--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Europe was created by history. America…" description: "\"Europe was created by history. America was created by philosophy.\" — Margaret Thatcher" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52f/margaret-thatcher-463_america_europe-was-created-by-history-america-wa_2051639.jpg" --- # Europe was created by history. America was created by… ![“Europe was created by history. America was created by philosophy.” quote by Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52f/margaret-thatcher-463_america_europe-was-created-by-history-america-wa_2051639.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52f/margaret-thatcher-463_america_europe-was-created-by-history-america-wa_2051639.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52f/margaret-thatcher-463_america_europe-was-created-by-history-america-wa_2051639.jpg) > “Europe was created by history. America was created by philosophy.” [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Europe's formation stemmed from historical events, while America’s identity was shaped by philosophical ideas. **In simple terms:** Europe formed by history; America by philosophy. Key Takeaway Recognize the role of ideas in nation building. Themes history philosophy nation-building identity politics Mood reflective analytical Type political historical When to use this quote - education - political debate - national policy - civic discourse Key Concepts political theory cultural identity foundational narratives Questions to Reflect On - How do ideas shape a country's destiny? - What historical forces still influence modern America? A Different Perspective History alone cannot capture the full spirit of a nation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [America Created](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america-created-863500/) [Created History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/created-history-1929282/) [Europe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/europe/) [Europe Created](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/europe-created-1285078/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [History America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history-america-297484/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) ## Related quotes > [In the Europe which was created by the Second World War, divided into two blocks, each in need of a revolution that would end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-goytisolo/in-the-europe-which-was-created-by-the-second-world-war-divided-into/) [Juan Goytisolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-goytisolo/) > [Europe will never be like America. Europe is a product of history. America is a product of philosophy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/europe-will-never-be-like-america-europe-is-a-product-of-history/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [But the whole history of America is quite different from Europe. People went there to get away from the intolerance and constraints of life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/but-the-whole-history-of-america-is-quite-different-from-europe/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [“As many times as Hell had been created, history stood as indisputable proof that the mass of humanity was good. People built more than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-sakey/as-many-times-as-hell-had-been-created-history-stood-as-indisputable/) [Marcus Sakey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-sakey/) > [“The history of slavery is the history of the United States. It was not peripheral to our founding; it was central to it. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-smith/the-history-of-slavery-is-the-history-of-the-united-states-it-was-not/) [Clint Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-smith/) > [With 'Bajirao Mastani,' we have created history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjay-leela-bhansali/with-bajirao-mastani-we-have-created-history/) [Sanjay Leela Bhansali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjay-leela-bhansali/) > [When I was growing up, I don't remember being told that America was created so that everyone could get rich. I remember being told…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-scorsese/when-i-was-growing-up-i-don-t-remember-being-told-that-america-was/) [Martin Scorsese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-scorsese/) > [“America ... has created a 'civilization' that represents an exact contradiction of the ancient European tradition. It has introduced the religion of praxis and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-evola/america-has-created-a-civilization-that-represents-an-exact/) [Julius Evola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-evola/) > [“An American is a man who is greater in his soul than in his class, creed, political party, or the section in which he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-barton/an-american-is-a-man-who-is-greater-in-his-soul-than-in-his-class/) [David Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-barton/) > [America created a vacuum in Iraq and ISIS formed. But had we taken the oil something else would've very good happened. They would not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/america-created-a-vacuum-in-iraq-and-isis-formed-but-had-we-taken-the/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [From chain gangs to folk songs to intelligent soul, America has created musicians dedicated to truth, justice, and a better American Way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-amos/from-chain-gangs-to-folk-songs-to-intelligent-soul-america-has/) [Shawn Amos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-amos/) > [One of the things I most admire about America is they have created a genuine melting pot society, a country of opportunity; you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cameron/one-of-the-things-i-most-admire-about-america-is-they-have-created-a/) [David Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cameron/) > [I've heard it said that those who don't know history are doomed to repeat it. To that end, I think it's worth noting that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-stoute/i-ve-heard-it-said-that-those-who-don-t-know-history-are-doomed-to/) [Steve Stoute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-stoute/) > [“We give far more to charity per capita than Europeans do. Why? Are we born better? No. The bigger the government the worse the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-steyn/we-give-far-more-to-charity-per-capita-than-europeans-do-why-are-we/) [Mark Steyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-steyn/) > [We go forth all to seek America. And in the seeking we create her. In the quality of our search shall be the nature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/waldo-frank/we-go-forth-all-to-seek-america-and-in-the-seeking-we-create-her-in/) [Waldo Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/waldo-frank/) ## More by Margaret Thatcher > [When you stop a dictator, there are always risks. But there are greater risks in not stopping a dictator.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/when-you-stop-a-dictator-there-are-always-risks-but-there-are-greater/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [Ideally, when Christians meet, as Christians do, to take counsel together, their purpose is not ( or should not be) to ascertain what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/ideally-when-christians-meet-as-christians-do-to-take-counsel/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [There are dangers in consensus: it could be an attempt to satisfy people holding no particular views about anything. ... No great party can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/there-are-dangers-in-consensus-it-could-be-an-attempt-to-satisfy/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [If it's me against 48, I feel sorry for the 48.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/if-it-s-me-against-48-i-feel-sorry-for-the-48/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [ \[When asked how it felt to be a female prime minister:\] I don't know: I've never experienced the alternative. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/when-asked-how-it-felt-to-be-a-female-prime-minister-i-don-t-know-i/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [It is sometimes said that because of our past we, as a people, expect too much and set our sights too high. That is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/it-is-sometimes-said-that-because-of-our-past-we-as-a-people-expect/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [Unless we change our ways and our direction, our greatness as a nation will soon be a footnote in the history books, a distant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/unless-we-change-our-ways-and-our-direction-our-greatness-as-a-nation/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [I don't think any woman in power really has a happy life unless she's got a large number of women friends ... because you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/i-don-t-think-any-woman-in-power-really-has-a-happy-life-unless-she-s/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [People from my sort of background needed grammar schools to compete with children from privileged homes like Shirley Williams and Anthony Wedgwood Benn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/people-from-my-sort-of-background-needed-grammar-schools-to-compete/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [What is success? I think it is a mixture of having a flair for the thing that you are doing; knowing that it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/what-is-success-i-think-it-is-a-mixture-of-having-a-flair-for-the/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [Personal virtue is no substitute for political hard-headedness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/personal-virtue-is-no-substitute-for-political-hard-headedness/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [The Government wants a peaceful settlement. But we totally reject a peaceful sell-out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/the-government-wants-a-peaceful-settlement-but-we-totally-reject-a/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [Major international interventions are doomed unless the US is directly or indirectly involved. But if American politicians, officials and servicemen are to be put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/major-international-interventions-are-doomed-unless-the-us-is/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [We have made too much of one or two people, and we think that they can win or lose elections for us. Don't be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/we-have-made-too-much-of-one-or-two-people-and-we-think-that-they-can/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [I pay tribute to John Major's achievement in persuading the other 11 Community Heads of Government that they could move ahead to a Social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/i-pay-tribute-to-john-major-s-achievement-in-persuading-the-other-11/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) [Explore all 539 Margaret Thatcher quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) [Browse all 20,382 America quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Europe was created by history. 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