preach, my dear Sir, a crusade against ignorance; establish & improve the law for educating the common people. — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
We discover in the gospels a groundwork of vulgar ignorance, of things impossible, of superstition, fanaticism and fabrication . — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
“It is safer to have a whole people respectably enlightened than a few in a high state of science and the many… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
Religious leaders will always avail themselves of public ignorance for their own purpose. — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
Ignorance is preferable to error; and he is less remote from truth who believes nothing, than he who believes what is wrong — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
If we are to guard against ignorance and remain free, it is the responsibility of every American to be informed, — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
Ignorance of the law is no excuse in any country. If it were, the laws would lose their effect, because it can… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
History, I believe, furnishes no example of a priest-ridden people maintaining a free civil government. This marks the lowest grade of ignorance… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
A cold-blooded, calculation, unprincipled, usurper, without a virtue, no statesman, knowing nothing of commerce, political economy, or civil government, and supplying ignorance… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
The tax which will be paid for the purpose of education is not more than the thousandth part of what will be… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
To constrain the brute force of the people, the European governments deem it necessary to keep them down by hard labor, poverty… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
May [our Declaration of Independence] be to the world, what I believe it will be (to some parts sooner, to others later,… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
We are destined to be a barrier against the return of ignorance and barbarism. Old Europe will have to lean on our… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
Even in Europe a change has sensibly taken place in the mind of man. Science has liberated the ideas of those who… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
Both of our political parties, at least the honest portion of them, agree conscientiously in the same object: the public good; but… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
I am sorry they began their deliberations by so abominable a precedent as that of tying up the tongues of their members.… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
Among the sayings and discourses imputed to him (i.e. Jesus) by his biographers, I find many passages of fine imagination, correct morality,… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
“History, I believe, furnishes no example of a priest-ridden people maintaining a free civil government. This marks the lowest grade of ignorance… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
“Bigotry is the disease of ignorance, of morbid minds; enthusiasm of the free and buoyant. Education and free discussion are the antidotes… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
“May it [American independence] be to the world, what I believe it will be, (to some parts sooner, to others later, but… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
“...it is not to be understood that I am with him [Jesus] in all his doctrines. I am a Materialist, he takes… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
Ignorance and bigotry, like other insanities, are incapable of self-government. — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
If the children are untaught, their ignorance and vices will in future life cost us much dearer in their consequences than it… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
Bigotry is the disease of ignorance, of morbid minds; enthusiasm of the free and buoyant. Education and free discussion are the antidotes… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
Old heads as well as young may sometimes be charged with ignorance and presumption. The natural course of the human mind is… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
“If a nation expects to be ignorant & free, in a state of civilisation, it expects what never was & never will… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
Our [Virginia's] act for freedom of religion is extremely applauded. The Ambassadors and ministers of the several nations of Europe resident at… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
... I am not afraid of priests. They have tried upon me all their various batteries of pious whining, hypocritical canting, lying… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
A man has a right to use a saw, an axe, a plane, separately; may he not combine their uses on the same piece… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
[States and the Federal government are] coordinate departments of one simple and integral whole... The one is the domestic, the other the foreign branch… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
I am for freedom of religion, and against all maneuvers to bring about a legal ascendency of one sect over another. — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
Single acts of tyranny may be ascribed to the accidental opinion of a day; but a series of oppressions, begun at a distinguished period… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
“Perceiving the order of nature to be that individual happiness shall be inseparable from the practice of virtue, I am willing to hope it… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
Free government is founded in jealousy, and not in confidence; it is jealousy, and not confidence, which prescribes limited constitutions, to bind down those… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
Though you cannot see, when you take one step, what will be the next, yet follow truth, justice, and plain dealing, and never fear… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
The two principles on which our conduct towards the Indians should be founded are justice and fear. After the injuries we have done them,… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
Knowledge is power...knowled ge is safety...knowle dge is happiness. — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
There is... an artificial aristocracy founded on wealth and birth, without either virtue or talents... The artificial aristocracy is a mischievous ingredient in government,… — Thomas Jefferson Copy Share Image
![“May [our Declaration of Independence] be to the world, what I believe it will be (to some parts sooner, to others later, but finally to all), the signal of arousing men to burst the chains under which monkish ignorance and superstition had persuaded them to bind themselves, and to assume the…” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b66/thomas-jefferson-43_assuming_may-our-declaration-of-independence-be-t_1692808.jpg)
![“May it [American independence] be to the world, what I believe it will be, (to some parts sooner, to others later, but finally to all,) the signal of arousing men to burst the chains under which monkish ignorance and superstition had persuaded them to bind themselves, and to assume the blessings…” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/73f/thomas-jefferson-43_american-independenc_may-it-american-independence-be-to-the-w_931310.jpg)
![“...it is not to be understood that I am with him [Jesus] in all his doctrines. I am a Materialist, he takes the side of spiritualism; he preaches the efficacy of repentance toward forgiveness of sin. I require a counterpoise of good works to redeem it... Among the sayings & discourses imputed to…” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/06a/thomas-jefferson-43_absurdity_it-is-not-to-be-understood-that-i-am-wit_1394038.jpg)
![“Our [Virginia's] act for freedom of religion is extremely applauded. The Ambassadors and ministers of the several nations of Europe resident at this court have asked me copies of it to send to their sovereigns, and it is inserted at full length in several books now in the press; among others, in…” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/508/thomas-jefferson-43_ambassadors_our-virginia-s-act-for-freedom-of-religi_2603800.jpg)
![“[States and the Federal government are] coordinate departments of one simple and integral whole... The one is the domestic, the other the foreign branch of the same government.” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/401/thomas-jefferson-43_branches_states-and-the-federal-government-are-co_2619.jpg)
![“Single acts of tyranny may be ascribed to the accidental opinion of a day; but a series of oppressions, begun at a distinguished period and pursued unalterably through every change of ministers, too plainly prove a deliberate, systematic plan of reducing [a people] to slavery.” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/00c/thomas-jefferson-43_change_single-acts-of-tyranny-may-be-ascribed-t_5515.jpg)
![“Though you cannot see, when you take one step, what will be the next, yet follow truth, justice, and plain dealing, and never fear their leading you out of [any difficult situation] in the easiest manner possible...” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ebe/thomas-jefferson-43_difficult_though-you-cannot-see-when-you-take-one_9828.jpg)
