Top 30 Famous Thomas Jefferson Quotes

Thomas Jefferson

The third president of the United States and its first secretary of state, Thomas Jefferson is best remembered as the principal author of the Declaration of Independence. A wealthy Virginia planter, Jefferson began his political career as a member of the House of Burgesses in 1769.

Later, as a delegate to the Second Continental Congress, he was appointed along with Benjamin Franklin and John Adams to draft a formal statement of reasons for separation from Great Britain. The resultant Declaration of Independence, largely penned by Jefferson, summed up the commitment of the young country to life, liberty, and self- government.

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He went on to serve as the U.S. minister in France before accepting George Washington’s appointment as the first secretary of state. Assuming the presidency in 1801, he soon doubled the size of the United States with the purchase of the Louisiana Territory from Napoleon.

He devoted his life in retirement to establishing the University of Virginia. Generally, Jefferson's public achievements are praised by Historians and Scholars, including his advocacy of religious freedom and tolerance in Virginia. Here are our Top 30 Famous Thomas Jefferson Quotes for you.

Top 30 Famous Thomas Jefferson Quotes

I'm a greater believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it.

The boisterous sea of liberty is never without a wave.

The man who reads nothing at all is better educated than the man who reads nothing but newspapers.

To compel a man to furnish funds for the propagation of ideas he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical.

Honesty is the first chapter of the book wisdom.

HONESTY IS THE FIRST CHAPTER OF THE BOOK WISDOM.

The will of the people is the only legitimate foundation of any government, and to protect its free expression should be our first object.

The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. It does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods or no god. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg.

Determine never to be idle… It is wonderful how much may be done if we are always doing.

Every day is lost in which we do not learn something useful. Man has no nobler or more valuable possession than time.

I'm a greater believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it.

I'M A GREATER BELIEVER IN LUCK, AND I FIND THE HARDER I WORK THE MORE I HAVE OF IT.

I was bold in the pursuit of knowledge, never fearing to follow truth and reason to whatever results they led.

It is neither wealth nor splendor, but tranquility and occupation which give happiness.

An honest man can feel no pleasure in the exercise of power over his fellow citizens.

Do not bite at the bait of pleasure till you know there is no hook beneath it.

Delay is preferable to error.

DELAY IS PREFERABLE TO ERROR.

We hold these truths to be self- evident: That all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

I never considered a difference of opinion in politics, in religion, in philosophy, as cause for withdrawing from a friend.

A coward is much more exposed to quarrels than a man of spirit.

Peace, commerce, and honest friendship with all nations...entangling alliances with none.

For here we are not afraid to follow truth wherever it may lead.

FOR HERE WE ARE NOT AFRAID TO FOLLOW TRUTH WHEREVER IT MAY LEAD.

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

I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies.

There is not a truth existing which I fear or would wish unknown to the whole world.

He who knows nothing is closer to the truth than he whose mind is filled with falsehoods and errors.

Be polite to all, but intimate with few.

BE POLITE TO ALL, BUT INTIMATE WITH FEW.

Whenever you do a thing, act as if all the WORLD were watching.

I have no ambition to govern men; it is a painful and thankless office.

I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty than to those attending too small a degree of it.

Every day is lost in which we do not learn something useful. Man has no nobler or more valuable possession than time.

When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty.

WHEN INJUSTICE BECOMES LAW, RESISTANCE BECOMES DUTY.