--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In addition, it seemed unlikely that one…" description: "\"“In addition, it seemed unlikely that one nation could govern an entire continent. The distances were just too great. A critical fact in the world of 1..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35e/stephen-e-ambrose-16557_jefferson_in-addition-it-seemed-unlikely-that-one_3150489.jpg" --- # In addition, it seemed unlikely that one nation could… ![“In addition, it seemed unlikely that one nation could govern an entire continent. The distances were just too great. A critical fact in the world of 1801 was that nothing moved faster than the speed of a horse. No human being, no manufactured item, no bushel of wheat, no side of beef (or any beef…” quote by Stephen E. Ambrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35e/stephen-e-ambrose-16557_jefferson_in-addition-it-seemed-unlikely-that-one_3150489.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35e/stephen-e-ambrose-16557_jefferson_in-addition-it-seemed-unlikely-that-one_3150489.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35e/stephen-e-ambrose-16557_jefferson_in-addition-it-seemed-unlikely-that-one_3150489.jpg) > ““In addition, it seemed unlikely that one nation could govern an entire continent. The distances were just too great. A critical fact in the world of 1801 was that nothing moved faster than the speed of a horse. No human being, no manufactured item, no bushel of wheat, no side of beef (or any beef on the hoof, for that matter), no letter, no information, no idea, order, or instruction of any kind moved faster. Nothing ever had moved any faster, and, as far as Jefferson’s contemporaries were able to tell, nothing ever would.I And”” [Stephen E. Ambrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-e-ambrose/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. In 1801, the speed of a horse limited governance, making continental control impractical. **In simple terms:** Travel and communication were too slow for one nation to rule a continent. Key Takeaway Recognize logistical limits of power. Themes governance technology logistics Mood reflective analytical Type historical strategic When to use this quote - modern digital age - global corporations - international law - space exploration Key Concepts historical constraints communication transportation political ambition Questions to Reflect On - How would faster communication change political boundaries? - What modern tools overcome historic logistical challenges? A Different Perspective Assumes no faster alternatives existed; ignores emerging technologies. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [1801 Moved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/1801-moved-5654423/) [Entire Continent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entire-continent-1291607/) [Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jefferson/) [Jefferson Contemporaries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jefferson-contemporaries-5654424/) [World 1801](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-1801-5654422/) ## Related quotes > [Our vision is to, one day, connect all of Europe with our Hyperloop One system, networking the entire continent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shervin-pishevar/our-vision-is-to-one-day-connect-all-of-europe-with-our-hyperloop-one/) [Shervin Pishevar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shervin-pishevar/) > [There can be no doubt that if we had been victorious on the Vistula, the revolutionary fires would have reached the entire continent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-tukhachevsky/there-can-be-no-doubt-that-if-we-had-been-victorious-on-the-vistula/) [Mikhail Tukhachevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-tukhachevsky/) > [“Childhood: it was like trying to chart an entire continent by the brief flare of a firework. Except that you had no idea that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-docx/childhood-it-was-like-trying-to-chart-an-entire-continent-by-the/) [Edward Docx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-docx/) > [I think deep down, this planet yearns for the days of the British Empire again. They long once more to be treated that badly,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-oliver/i-think-deep-down-this-planet-yearns-for-the-days-of-the-british/) [John Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-oliver/) > [Why on Earth would the United States ever want to be more like Europe? Correct me if I'm wrong, but we left, did we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-crowder/why-on-earth-would-the-united-states-ever-want-to-be-more-like-europe/) [Steven Crowder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-crowder/) > [“Despite the fact that the entire continent was unable to itself produce even a single consumer Internet company of global scope, Europe did reserve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-garcia-martinez/despite-the-fact-that-the-entire-continent-was-unable-to-itself/) [Antonio Garcia Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-garcia-martinez/) > [“Jefferson could write, “I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-e-ambrose/jefferson-could-write-i-tremble-for-my-country-when-i-reflect-that/) [Stephen E. Ambrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-e-ambrose/) > [So now it turns out that Thomas Jefferson was having sex with Sally Hemings while serving in the 101st Airborne during the Vietnam War.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-coulter/so-now-it-turns-out-that-thomas-jefferson-was-having-sex-with-sally/) [Ann Coulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-coulter/) > [The English are no nearer than they were a hundred years ago to knowing what Jefferson really meant when he said that God had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/the-english-are-no-nearer-than-they-were-a-hundred-years-ago-to/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [“The Jefferson is such a dignified hotel / There is no such thing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tennessee-williams/the-jefferson-is-such-a-dignified-hotel-there-is-no-such-thing/) [Tennessee Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tennessee-williams/) > [“...The Presidential election has given me less anxiety than I myself could have imagined. The next administration will be a troublesome one, to whomsoever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/the-presidential-election-has-given-me-less-anxiety-than-i-myself/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [In seeking an empire of liberty, Jefferson wished not only to expand the country's territorial holdings, but also to extend American institutions around the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/in-seeking-an-empire-of-liberty-jefferson-wished-not-only-to-expand/) [Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/) > [probably the greatest concentration of talent and genius in this house except for perhaps those times when Thomas Jefferson ate alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/probably-the-greatest-concentration-of-talent-and-genius-in-this/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [Thomas Jefferson was a real poet. He was slick with that 'pursuit' of happiness because the 'pursuit' puts it back on you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/thomas-jefferson-was-a-real-poet-he-was-slick-with-that-pursuit-of/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [ “Thomas Jefferson High School \[..\] His high school was named after a slave owner who was also one of the world’s greatest theoreticians on… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/thomas-jefferson-high-school-his-high-school-was-named-after-a-slave/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) ## More by Stephen E. Ambrose > [“Hitler made only one big mistake when he built his Atlantic Wall,” the paratroopers liked to say. “He forgot to put a roof on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-e-ambrose/hitler-made-only-one-big-mistake-when-he-built-his-atlantic-wall-the/) [Stephen E. Ambrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-e-ambrose/) > [“All that existed was precious in Crazy Horse’s religion—whatever a man did or thought was good, was wakan, so long as he obeyed his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-e-ambrose/all-that-existed-was-precious-in-crazy-horse-s-religion-whatever-a/) [Stephen E. Ambrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-e-ambrose/) > [“Thus the total armada amounted to 5,333 ships and craft of all types,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-e-ambrose/thus-the-total-armada-amounted-to-5-333-ships-and-craft-of-all-types/) [Stephen E. Ambrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-e-ambrose/) > [“Ronald Spiers: The only hope you have is to accept the fact that you're already dead. The sooner you accept that, the sooner you'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-e-ambrose/ronald-spiers-the-only-hope-you-have-is-to-accept-the-fact-that-you/) [Stephen E. Ambrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-e-ambrose/) > [“These are some of the qualities that make for a good company commander. Lewis had them in abundance, plus some special touches that made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-e-ambrose/these-are-some-of-the-qualities-that-make-for-a-good-company/) [Stephen E. Ambrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-e-ambrose/) > [“Older British observers complained, "The trouble with you Yanks is that you are overpaid, oversexed, and over here." (To which the Yanks would reply,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-e-ambrose/older-british-observers-complained-the-trouble-with-you-yanks-is-that/) [Stephen E. Ambrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-e-ambrose/) > [“I instinctively dislike ever to uphold the conservative as opposed to the bold”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-e-ambrose/i-instinctively-dislike-ever-to-uphold-the-conservative-as-opposed-to/) [Stephen E. Ambrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-e-ambrose/) > [“No wrong will ever be done you by our nation.”3”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-e-ambrose/no-wrong-will-ever-be-done-you-by-our-nation-3/) [Stephen E. Ambrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-e-ambrose/) > [“Of courage undaunted, possessing a firmness and perseverance of purpose which nothing but impossibilities could divert from its direction, careful as a father of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-e-ambrose/of-courage-undaunted-possessing-a-firmness-and-perseverance-of/) [Stephen E. Ambrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-e-ambrose/) > [“Jefferson could write, “I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-e-ambrose/jefferson-could-write-i-tremble-for-my-country-when-i-reflect-that/) [Stephen E. Ambrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-e-ambrose/) > [“May works be the test of patriotism as they ought, of right, to be of religion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-e-ambrose/may-works-be-the-test-of-patriotism-as-they-ought-of-right-to-be-of/) [Stephen E. Ambrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-e-ambrose/) > [“So it had always been and apparently would be. The terms “peace” and “war” as understood by the Americans had no meaning to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-e-ambrose/so-it-had-always-been-and-apparently-would-be-the-terms-peace-and-war/) [Stephen E. Ambrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-e-ambrose/) > [“(In Austria after VE Day) Sergeant Mercier...dressed in a full German officer's uniform, topped off with a monocle for his right eye. Someone got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-e-ambrose/in-austria-after-ve-day-sergeant-mercier-dressed-in-a-full-german/) [Stephen E. Ambrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-e-ambrose/) > [“SHAEF had prepared for everything except the weather. It now became an obsession. It was the one thing for which no one could plan,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-e-ambrose/shaef-had-prepared-for-everything-except-the-weather-it-now-became-an/) [Stephen E. Ambrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-e-ambrose/) > [“Pvt. Robert Fruling said he spent two and a half days at Pointe-du-Hoc, all of it crawling on his stomach. He returned on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-e-ambrose/pvt-robert-fruling-said-he-spent-two-and-a-half-days-at-pointe-du-hoc/) [Stephen E. Ambrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-e-ambrose/) [Explore all 39 Stephen E. Ambrose quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-e-ambrose/) ## More Jefferson quotes > [ “Thomas Jefferson High School \[..\] His high school was named after a slave owner who was also one of the world’s greatest theoreticians on… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/thomas-jefferson-high-school-his-high-school-was-named-after-a-slave/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [Thomas Jefferson was a real poet. He was slick with that 'pursuit' of happiness because the 'pursuit' puts it back on you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/thomas-jefferson-was-a-real-poet-he-was-slick-with-that-pursuit-of/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [probably the greatest concentration of talent and genius in this house except for perhaps those times when Thomas Jefferson ate alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/probably-the-greatest-concentration-of-talent-and-genius-in-this/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [In seeking an empire of liberty, Jefferson wished not only to expand the country's territorial holdings, but also to extend American institutions around the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/in-seeking-an-empire-of-liberty-jefferson-wished-not-only-to-expand/) [Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/) > [“...The Presidential election has given me less anxiety than I myself could have imagined. The next administration will be a troublesome one, to whomsoever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/the-presidential-election-has-given-me-less-anxiety-than-i-myself/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [“The Jefferson is such a dignified hotel / There is no such thing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tennessee-williams/the-jefferson-is-such-a-dignified-hotel-there-is-no-such-thing/) [Tennessee Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tennessee-williams/) > [The English are no nearer than they were a hundred years ago to knowing what Jefferson really meant when he said that God had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/the-english-are-no-nearer-than-they-were-a-hundred-years-ago-to/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [So now it turns out that Thomas Jefferson was having sex with Sally Hemings while serving in the 101st Airborne during the Vietnam War.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-coulter/so-now-it-turns-out-that-thomas-jefferson-was-having-sex-with-sally/) [Ann Coulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-coulter/) > [I knew Thomas Jefferson. He was a friend of mine. And believe me, you are no Thomas Jefferson. (at 1992 Republican party convention, referring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/i-knew-thomas-jefferson-he-was-a-friend-of-mine-and-believe-me-you/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [“A morsel of genuine history is a thing so rare as to be always valuable. Thomas Jefferson”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-grove/a-morsel-of-genuine-history-is-a-thing-so-rare-as-to-be-always/) [Tim Grove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-grove/) > [ Every answer he \[President John Adams\] gives to his addressers unmasks more and more his principles and views. His language to the young men… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/every-answer-he-president-john-adams-gives-to-his-addressers-unmasks/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [Mr. Jefferson has reason to reflect upon himself. How he will get rid of his remorse in his retirement, I know not. He must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/mr-jefferson-has-reason-to-reflect-upon-himself-how-he-will-get-rid/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [I love the example of Jefferson because he's willing to murder his government and then he becomes a president and then his face is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cody-wilson/i-love-the-example-of-jefferson-because-he-s-willing-to-murder-his/) [Cody Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cody-wilson/) > [What I'm thinking about more and more these days is simply the importance of transparency, and Jefferson's saying that he'd rather have a free…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-dyson/what-i-m-thinking-about-more-and-more-these-days-is-simply-the/) [Esther Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-dyson/) > [ \[John\] Adams was the best and most colorful stylist among the Founders. Although \[Tomas\] Jefferson is widely regarded as the smoothest writer, Adams is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-s-wood/john-adams-was-the-best-and-most-colorful-stylist-among-the-founders/) [Gordon S. Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-s-wood/) [Browse all 174 Jefferson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jefferson/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“In addition, it seemed unlikely that one nation could govern an entire continent. The distances were just too great. A critical fact in the world of 1801 was that nothing moved faster than the speed of a horse. No human being, no manufactured item, no bushel of wheat, no side of beef (or any beef on the hoof, for that matter), no letter, no information, no idea, order, or instruction of any kind moved faster. 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