--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I must study politics and war that my…" description: "\"I must study politics and war that my sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy.\" — John Adams" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed8/john-adams-529_education_i-must-study-politics-and-war-that-my-so_250664.jpg" --- # I must study politics and war that my sons may have… ![“I must study politics and war that my sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy.” quote by John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed8/john-adams-529_education_i-must-study-politics-and-war-that-my-so_250664.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed8/john-adams-529_education_i-must-study-politics-and-war-that-my-so_250664.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed8/john-adams-529_education_i-must-study-politics-and-war-that-my-so_250664.jpg) > “I must study politics and war that my sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy.” [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Advocates for generations to secure peace so future generations can pursue intellectual pursuits. **In simple terms:** Secure peace for future scholars. Key Takeaway Protect liberty for future learning. Themes freedom education legacy politics peace Mood reflective determined Type historical political When to use this quote - political activism - education reform - family planning - national policy - philosophical study Key Concepts civic duty intergenerational responsibility intellectual freedom Questions to Reflect On - How can we balance security with intellectual freedom? - What responsibilities do we have to future generations? A Different Perspective Peace may be fragile and requires ongoing effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Liberty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberty/) [Liberty Study](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberty-study-2493271/) [Mathematics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mathematics/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Politics and war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics-and-war/) [Sons Liberty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sons-liberty-2493270/) [Study](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/study/) [Study Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/study-politics-2493269/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [I must study politics and war, that my sons may have the liberty to study mathematics and philosophy, natural history and naval architecture, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/i-must-study-politics-and-war-that-my-sons-may-have-the-liberty-to/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [I have to study politics and war so that my sons can study mathematics, commerce and agriculture, so their sons can study poetry, painting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/i-have-to-study-politics-and-war-so-that-my-sons-can-study/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [“I must study politics and war," wrote John Adams, "that my sons may have the liberty to study mathematics, and philosophy, geography, natural history,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-krauthammertha/i-must-study-politics-and-war-wrote-john-adams-that-my-sons-may-have/) [Charles Krauthammertha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-krauthammertha/) > [“The science of government it is my duty to study, more than all other sciences; the arts of legislation and administration and negotiation ought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/the-science-of-government-it-is-my-duty-to-study-more-than-all-other/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [I engage in the use of game theory. Game theory is a branch of mathematics, and that means, sorry, that even in the study…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-bueno-de-mesquita/i-engage-in-the-use-of-game-theory-game-theory-is-a-branch-of/) [Bruce Bueno de Mesquita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-bueno-de-mesquita/) > [“Whenever I do something, I don’t ever get caught. People don’t know what I do. I don’t let them know what I do. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlin-marynick/whenever-i-do-something-i-don-t-ever-get-caught-people-don-t-know/) [Marlin Marynick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlin-marynick/) > [“In a little while it was taken up in the streets and along the countryside. All through the North and in some of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-a-beard/in-a-little-while-it-was-taken-up-in-the-streets-and-along-the/) [Charles A. Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-a-beard/) > [I put on about 20 pounds to play Washington, and that was really enjoyable. That's probably the most fun I've had preparing for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-o-mara/i-put-on-about-20-pounds-to-play-washington-and-that-was-really/) [Jason O'Mara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-o-mara/) > [Planted by your care? No! Your oppression planted them in America... nourished by your indulgence? They grew by your neglect of them... As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-barre/planted-by-your-care-no-your-oppression-planted-them-in-america/) [Isaac Barre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-barre/) > [Naturally, the common people don't want war ... but after all it is the leaders of a country who determine the policy, and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-goring/naturally-the-common-people-don-t-want-war-but-after-all-it-is-the/) [Hermann Goring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-goring/) > [“Politics and war were just different names for power, and the price of power was predictably high and could be precisely measured-in dollards,yen,euros,rubles,riyals, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-janzen/politics-and-war-were-just-different-names-for-power-and-the-price-of/) [Tara Janzen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-janzen/) > [Today the real test of power is not capacity to make war but capacity to prevent it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-o-hare-mccormick/today-the-real-test-of-power-is-not-capacity-to-make-war-but-capacity/) [Anne O'Hare McCormick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-o-hare-mccormick/) > [Sepultura had a political album like Chaos A.D. that concerned itself with politics and war. I continued that in some areas with Soulfly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-cavalera/sepultura-had-a-political-album-like-chaos-a-d-that-concerned-itself/) [Max Cavalera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-cavalera/) > [“Deception, you see, lies at the heart of business, politics and war. Even pleasure, wouldn’t you say? Everyone practises it, from the President of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-wreford/deception-you-see-lies-at-the-heart-of-business-politics-and-war-even/) [Michael Wreford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-wreford/) > [One of the most important factors in life, politics and war, to which historians tend to devote too little attention, is sheer luck, good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-rhodes-james/one-of-the-most-important-factors-in-life-politics-and-war-to-which/) [Robert Rhodes James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-rhodes-james/) ## More by John Adams > [Historically, usury was defined as any interest whatever on an unproductive loan.Our whole banking system I have ever abhorred, I continue to abhor, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/historically-usury-was-defined-as-any-interest-whatever-on-an/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [“Daughter! Get you an honest Man for a Husband, and keep him honest. No matter whether he is rich, provided he be independent. Regard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/daughter-get-you-an-honest-man-for-a-husband-and-keep-him-honest-no/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [The general principles on which the fathers achieved independence were the general principles of Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/the-general-principles-on-which-the-fathers-achieved-independence/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [We may... affirm that the balance of power in a society accompanies the balance of property in land. The only possible way, then, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/we-may-affirm-that-the-balance-of-power-in-a-society-accompanies-the/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [“The longer I live, the more I read, the more patiently I think, and the more anxiously I inquire, the less I seem to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/the-longer-i-live-the-more-i-read-the-more-patiently-i-think-and-the/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [But what do we mean by the American Revolution? Do we mean the American war? The Revolution was effected before the war commenced. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/but-what-do-we-mean-by-the-american-revolution-do-we-mean-the/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [“Upon common theaters, indeed, the applause of the audience is of more importance to the actors than their own aprobation. But upon the stage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/upon-common-theaters-indeed-the-applause-of-the-audience-is-of-more/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [There are only two creatures of value on the face of the earth: those with the commitment, and those who require the commitment of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/there-are-only-two-creatures-of-value-on-the-face-of-the-earth-those/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [ I will insist the Hebrews have \[contributed\] more to civilize men than any other nation. If I was an atheist and believed in blind… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/i-will-insist-the-hebrews-have-contributed-more-to-civilize-men-than/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [“Government is instituted for the common good; for the protection, safety, prosperity and happiness of the people; and not for the profit, honor, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/government-is-instituted-for-the-common-good-for-the-protection/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [Make Things rather than Persons the subjects of conversations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/make-things-rather-than-persons-the-subjects-of-conversations/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [During the whole time I sat with him in Congress, I never heard him utter three sentences together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/during-the-whole-time-i-sat-with-him-in-congress-i-never-heard-him/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [Religion and virtue are the only foundations, not of republicanism and of all free government, but of social felicity under all government and in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/religion-and-virtue-are-the-only-foundations-not-of-republicanism-and/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [The universal object and idol of men of letters is reputation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/the-universal-object-and-idol-of-men-of-letters-is-reputation/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [I consider a decent respect for Christianity among the best recommendations for public service.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/i-consider-a-decent-respect-for-christianity-among-the-best/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) [Explore all 495 John Adams quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) ## More Education quotes > [I put myself in the student's place and remember the frustrations, doubts, determination, and desires I felt when I was going through the initial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-martinez/i-put-myself-in-the-student-s-place-and-remember-the-frustrations/) [Ted Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-martinez/) > [“In school you are taught to obey and not to think straight for your own good. Otherwise the world would be full of millionaires…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/in-school-you-are-taught-to-obey-and-not-to-think-straight-for-your/) [Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/) > [For successful education there must always be a certain freshness in the knowledge dealt with. It must be either new in itself or invested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/for-successful-education-there-must-always-be-a-certain-freshness-in/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [Where I grew up, learning was a collective activity. But when I got to school and tried to share learning with other students that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/where-i-grew-up-learning-was-a-collective-activity-but-when-i-got-to/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [There's no authoritarian structure at Reed College, but the education is conservative. So what you have is a lot of students who are very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/there-s-no-authoritarian-structure-at-reed-college-but-the-education/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [“What's the best thing about being in college? Good teachers. They inspire you, they entertain you, and you end up learning a ton even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/what-s-the-best-thing-about-being-in-college-good-teachers-they/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [“If one has not a head of steel it will burst; if he has not within it a brain of liquid quicksilver, he will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ioannes-amos-commenius/if-one-has-not-a-head-of-steel-it-will-burst-if-he-has-not-within-it/) [Ioannes Amos Commenius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ioannes-amos-commenius/) > [“let us not teach / what we have learned badly / and not profited by”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-d-hilda-doolittle/let-us-not-teach-what-we-have-learned-badly-and-not-profited-by/) [H.D. (Hilda Doolittle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-d-hilda-doolittle/) > [“It took me years to learn to sit at my desk for more than two minutes at a time, to put up with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/it-took-me-years-to-learn-to-sit-at-my-desk-for-more-than-two-minutes/) [Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/) > [According to Plato, we don't learn anything. Our soul has lived so many lives that we know everything. Teachers and education can only remind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/according-to-plato-we-don-t-learn-anything-our-soul-has-lived-so-many/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [“I only began to enjoy studying after I got through the educational system and became a so-called member of society. If something interested me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-only-began-to-enjoy-studying-after-i-got-through-the-educational/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you had made the acquiring of ignorance the study of your life, you could not have graduated with higher honor than you could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/if-you-had-made-the-acquiring-of-ignorance-the-study-of-your-life-you/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [How wonderful it would be, I thought, if only we could practice the teachings of the Buddha as he really taught them from his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dzogchen-ponlop-rinpoche/how-wonderful-it-would-be-i-thought-if-only-we-could-practice-the/) [Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dzogchen-ponlop-rinpoche/) > [English teachers tend to put more thought in the books than the author did](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/english-teachers-tend-to-put-more-thought-in-the-books-than-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When will society, like a mother, take care of all her children?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace-mann/when-will-society-like-a-mother-take-care-of-all-her-children/) [Horace Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace-mann/) [Browse all 37,666 Education quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I must study politics and war that my sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Adams" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/i-must-study-politics-and-war-that-my-sons-may-have-liberty-to-study/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Education" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/i-must-study-politics-and-war-that-my-sons-may-have-liberty-to-study/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed8/john-adams-529_education_i-must-study-politics-and-war-that-my-so_250664.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed8/john-adams-529_education_i-must-study-politics-and-war-that-my-so_250664.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed8/john-adams-529_education_i-must-study-politics-and-war-that-my-so_250664.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I must study politics and war that my sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy.” — John Adams", "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": "John Adams", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I must study politics and war...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/i-must-study-politics-and-war-that-my-sons-may-have-liberty-to-study/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/i-must-study-politics-and-war-that-my-sons-may-have-liberty-to-study/#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 } } ] } ```