--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: God forbid we should ever be twenty years…" description: "\"God forbid we should ever be twenty years without such a rebellion... We have had thirteen States independent for eleven years. There has been one rebe..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6eb/thomas-jefferson-43_century_god-forbid-we-should-ever-be-twenty-year_3053945.jpg" --- # God forbid we should ever be twenty years without such a… ![“God forbid we should ever be twenty years without such a rebellion... We have had thirteen States independent for eleven years. There has been one rebellion. That comes to one rebellion in a century and a half, for each State. What country before ever existed a century and a half without a…” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6eb/thomas-jefferson-43_century_god-forbid-we-should-ever-be-twenty-year_3053945.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6eb/thomas-jefferson-43_century_god-forbid-we-should-ever-be-twenty-year_3053945.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6eb/thomas-jefferson-43_century_god-forbid-we-should-ever-be-twenty-year_3053945.jpg) > “God forbid we should ever be twenty years without such a rebellion... We have had thirteen States independent for eleven years. There has been one rebellion. That comes to one rebellion in a century and a half, for each State. What country before ever existed a century and a half without a rebellion.” [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Rebellions are rare in the United States; a century and a half without one would be unprecedented. **In simple terms:** U.S. has seen few rebellions historically. Key Takeaway Value and protect civic engagement. Themes politics history rebellion Mood thoughtful critical Type historical political When to use this quote - historical essays - political theory - education Key Concepts civic duty government stability public discourse Questions to Reflect On - What role do rebellions play in democracy? - How can citizens influence change without uprising? A Different Perspective A nation without rebellion may lack active citizen participation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Century](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/century/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Country Existed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country-existed-655887/) [Economy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economy/) [Eleven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eleven/) [Half](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/half/) [Has beens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/has-beens/) [Independent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/independent/) [Liberalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberalism/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Rebellion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rebellion/) [Rebellion Century](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rebellion-century-5092283/) [Revolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/revolution/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [States](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/states/) [States Independent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/states-independent-1038083/) [Thirteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thirteen/) [Twenties](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/twenties/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) [Years Rebellion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years-rebellion-653011/) ## Related quotes > [God forbid we should ever be twenty years without such a rebellion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/god-forbid-we-should-ever-be-twenty-years-without-such-a-rebellion/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [The true theory of our Constitution is surely the wisest and best, that the states are independent as to everything within themselves and united…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/the-true-theory-of-our-constitution-is-surely-the-wisest-and-best-2/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [The true theory of our Constitution is surely the wisest and best, that the States are independent as to everything within themselves, and united…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/the-true-theory-of-our-constitution-is-surely-the-wisest-and-best/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [What country before ever existed a century and a half without a rebellion? And what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/what-country-before-ever-existed-a-century-and-a-half-without-a/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [The late rebellion in Massachusetts has given more alarm than I think it should have done. Calculate that one rebellion in thirteen states in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/the-late-rebellion-in-massachusetts-has-given-more-alarm-than-i-think/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [I had a couple of years of rebellion - I was singing in a rock band.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-arnault/i-had-a-couple-of-years-of-rebellion-i-was-singing-in-a-rock-band/) [Antoine Arnault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-arnault/) > [Some time ago, the United States was an English colony. 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