--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: America was based on a big promise--a…" description: "\"America was based on a big promise--a great big one: the Declaration of Independence. When you have to live with that in the house, that's quite a prob..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/170/robert-penn-warren-2118_america_america-was-based-on-a-big-promise-a-gre_579024.jpg" --- # America was based on a big promise--a great big one: the… ![“America was based on a big promise--a great big one: the Declaration of Independence. When you have to live with that in the house, that's quite a problem--particularly when you've got to make money and get ahead, open world markets, do all the things you have to, raise your children, and so…” quote by Robert Penn Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/170/robert-penn-warren-2118_america_america-was-based-on-a-big-promise-a-gre_579024.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/170/robert-penn-warren-2118_america_america-was-based-on-a-big-promise-a-gre_579024.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/170/robert-penn-warren-2118_america_america-was-based-on-a-big-promise-a-gre_579024.jpg) > “America was based on a big promise--a great big one: the Declaration of Independence. When you have to live with that in the house, that's quite a problem--particularly when you've got to make money and get ahead, open world markets, do all the things you have to, raise your children, and so forth. America is stuck with its self-definition put on paper in 1776, and that was just like putting a burr under the metaphysical saddle of America--you see, that saddle's going to jump now and then and it pricks.” [Robert Penn Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-penn-warren/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. America’s founding ideals clash with modern pressures, creating tension between ideals and reality. **In simple terms:** Founding ideals clash with modern life. Key Takeaway Recognize and navigate the gap between ideals and reality. Themes identity politics history economics family Mood reflective critical hopeful Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - career advancement - parenting - political debate - economic policy - civic engagement Key Concepts Americanism idealism pragmatism Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance national ideals with personal goals? - What compromises are necessary in modern America? A Different Perspective Idealism may ignore practical constraints and diverse experiences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Burrs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/burrs/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Declaration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/declaration/) [Declaration of independence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/declaration-of-independence/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Independence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/independence/) [Making money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-money/) [Metaphysical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/metaphysical/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Promise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/promise/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [If I was to really get at the burr in my saddle, it's not politics - and this is, I think, probably a horrible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/if-i-was-to-really-get-at-the-burr-in-my-saddle-it-s-not-politics-and/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [I'm the company philosopher and the burr in the saddle. 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It came out of nation states based on geographical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milo-yiannopoulos/the-majority-of-western-culture-came-out-of-europe-which-is-not/) [Milo Yiannopoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milo-yiannopoulos/) > [We look to our communities, our faiths, our families for our joy, our support, in good times and bad. It is both how we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/we-look-to-our-communities-our-faiths-our-families-for-our-joy-our/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [When we were touring heavily in America, we based ourselves there for a couple of years, but now we're all back here and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-may/when-we-were-touring-heavily-in-america-we-based-ourselves-there-for/) [Brian May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-may/) > [Innovation and meritocracy was what America was based on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shiva-ayyadurai/innovation-and-meritocracy-was-what-america-was-based-on/) [Shiva Ayyadurai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shiva-ayyadurai/) > [Inherited wealth, that is not what America is based upon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-neal/inherited-wealth-that-is-not-what-america-is-based-upon/) [Richard Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-neal/) > [Heaven sometimes hedges a rare character about with ungainliness and odium, as the burr that protects the fruit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/heaven-sometimes-hedges-a-rare-character-about-with-ungainliness-and/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [The even mead, that erst brought sweetly forth The freckled cowslip, burnet, and green clover, Wanting the scythe, all uncorrected, rank, Conceives by idleness,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/the-even-mead-that-erst-brought-sweetly-forth-the-freckled-cowslip/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Never do today what you can do tomorrow, because something may occur to make you regret your premature action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-burr/never-do-today-what-you-can-do-tomorrow-because-something-may-occur/) [Aaron Burr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-burr/) ## More by Robert Penn Warren > [If you are an idealist, it does not matter what you do or what goes on around you because it isn't real anyway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-penn-warren/if-you-are-an-idealist-it-does-not-matter-what-you-do-or-what-goes-on/) [Robert Penn Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-penn-warren/) > [“The child comes home and the parent puts the hooks in him. 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You stop going to sleep in order that you may be able to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-penn-warren/sometimes-sleep-gets-to-be-a-serious-and-complete-thing-you-stop/) [Robert Penn Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-penn-warren/) > [“He thought of night coming on. He thought of the loneliness of tonight, this first night in the ground. This, he thought, was the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-penn-warren/he-thought-of-night-coming-on-he-thought-of-the-loneliness-of-tonight/) [Robert Penn Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-penn-warren/) > [I reckon I am a smart aleck, but it is just a way to pass the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-penn-warren/i-reckon-i-am-a-smart-aleck-but-it-is-just-a-way-to-pass-the-time/) [Robert Penn Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-penn-warren/) > [The poem is not a thing we see; it is, rather, a light by which we may see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-penn-warren/the-poem-is-not-a-thing-we-see-it-is-rather-a-light-by-which-we-may/) [Robert Penn Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-penn-warren/) > [The asking and the answering which history provides may help us to understand, even to frame, the logic of experience to which we shall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-penn-warren/the-asking-and-the-answering-which-history-provides-may-help-us-to/) [Robert Penn Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-penn-warren/) > [Process as process is neither morally good nor morally bad. 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When you have to live with that in the house, that's quite a problem--particularly when you've got to make money and get ahead, open world markets, do all the things you have to, raise your children, and so forth. 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