Quotessence
Home / Authors / John Adams
John Adams

John Adams Quotes

2nd U.S. President

Filter quotes by topic

AllGovernmentMenLibertyPeopleVirtueIfsLawPoliticsOur Founding FathersPoliticalFounding Fathers ChristianUs Founding FathersFoundingConstitutionMayReligiousFounding Fathers ReligionShouldHumansNations

Famous John Adams Quotes

“There is nothing I dread so much as the division of the republic into two great parties, each arranged under its leader, and concerting measures in opposition to each other. This, in my humble apprehension, is to be dreaded as the greatest political evil under our constitution.”

TwoGovernmentPoliticalEvilPartyLeaderConstitutionHumbleOppositionDivisionRepublicDreadPolitical PartiesApprehensionTwo Party SystemGreat PartyOpposition PartiesGreatest Political
Book:The Works of John Adams, Second President of the United States: With a Life of the Author, Notes and Illustrations
Create image

“The fundamental article of my political creed is that despotism, or limited sovereignty, or absolute power is the same [whether] in a majority of a popular assembly; an aristocratic council; or oligarchical junto and a single emperor - equally arbitrary, cruel, bloody and in every respect diabolical.”

PoliticalAbsolutesFundamentalsMajorityTyrannyArticlesCreedsBloodySovereigntyCouncilArbitraryEmperorAssemblyDespotismAbsolute PowerDiabolicalAristocratic
Author:John Adams
Create image

“We electors have an important constitutional power placed in our hands: we have a check upon two branches of the legislature, as each branch has upon the other two; the power I mean of electing at stated periods, one branch, which branch has the power of electing another. It becomes necessary to every subject then, to be in some degree a statesman: and to examine and judge for himself of the tendencies of political principles and measures.”

MeanTwoImportantHandsPoliticalPrinciplesSubjectsJudgingPeriodsDegreesChecksTendenciesBranchesVotingStatesmenLegislature
Book:The Works of John Adams, Second President of the United States: With a Life of the Author, Notes and Illustrations
Create image

“Fear is the foundation of most governments; but it is so sordid and brutal a passion, and renders men in whose breasts it predominates so stupid and miserable, that Americans will not be likely to approve of any political institution which is founded on it.”

MenGovernmentPoliticalPassionStupidInstitutionsFoundationMiserableBreastsBrutalPolitical Institutions
Book:The Political Writings of John Adams: Representative Selections
Create image

“Twenty times, in the course of my late reading, have I been on the point of breaking out, 'this would be the best of all possible worlds, if there were no religion in it!' But in this exclamation, I should have been as fanatical as Bryant or Cleverly. Without religion, this world would be something not fit to be mentioned in public company-I mean hell.”

IfsWorldShouldMeanHas BeensWould BePoliticalCoursesReadingPoliticsCompanyHellThis WorldFitLateShould HaveTwentiesBeing The BestShould Have BeenFounding Fathers ChristianFounding Fathers ReligionFounding Fathers ReligiousFounding Fathers Anti ReligionFounding Fathers AtheistChristianity From Founding FathersExclamation
Book:John Adams: a biography in his own words
Create image

“Have you ever found in history, one single example of a nation, thoroughly corrupted, that was afterwards restored to virtue? And without virtue there can be no political liberty.”

PoliticalFoundNationsLibertyVirtueExample
Book:The Works of John Adams, Second President of the United States: With a Life of the Author, Notes and Illustrations
Create image

“When I was young, and addicted to reading, I had heard about dancing on the points of metaphysical needles; but, by mixing in the world, I found the points of political needles finer and sharper than the metaphysical ones.”

WorldYoungPoliticalReadingFoundHeardDancingDanceMetaphysicalNeedlesMixing
Book:The Works of John Adams, Second President of the United States: With a Life of the Author, Notes and Illustrations
Create image

“Elections, especially of representatives and counselors, should be annual, there not being in the whole circle of the sciences a maxim more infallible than this, "where annual elections end, there slavery begins." These great men ... should be (chosen) once a year-Like bubbles on the sea of matter bourne, they rise, they break, and to the sea return. This will teach them the great political virtues of humility, patience, and moderation, without which every man in power becomes a ravenous beast of prey.”

MenShouldYearsEndsMatterWholePoliticalTeachBreakVirtueSeaHumilityReturnElectionSlaveryEvery ManCirclesChosenBeastGreat MenBubblesRepresentativesModerationMaximsPreyAnnualsInfallibleCounselorBourneGreat Political
Author:John Adams
Create image

“My best wishes, in the joys, and festivities, and the solemn services of that day on which will be completed the fiftieth year from its birth, the independence of the United States. A remarkable epoch in the annals of the human race, destined in future history to form the brightest or the blackest page, according to the use or the abuse of those political institutions by which they shall, in time to come, be shaped by the human mind.”

YearsMindHumansStatesUseFormPoliticalJoyWishUnitedRaceUnited StatesBirthPagesAbuseIndependenceInstitutionsHuman RaceMemorableHuman MindDestinedSolemnEpochPolitical InstitutionsFestivitiesBest Wishes
Author:John Adams
Create image

“Let us hear the dangers of thralldom to our consciences from ignorance, extreme poverty, and dependence; in short, from civil and political slavery. Let us see delineated before us the true map of man. Let us hear the dignity of his nature, and the noble rank he holds among the works of God-that consenting to slavery is a sacrilegious breach of trust, as offensive in the sight of God as it is derogatory from our own honor or interest or happiness-and that God Almighty has promulgated from heaven liberty, peace, and goodwill to man!”

MenPoliticalHeavenPeaceInterestLibertyPovertyDangerIgnoranceHonorConscienceDignitySightSlaveryExtremesNobleMapsAlmightyOffensiveDependenceGoodwillBreachExtreme PovertyDerogatorySacrilegiousBreach Of Trust
Author:John Adams
Create image

“Where annual elections end, there slavery begins ... Humility, patience, and moderation, without which every man in power becomes a ravenous beast of prey.”

MenEndsPoliticalPoliticsTermHumilityElectionSlaveryEvery ManBeastModerationPreyAnnualsTerm Limits
Book:The Works of John Adams, Second President of the United States: With a Life of the Author, Notes and Illustrations
Create image

“Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”

PeopleMadeStatesGodGovernmentAmericaPoliticalPoliticsReligiousFreedomLibertyMoralVirtueRightsSocietyMoralityBibleConstitutionLawyerPresidentialUsaHeritageVirtuousFoundersFoundingFirst AmendmentGoverningChurch And StateInadequateOur Founding FathersUs HistoryCivil SocietyFounding Fathers ChristianUs Founding FathersAmerican SocietyFounding Fathers ReligionFounding Fathers ReligiousAmerican GovernmentReligion GodReligious LibertyFounding Fathers Of AmericaFounding AmericaAmerican Founding FathersFounding Fathers AtheistChristian FatherChristian HeritageUs ConstitutionAmerican LibertyFounding Fathers DemocracyReligion And GovernmentMorality And ReligionLiberty And JusticeContendingMoral VirtuesRevolution Founding FathersReligion In SocietyGovernment And SocietyChristian PatrioticOne Nation Under GodAmerican ConstitutionChristian MoralityJustice Of GodFuture Of AmericaChristianity And GovernmentPatriotic ReligiousMoral DecayChristian SchoolsMoral FreedomMoral Society
Book:Works: with a life of the author
Create image

“Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence: nor is the law less stable than the fact.”

MayStatesFactsLawPoliticalPassionPoliticsEnergyWishEnvironmentEvidenceClimate ChangePatrioticAdamStableStubbornInclinationStubbornnessRights And FreedomsBeing Stubborn
Book:The Works [of] John Adams, Second President of the United States: Life of John Adams
Create image

“I must study politics and war that my sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy.”

MayWarPhilosophyGovernmentPoliticalEducationLibertyStudySonRevolutionMathematicsMathSensualMathematicalRevolutionaryMy SonAdamPatriotGeographyPolitical PhilosophyFreedom And LibertyFreedom LibertyProperty RightsAmerican RevolutionTotal WarTapestryNavalMath And ScienceRevolutionary WarNatural HistoryMathematics And ScienceAmerican LibertyMath EducationLiberty And JusticeMathematical LogicGovernment And SocietyPorcelainSocial HistoryNatural PhilosophyColonistsHistorical MilitaryAmerican JusticePolitics And WarUnnecessary WarMath And MusicStudying MathematicsRevolutionary Leaders
Book:The Letters of John and Abigail Adams
Create image

“Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide.”

LongLastsRememberPoliticalFreedomDemocracySocietyWasteMurderSuicideLibertarianCommitCommunismRepublicLibertarianismFoundingSuicidalSuitableForms Of GovernmentCollectivismDemocracies HaveAmerican DemocracyFounding Fathers DemocracyVoting And DemocracyCommitting SuicideTyranny Founding FathersDemocracy In AmericaTyranny Of The Majority
Author:John Adams
Create image

“I have accepted a seat in the House of Representatives, and thereby have consented to my own ruin, to your ruin, and to the ruin of our children. I give you this warning that you may prepare your mind for your fate.”

GivingMindMayChildrenPoliticalHousePoliticsMy OwnFateOur ChildrenAcceptedRuinsSeatsWarningRepresentativesHouse Of Representatives
Book:The Works of John Adams, Second President of the United States: With a Life of the Author, Notes and Illustrations
Create image