--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To us Americans much has been given; of…" description: "\"To us Americans much has been given; of us much is required. With all our faults and mistakes, it is our strength in support of the freedom our forefat..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b69/norman-thomas-24883_failure_to-us-americans-much-has-been-given-of-u_905394.jpg" --- # To us Americans much has been given; of us much is… ![“To us Americans much has been given; of us much is required. With all our faults and mistakes, it is our strength in support of the freedom our forefathers loved which has saved mankind from subjection to totalitarian power.” quote by Norman Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b69/norman-thomas-24883_failure_to-us-americans-much-has-been-given-of-u_905394.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b69/norman-thomas-24883_failure_to-us-americans-much-has-been-given-of-u_905394.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b69/norman-thomas-24883_failure_to-us-americans-much-has-been-given-of-u_905394.jpg) > “To us Americans much has been given; of us much is required. With all our faults and mistakes, it is our strength in support of the freedom our forefathers loved which has saved mankind from subjection to totalitarian power.” [Norman Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-thomas/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. America receives abundant blessings but also bears heavy responsibilities; collective effort and moral courage are needed to protect freedom **In simple terms:** Freedom requires both gifts and duties Key Takeaway Balance privilege with responsibility Themes civic duty freedom responsibility Mood thoughtful determined Type political philosophical When to use this quote - national policy debates - community service - education reform - civil rights activism Key Concepts social contract ethical obligation Questions to Reflect On - What responsibilities do you feel most strongly? - How can societies ensure freedom without oppression? A Different Perspective Idealistic view may overlook practical constraints and differing perspectives ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Americans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/americans/) [Americans Given](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/americans-given-412408/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Faults](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faults/) [Forefathers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forefathers/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Freedom Forefathers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom-forefathers-1280425/) [Given](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/given/) [Mankind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mankind/) [Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Saved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saved/) [Support](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/support/) [Support Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/support-freedom-890082/) ## Related quotes > [It is hard to know how many people do, but given that the people are so docile towards the rulers, nowadays, very few Americans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bovard/it-is-hard-to-know-how-many-people-do-but-given-that-the-people-are/) [James Bovard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bovard/) > [Thousands of Americans have given their lives in Afghanistan and Iraq upholding their oaths and defending this nation. Chelsea Manning broke her oath and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/thousands-of-americans-have-given-their-lives-in-afghanistan-and-iraq/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [Americans are given the sole option of electing their jailer for four years and sometimes do him the honour of re-electing him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/che-guevara/americans-are-given-the-sole-option-of-electing-their-jailer-for-four/) [Che Guevara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/che-guevara/) > [Americans have been given goals to achieve in Iraq, but not the standards by which to measure progress. And the only assurance Americans have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-j-kennedy/americans-have-been-given-goals-to-achieve-in-iraq-but-not-the/) [Patrick J. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-j-kennedy/) > [When you have a strong support system, you have the freedom to express yourself in whatever capacity you can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shweta-menon/when-you-have-a-strong-support-system-you-have-the-freedom-to-express/) [Shweta Menon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shweta-menon/) > [I support freedom of speech - even Pamela Geller's right to her Islamophobic subway posters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mona-eltahawy/i-support-freedom-of-speech-even-pamela-geller-s-right-to-her/) [Mona Eltahawy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mona-eltahawy/) > [The last line of defense in support of freedom and the Constitution consists of the people themselves. If the people want to be free,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/the-last-line-of-defense-in-support-of-freedom-and-the-constitution/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) > [Regardless of political beliefs, if we truly hold freedom & democracy dear to our hearts we will support freedom of the press.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/regardless-of-political-beliefs-if-we-truly-hold-freedom-democracy/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I support freedom and I support a free market economy, but it should be a socially oriented market economy. I support globalization, but it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-gorbachev/i-support-freedom-and-i-support-a-free-market-economy-but-it-should/) [Mikhail Gorbachev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-gorbachev/) > [My gift to the Elton John Foundation is intended to emphasize that we support freedom of all people to live their lives peacefully, without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-anschutz/my-gift-to-the-elton-john-foundation-is-intended-to-emphasize-that-we/) [Philip Anschutz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-anschutz/) > [“This is just one ! ?...Of millions ..support you ...Freedom is our emblem”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hesham-nebr/this-is-just-one-of-millions-support-you-freedom-is-our-emblem/) [Hesham Nebr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hesham-nebr/) > [Freedom can be gained only at the point of an IRA rifle, and I apologize to no one for saying that we support the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-mcguinness/freedom-can-be-gained-only-at-the-point-of-an-ira-rifle-and-i/) [Martin McGuinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-mcguinness/) > [We need the historian and philosopher to give us with trenchant pen, the story of our forefathers, and let our soul and body, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arturo-alfonso-schomburg/we-need-the-historian-and-philosopher-to-give-us-with-trenchant-pen/) [Arturo Alfonso Schomburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arturo-alfonso-schomburg/) > [These are people who haven't gone through the legal means to becoming citizens like our forefathers did. They want all the benefits but none…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-dillon/these-are-people-who-haven-t-gone-through-the-legal-means-to-becoming/) [Matt Dillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-dillon/) > [I'm not convinced that the world is in any worse shape than it ever was. It's just that in this age of almost instantaneous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-vaughan/i-m-not-convinced-that-the-world-is-in-any-worse-shape-than-it-ever/) [Bill Vaughan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-vaughan/) ## More by Norman Thomas > [I always get more applause than votes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-thomas/i-always-get-more-applause-than-votes/) [Norman Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-thomas/) > [Rebellion per se is not a virtue. If it were, we would have some heroes on very low levels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-thomas/rebellion-per-se-is-not-a-virtue-if-it-were-we-would-have-some-heroes/) [Norman Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-thomas/) > [The difference between Democrats and Republicans is: Democrats have accepted some ideas of Socialism cheerfully, while Republicans have accepted them reluctantly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-thomas/the-difference-between-democrats-and-republicans-is-democrats-have/) [Norman Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-thomas/) > [The central law of all wholesome life is reciprocity, mutuality. ... But the group is valuable only as it permits personalities, not automatons, to emerge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-thomas/the-central-law-of-all-wholesome-life-is-reciprocity-mutuality-but/) [Norman Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-thomas/) > [Peace will never be entirely secure until men everywhere have learned to conquer poverty without sacrificing liberty or security.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-thomas/peace-will-never-be-entirely-secure-until-men-everywhere-have-learned/) [Norman Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-thomas/) > [The struggle is confused; our knight wins by no clean thrust of lance or sword, but the dragon somehow poops out, and decent democracy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-thomas/the-struggle-is-confused-our-knight-wins-by-no-clean-thrust-of-lance/) [Norman Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-thomas/) > [I walk where I choose to walk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-thomas/i-walk-where-i-choose-to-walk/) [Norman Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-thomas/) > [You may use different sorts of sentences and illustrations before different sorts of audiences, but you don't -- if you are wise -- talk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-thomas/you-may-use-different-sorts-of-sentences-and-illustrations-before/) [Norman Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-thomas/) > [The Socialist Party will no longer be running a candidate for president. The Democratic Party is leading this country to Socialism much faster than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-thomas/the-socialist-party-will-no-longer-be-running-a-candidate-for/) [Norman Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-thomas/) > [I am not the champion of lost causes, but the champion of causes not yet won.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-thomas/i-am-not-the-champion-of-lost-causes-but-the-champion-of-causes-not/) [Norman Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-thomas/) > [The very existence of armaments and great armies psychologically accustoms us to accept the philosophy of militarism. They inevitably increase fear and hate in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-thomas/the-very-existence-of-armaments-and-great-armies-psychologically/) [Norman Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-thomas/) > [If you want a symbolic gesture, don't burn the flag, wash it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-thomas/if-you-want-a-symbolic-gesture-don-t-burn-the-flag-wash-it/) [Norman Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-thomas/) > [“The difference between Democrats and Republicans is: Democrats have accepted some ideals of socialism cheerfully, while Republicans have accepted them reluctantly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-thomas/the-difference-between-democrats-and-republicans-is-democrats-have-2/) [Norman Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-thomas/) > [The American people will never knowingly adopt socialism. But, under the name of 'liberalism,' they will adopt every fragment of the socialist program, until…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-thomas/the-american-people-will-never-knowingly-adopt-socialism-but-under/) [Norman Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-thomas/) > [All our rulers have said that war is unthinkable, and then we think about it almost all the time. We've got to make it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-thomas/all-our-rulers-have-said-that-war-is-unthinkable-and-then-we-think/) [Norman Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-thomas/) [Explore all 22 Norman Thomas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-thomas/) ## More Americans quotes > [“People – Americans, mostly – realise how attached they are to material comforts when they arrive in India.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-william-roberts/people-americans-mostly-realise-how-attached-they-are-to-material/) [Paul William Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-william-roberts/) > [Music has an intrinsic value that touches Americans - they love their music, and want more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-rosen/music-has-an-intrinsic-value-that-touches-americans-they-love-their/) [Hilary Rosen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-rosen/) > [Americans are very friendly and very suspicious, that is what Americans are and that is what always upsets the foreigner, who deals with them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/americans-are-very-friendly-and-very-suspicious-that-is-what/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [“Medical studies have shown that cursing reduces levels of stress and pain. Repressing your anger is not healthy. It's much better to verbalize it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-markus-malloy/medical-studies-have-shown-that-cursing-reduces-levels-of-stress-and/) [Oliver Markus Malloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-markus-malloy/) > [Just because the Americans are so good at rattling out accessible and cheap junk food, nobody looks twice when it comes to their food.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-oliver/just-because-the-americans-are-so-good-at-rattling-out-accessible-and/) [Jamie Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-oliver/) > [My parents don't care what Americans think of us; we just care what the other Indian people in our community think of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/himanshu-suri/my-parents-don-t-care-what-americans-think-of-us-we-just-care-what/) [Himanshu Suri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/himanshu-suri/) > [When Americans, who have no idea who I am, laugh at my jokes, it's exactly the same if someone loves you even if you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gad-elmaleh/when-americans-who-have-no-idea-who-i-am-laugh-at-my-jokes-it-s/) [Gad Elmaleh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gad-elmaleh/) > [So Americans understand the costs of war. Yet as a country, we will never tolerate our security being threatened, nor stand idly by when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-americans-understand-the-costs-of-war-yet-as-a-country-we-will/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [We Americans tend to be a prodigal lot. We are as careless with our personal resources as we are with the resources of nature,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-crook-de-camp/we-americans-tend-to-be-a-prodigal-lot-we-are-as-careless-with-our/) [Catherine Crook de Camp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-crook-de-camp/) > [Americans will put up with anything provided it doesn't block traffic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-rather/americans-will-put-up-with-anything-provided-it-doesn-t-block-traffic/) [Dan Rather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-rather/) > [Most Americans believe in fairness; we believe that people should work hard but there should be a safety net. We believe in saving the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-maclean/most-americans-believe-in-fairness-we-believe-that-people-should-work/) [Nancy MacLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-maclean/) > [“Using a wide variety of media, we could demonstrate for our fellow Americans their anxieties, desires, insufficiencies, and frustrations--and how to assuage them all.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-ferris/using-a-wide-variety-of-media-we-could-demonstrate-for-our-fellow/) [Joshua Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-ferris/) > [The Americans say that we are ungrateful-but I ask them for heaven's sake, what should we be grateful to them for-for murdering our fathers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-walker/the-americans-say-that-we-are-ungrateful-but-i-ask-them-for-heaven-s/) [David Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-walker/) > [So many Korean Americans like me came to this country with the hope of achieving their own American Dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-steel/so-many-korean-americans-like-me-came-to-this-country-with-the-hope/) [Michelle Steel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-steel/) > [You are Americans. You love this country. Together we are entrusted with the principles that represent mankind's greatest political and social achievement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tsongas/you-are-americans-you-love-this-country-together-we-are-entrusted/) [Paul Tsongas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tsongas/) [Browse all 1,536 Americans quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/americans/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "To us Americans much has been given; of us much is required. 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