--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The only foundation for useful education…" description: "\"The only foundation for useful education in a republic is to be laid in religion.\" — Thomas Jefferson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cd/thomas-jefferson-43_education_the-only-foundation-for-useful-education_1600625.jpg" --- # The only foundation for useful education in a republic is… ![“The only foundation for useful education in a republic is to be laid in religion.” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cd/thomas-jefferson-43_education_the-only-foundation-for-useful-education_1600625.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cd/thomas-jefferson-43_education_the-only-foundation-for-useful-education_1600625.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cd/thomas-jefferson-43_education_the-only-foundation-for-useful-education_1600625.jpg) > “The only foundation for useful education in a republic is to be laid in religion.” [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. Education should be grounded in moral and religious values to sustain a republic. **In simple terms:** Religion underpins civic education. Key Takeaway Integrate moral teachings in schooling. Themes civic virtue religion education Mood thoughtful controversial Type political ethical When to use this quote - public schools - curriculum design - community programs Key Concepts political philosophy theology Questions to Reflect On - What role should religion play in public schools? - Can civic virtue be taught without faith? A Different Perspective Secular societies may disagree. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Republic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/republic/) ## Related quotes > [The only foundation for . . . a republic is to be laid in Religion. Without this there can be no virtue, and without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-rush/the-only-foundation-for-a-republic-is-to-be-laid-in-religion-without/) [Benjamin Rush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-rush/) > [“The only foundation for a useful education in a republic is to be laid in religion. Without this there can be no virtue, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-rush/the-only-foundation-for-a-useful-education-in-a-republic-is-to-be/) [Benjamin Rush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-rush/) > [“Whatever happens to us, was a useful education.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/whatever-happens-to-us-was-a-useful-education/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [The exercises of practical life are formative activities, a work of adaptation to the environment. Such adaptation to the environment and efficient functioning therein…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/the-exercises-of-practical-life-are-formative-activities-a-work-of/) [Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/) > [The really useful education is that which follows the direction of the child's own instinctive interests, supplying knowledge for which it is seeking, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/the-really-useful-education-is-that-which-follows-the-direction-of/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [The people are not always well-informed, but is better that they have misconceptions that make them restless than that they be lethargic-for lethargy in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/the-people-are-not-always-well-informed-but-is-better-that-they-have/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/when-once-a-republic-is-corrupted-there-is-no-possibility-of/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [As, for the safety of society, we commit honest maniacs to Bedlam, so judges should be withdrawn from their bench, whose erroneous biases are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/as-for-the-safety-of-society-we-commit-honest-maniacs-to-bedlam-so/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Ours is a representative republic with a Constitution in which is recognized the natural law and the natural rights of man. It is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/ours-is-a-representative-republic-with-a-constitution-in-which-is/) [Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) > [Menaced by collectivist trends, we must seek revival of our strength in the spiritual foundations which are the bedrock of our republic. Democracy is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-hoover/menaced-by-collectivist-trends-we-must-seek-revival-of-our-strength/) [Herbert Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-hoover/) > [Without morals a republic cannot subsist any length of time; they therefore who are decrying the Christian religion, whose morality is so sublime and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-carroll-of-carrollton/without-morals-a-republic-cannot-subsist-any-length-of-time-they/) Charles Carroll of Carrollton > [The cornerstone of democracy rests on the foundation of an educated electorate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/the-cornerstone-of-democracy-rests-on-the-foundation-of-an-educated/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [The fumes of the most disordered imaginations were recorded in their religious code, as special communications of the Deity; and as it could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/the-fumes-of-the-most-disordered-imaginations-were-recorded-in-their/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [The true foundation of republican government is the equal right of every citizen in his person and property and in their management.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/the-true-foundation-of-republican-government-is-the-equal-right-of/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [For not only every democracy, but certainly every republic, bears within itself the seeds of its own destruction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-not-only-every-democracy-but-certainly-every-republic-bears/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Thomas Jefferson > [A man has a right to use a saw, an axe, a plane, separately; may he not combine their uses on the same piece…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/a-man-has-a-right-to-use-a-saw-an-axe-a-plane-separately-may-he-not/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [ \[States and the Federal government are\] coordinate departments of one simple and integral whole... The one is the domestic, the other the foreign branch… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/states-and-the-federal-government-are-coordinate-departments-of-one/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [I am for freedom of religion, and against all maneuvers to bring about a legal ascendency of one sect over another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/i-am-for-freedom-of-religion-and-against-all-maneuvers-to-bring-about/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Single acts of tyranny may be ascribed to the accidental opinion of a day; but a series of oppressions, begun at a distinguished period…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/single-acts-of-tyranny-may-be-ascribed-to-the-accidental-opinion-of-a/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [“Perceiving the order of nature to be that individual happiness shall be inseparable from the practice of virtue, I am willing to hope it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/perceiving-the-order-of-nature-to-be-that-individual-happiness-shall/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Free government is founded in jealousy, and not in confidence; it is jealousy, and not confidence, which prescribes limited constitutions, to bind down those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/free-government-is-founded-in-jealousy-and-not-in-confidence-it-is/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Though you cannot see, when you take one step, what will be the next, yet follow truth, justice, and plain dealing, and never fear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/though-you-cannot-see-when-you-take-one-step-what-will-be-the-next/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [A well informed citizenry is the best defense against tyranny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/a-well-informed-citizenry-is-the-best-defense-against-tyranny/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [The two principles on which our conduct towards the Indians should be founded are justice and fear. After the injuries we have done them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/the-two-principles-on-which-our-conduct-towards-the-indians-should-be/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Knowledge is power...knowled ge is safety...knowle dge is happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/knowledge-is-power-knowled-ge-is-safety-knowle-dge-is-happiness/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [There is... an artificial aristocracy founded on wealth and birth, without either virtue or talents... The artificial aristocracy is a mischievous ingredient in government,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/there-is-an-artificial-aristocracy-founded-on-wealth-and-birth/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Nothing but free argument, raillery and even ridicule will preserve the purity of religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/nothing-but-free-argument-raillery-and-even-ridicule-will-preserve/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [When the people are afraid of the government, that's tyranny. But when the government is afraid of the people, that's liberty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/when-the-people-are-afraid-of-the-government-that-s-tyranny-but-when/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed, by their Creator, with certain unalienable Rights,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/we-hold-these-truths-to-be-self-evident-that-all-men-are-created/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) [Explore all 2,098 Thomas Jefferson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) ## More Education quotes > [I put myself in the student's place and remember the frustrations, doubts, determination, and desires I felt when I was going through the initial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-martinez/i-put-myself-in-the-student-s-place-and-remember-the-frustrations/) Ted Martinez > [“In school you are taught to obey and not to think straight for your own good. Otherwise the world would be full of millionaires…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/in-school-you-are-taught-to-obey-and-not-to-think-straight-for-your/) [Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/) > [For successful education there must always be a certain freshness in the knowledge dealt with. It must be either new in itself or invested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/for-successful-education-there-must-always-be-a-certain-freshness-in/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [Where I grew up, learning was a collective activity. But when I got to school and tried to share learning with other students that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/where-i-grew-up-learning-was-a-collective-activity-but-when-i-got-to/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [There's no authoritarian structure at Reed College, but the education is conservative. So what you have is a lot of students who are very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/there-s-no-authoritarian-structure-at-reed-college-but-the-education/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [“What's the best thing about being in college? Good teachers. They inspire you, they entertain you, and you end up learning a ton even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/what-s-the-best-thing-about-being-in-college-good-teachers-they/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [“If one has not a head of steel it will burst; if he has not within it a brain of liquid quicksilver, he will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ioannes-amos-commenius/if-one-has-not-a-head-of-steel-it-will-burst-if-he-has-not-within-it/) Ioannes Amos Commenius > [“let us not teach / what we have learned badly / and not profited by”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-d-hilda-doolittle/let-us-not-teach-what-we-have-learned-badly-and-not-profited-by/) H.D. (Hilda Doolittle > [“It took me years to learn to sit at my desk for more than two minutes at a time, to put up with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/it-took-me-years-to-learn-to-sit-at-my-desk-for-more-than-two-minutes/) [Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/) > [According to Plato, we don't learn anything. Our soul has lived so many lives that we know everything. Teachers and education can only remind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/according-to-plato-we-don-t-learn-anything-our-soul-has-lived-so-many/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [“I only began to enjoy studying after I got through the educational system and became a so-called member of society. If something interested me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-only-began-to-enjoy-studying-after-i-got-through-the-educational/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you had made the acquiring of ignorance the study of your life, you could not have graduated with higher honor than you could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/if-you-had-made-the-acquiring-of-ignorance-the-study-of-your-life-you/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [How wonderful it would be, I thought, if only we could practice the teachings of the Buddha as he really taught them from his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dzogchen-ponlop-rinpoche/how-wonderful-it-would-be-i-thought-if-only-we-could-practice-the/) [Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dzogchen-ponlop-rinpoche/) > [English teachers tend to put more thought in the books than the author did](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/english-teachers-tend-to-put-more-thought-in-the-books-than-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When will society, like a mother, take care of all her children?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace-mann/when-will-society-like-a-mother-take-care-of-all-her-children/) [Horace Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace-mann/) [Browse all 37,666 Education quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The only foundation for useful education in a republic is to be laid in religion.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Thomas Jefferson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/the-only-foundation-for-useful-education-in-a-republic-is-to-be-laid/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Education" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/the-only-foundation-for-useful-education-in-a-republic-is-to-be-laid/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cd/thomas-jefferson-43_education_the-only-foundation-for-useful-education_1600625.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cd/thomas-jefferson-43_education_the-only-foundation-for-useful-education_1600625.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cd/thomas-jefferson-43_education_the-only-foundation-for-useful-education_1600625.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The only foundation for useful education in a republic is to be laid in religion.” — Thomas Jefferson", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Thomas Jefferson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The only foundation for useful education...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/the-only-foundation-for-useful-education-in-a-republic-is-to-be-laid/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/the-only-foundation-for-useful-education-in-a-republic-is-to-be-laid/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```