---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Housetops were covered with 'gazers'; all…"
description: "\"Housetops were covered with 'gazers'; all wharves that offered a view were jammed with people ... As British officers happily reminded one another, it ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bad/david-mccullough-1091_18th-century_housetops-were-covered-with-gazers-all-w_3035555.jpg"
---

#  Housetops were covered with 'gazers'; all wharves that…

![“Housetops were covered with 'gazers'; all wharves that offered a view were jammed with people ... As British officers happily reminded one another, it was the largest fleet ever seen in American waters. In fact it was the largest expeditionary force of the 18th century, the largest, most powerful…” quote by David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bad/david-mccullough-1091_18th-century_housetops-were-covered-with-gazers-all-w_3035555.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bad/david-mccullough-1091_18th-century_housetops-were-covered-with-gazers-all-w_3035555.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bad/david-mccullough-1091_18th-century_housetops-were-covered-with-gazers-all-w_3035555.jpg)

> “Housetops were covered with 'gazers'; all wharves that offered a view were jammed with people ... As British officers happily reminded one another, it was the largest fleet ever seen in American waters. In fact it was the largest expeditionary force of the 18th century, the largest, most powerful force ever sent forth by Britain or any other nation.”

[David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The 18th‑century British fleet was the largest and most powerful naval force ever assembled.

**In simple terms:** Britain built an unprecedented navy.

Key Takeaway

Study historic naval dominance.

Themes

history military power

Mood

informative analytical

Type

historical educational

When to use this quote

- military education
- museum exhibits
- policy analysis
- naval simulations

Key Concepts

strategic studies political economy technology

Questions to Reflect On

- What factors enabled such naval expansion?
- How does naval power shape national identity?

A Different Perspective

Historical context may differ from modern geopolitics.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[18th century](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/18th-century/) [Britain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/britain/) [British](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/british/) [Century](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/century/) [Covered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/covered/) [Expeditionary Force](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expeditionary-force-941877/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Fleet Seen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fleet-seen-4978395/) [Force](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/force/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Largest Expeditionary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/largest-expeditionary-3400551/) [Largest Fleet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/largest-fleet-4978394/) [Largest Powerful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/largest-powerful-3400552/) [Most powerful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/most-powerful/) [Nations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nations/) [Officers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/officers/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Powerful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/powerful/) [Views](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/views/) [Water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/water/)

## Related quotes

> [In fact, it was the largest expeditionary force of the 18th century. The largest, most powerful force ever set forth from Britain or any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/in-fact-it-was-the-largest-expeditionary-force-of-the-18th-century/)

[David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/)

> [We should have an army so organized and so officered as to be capable in time of emergency, in cooperation with the National Militia,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-howard-taft/we-should-have-an-army-so-organized-and-so-officered-as-to-be-capable/)

[William Howard Taft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-howard-taft/)

> [It is simply unthinkable that we will ever again send overseas a great expeditionary force of armed men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-knox/it-is-simply-unthinkable-that-we-will-ever-again-send-overseas-a/)

[Frank Knox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-knox/)

> [The word 'America' probably didn't appear in the Persian language until the end of the 18th century - but then with a documented past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bettany-hughes/the-word-america-probably-didn-t-appear-in-the-persian-language-until/)

[Bettany Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bettany-hughes/)

> ["The Constitution" has something called The Emoluments Clause. That's just a fancy, 18th century word for no foreign government payments. And Donald Trump is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-l-eisen/the-constitution-has-something-called-the-emoluments-clause-that-s/)

[Norman L. Eisen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-l-eisen/)

> [To my three sons, Peter, Scott, and Alexander who pulled me from the 18th Century and back into the present on a regular basis…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-j-ellis/to-my-three-sons-peter-scott-and-alexander-who-pulled-me-from-the/)

[Joseph J. Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-j-ellis/)

> [The theory of social contracts extends as far back as Plato. However, it was the great 18th century social philosophers John Locke, Thomas Hobbes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-mainwaring/the-theory-of-social-contracts-extends-as-far-back-as-plato-however/)

[Simon Mainwaring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-mainwaring/)

> [ “I shou'd not myself have thought \[Cato\] worth so much notice as I have here taken of him; but that the Men are weak… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lady-sophia-fermor/i-shou-d-not-myself-have-thought-cato-worth-so-much-notice-as-i-have/)

[Lady Sophia Fermor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lady-sophia-fermor/)

> [Newt Gingrich wants to repeal child labor laws. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the man that we need to lead us into the 18th…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/newt-gingrich-wants-to-repeal-child-labor-laws-ladies-and-gentlemen/)

[David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/)

> [Compare the scale and magnifcence of Versailles with St James's - the brick-built hovel in which the 18th-century kings of England lived. What was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-starkey/compare-the-scale-and-magnifcence-of-versailles-with-st-james-s-the/)

[David Starkey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-starkey/)

> [“If from immemorable time, the Men had been so little envious, and so very impartial, as to do justice to our talents, by admitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lady-sophia-fermor/if-from-immemorable-time-the-men-had-been-so-little-envious-and-so/)

[Lady Sophia Fermor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lady-sophia-fermor/)

> [ By 18th century standards, they \[Great Britain\] were the freest, most dynamic, most willing to challenge tradition and authority. They had the highest wages… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-r-morris/by-18th-century-standards-they-great-britain-were-the-freest-most/)

[Charles R. Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-r-morris/)

> [The lessons of the First Amendment are as urgent in the modern world as the 18th Century when it was written. One timeless lesson…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-kennedy/the-lessons-of-the-first-amendment-are-as-urgent-in-the-modern-world/)

[Anthony Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-kennedy/)

> [Look, science is hard, it has a reputation of being hard, and the facts are, it is hard, and that's the result of 400…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/look-science-is-hard-it-has-a-reputation-of-being-hard-and-the-facts/)

[Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/)

> [ “And the differences thence arising \[between the constitution of men and women\] are no ways sufficient to argue more natural strength in the one… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lady-sophia-fermor/and-the-differences-thence-arising-between-the-constitution-of-men/)

[Lady Sophia Fermor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lady-sophia-fermor/)

## More by David McCullough

> [With the Truman book, I wrote the entire account of his experiences in World War I before going over to Europe to follow his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/with-the-truman-book-i-wrote-the-entire-account-of-his-experiences-in/)

[David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/)

> [“Steamboats by this time were becoming a familiar presence on the rivers and coastal waters of America, but not until 1838 did steam-powered ships…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/steamboats-by-this-time-were-becoming-a-familiar-presence-on-the/)

[David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/)

> [I feel that history is in many ways the most important of all subjects because it is about everything and because it's about who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/i-feel-that-history-is-in-many-ways-the-most-important-of-all/)

[David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/)

> [“Even mighty states and kingdoms are not exempted. If we look into history, we shall find some nations rising from contemptible beginnings and spreading…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/even-mighty-states-and-kingdoms-are-not-exempted-if-we-look-into/)

[David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/)

> [History isn't just what happened, but what happened to whom and why and what would have been different if the cast of characters had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/history-isn-t-just-what-happened-but-what-happened-to-whom-and-why/)

[David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/)

> [Nobody ever lived in the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/nobody-ever-lived-in-the-past/)

[David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/)

> [“Only TR openly declared his love for the job. “Nobody ever enjoyed the presidency as I did,” he boasted, and by all evidence that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/only-tr-openly-declared-his-love-for-the-job-nobody-ever-enjoyed-the/)

[David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/)

> [“s ships Phoenix and Rose, in the company of three tenders, cast off their moorings at Staten Island and started up the harbor under…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/s-ships-phoenix-and-rose-in-the-company-of-three-tenders-cast-off/)

[David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/)

> [“a people may let a King fall, yet still remain a people, but if a King let his people slip from him, he is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/a-people-may-let-a-king-fall-yet-still-remain-a-people-but-if-a-king/)

[David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/)

> [Why limit yourself to the experience of your own relatively brief time on earth, according to your biological clock, when the whole realm of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/why-limit-yourself-to-the-experience-of-your-own-relatively-brief/)

[David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/)

> [“He worked at a plain, tall desk at which he wrote standing up or perched on a high stool,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/he-worked-at-a-plain-tall-desk-at-which-he-wrote-standing-up-or/)

[David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/)

> [“Nothing happens in isolation. Everything that happens has consequences. We”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/nothing-happens-in-isolation-everything-that-happens-has-consequences/)

[David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/)

> [America faces an enemy who believes in enforced ignorance. And all that we stand for is the open mind, the generous spirit, the ideal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/america-faces-an-enemy-who-believes-in-enforced-ignorance-and-all/)

[David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/)

> [My shorthand answer is that I try to write the kind of book that I would like to read. If I can make it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/my-shorthand-answer-is-that-i-try-to-write-the-kind-of-book-that-i/)

[David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/)

> [“Seen under the microscope, Stegomyia is a creature of striking beauty. Its general color is dark gray, but the thorax is marked with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/seen-under-the-microscope-stegomyia-is-a-creature-of-striking-beauty/)

[David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/)

[Explore all 291 David McCullough quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/)

## More 18th century quotes

> [ “And the differences thence arising \[between the constitution of men and women\] are no ways sufficient to argue more natural strength in the one… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lady-sophia-fermor/and-the-differences-thence-arising-between-the-constitution-of-men/)

[Lady Sophia Fermor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lady-sophia-fermor/)

> [Look, science is hard, it has a reputation of being hard, and the facts are, it is hard, and that's the result of 400…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/look-science-is-hard-it-has-a-reputation-of-being-hard-and-the-facts/)

[Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/)

> [The lessons of the First Amendment are as urgent in the modern world as the 18th Century when it was written. One timeless lesson…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-kennedy/the-lessons-of-the-first-amendment-are-as-urgent-in-the-modern-world/)

[Anthony Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-kennedy/)

> [ By 18th century standards, they \[Great Britain\] were the freest, most dynamic, most willing to challenge tradition and authority. They had the highest wages… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-r-morris/by-18th-century-standards-they-great-britain-were-the-freest-most/)

[Charles R. Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-r-morris/)

> [“If from immemorable time, the Men had been so little envious, and so very impartial, as to do justice to our talents, by admitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lady-sophia-fermor/if-from-immemorable-time-the-men-had-been-so-little-envious-and-so/)

[Lady Sophia Fermor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lady-sophia-fermor/)

> [Compare the scale and magnifcence of Versailles with St James's - the brick-built hovel in which the 18th-century kings of England lived. What was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-starkey/compare-the-scale-and-magnifcence-of-versailles-with-st-james-s-the/)

[David Starkey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-starkey/)

> [Newt Gingrich wants to repeal child labor laws. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the man that we need to lead us into the 18th…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/newt-gingrich-wants-to-repeal-child-labor-laws-ladies-and-gentlemen/)

[David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/)

> [ “I shou'd not myself have thought \[Cato\] worth so much notice as I have here taken of him; but that the Men are weak… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lady-sophia-fermor/i-shou-d-not-myself-have-thought-cato-worth-so-much-notice-as-i-have/)

[Lady Sophia Fermor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lady-sophia-fermor/)

> [The theory of social contracts extends as far back as Plato. However, it was the great 18th century social philosophers John Locke, Thomas Hobbes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-mainwaring/the-theory-of-social-contracts-extends-as-far-back-as-plato-however/)

[Simon Mainwaring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-mainwaring/)

> [To my three sons, Peter, Scott, and Alexander who pulled me from the 18th Century and back into the present on a regular basis…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-j-ellis/to-my-three-sons-peter-scott-and-alexander-who-pulled-me-from-the/)

[Joseph J. Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-j-ellis/)

> ["The Constitution" has something called The Emoluments Clause. That's just a fancy, 18th century word for no foreign government payments. And Donald Trump is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-l-eisen/the-constitution-has-something-called-the-emoluments-clause-that-s/)

[Norman L. Eisen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-l-eisen/)

> [The word 'America' probably didn't appear in the Persian language until the end of the 18th century - but then with a documented past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bettany-hughes/the-word-america-probably-didn-t-appear-in-the-persian-language-until/)

[Bettany Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bettany-hughes/)

> [The United States may have retained more of the intellectual imprint of the British 18th century than Britain itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-rees-mogg/the-united-states-may-have-retained-more-of-the-intellectual-imprint/)

[William Rees-Mogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-rees-mogg/)

> [I think I'm from the 18th century, not even the 19th. I don't even use a typewriter. I prefer longhand, and that's how I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruskin-bond/i-think-i-m-from-the-18th-century-not-even-the-19th-i-don-t-even-use/)

[Ruskin Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruskin-bond/)

> [You need some reason why Beethoven, Mozart and Haydn in the 18th century all flocked to Vienna. What was it about Vienna? They must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-weiner/you-need-some-reason-why-beethoven-mozart-and-haydn-in-the-18th/)

[Eric Weiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-weiner/)

[Browse all 180 18th century quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/18th-century/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Housetops were covered with 'gazers'; all wharves that offered a view were jammed with people ... As British officers happily reminded one another, it was the largest fleet ever seen in American waters. In fact it was the largest expeditionary force of the 18th century, the largest, most powerful force ever sent forth by Britain or any other nation.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "David McCullough"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/housetops-were-covered-with-gazers-all-wharves-that-offered-a-view/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "18th century"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/housetops-were-covered-with-gazers-all-wharves-that-offered-a-view/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bad/david-mccullough-1091_18th-century_housetops-were-covered-with-gazers-all-w_3035555.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bad/david-mccullough-1091_18th-century_housetops-were-covered-with-gazers-all-w_3035555.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bad/david-mccullough-1091_18th-century_housetops-were-covered-with-gazers-all-w_3035555.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Housetops were covered with 'gazers'; all wharves that offered a view were jammed with people ... As British…” — David McCullough",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "David McCullough",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Housetops were covered with 'gazers'; all...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/housetops-were-covered-with-gazers-all-wharves-that-offered-a-view/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/housetops-were-covered-with-gazers-all-wharves-that-offered-a-view/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
