberty”
actually John Basil Barnhill
“When you reach the end of your rope, tie a knot in it and hang on”
actually Anonymous (American folk proverb)
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