--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Though written constitutions may be…" description: "\"Though written constitutions may be violated in moments of passion or delusion, yet they furnish a text to which those who are watchful may again rally..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bd/thomas-jefferson-43_constitution_though-written-constitutions-may-be-viol_2486482.jpg" --- # Though written constitutions may be violated in moments of… ![“Though written constitutions may be violated in moments of passion or delusion, yet they furnish a text to which those who are watchful may again rally and recall the people; they fix too for the people the principles of their political creed.” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bd/thomas-jefferson-43_constitution_though-written-constitutions-may-be-viol_2486482.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bd/thomas-jefferson-43_constitution_though-written-constitutions-may-be-viol_2486482.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bd/thomas-jefferson-43_constitution_though-written-constitutions-may-be-viol_2486482.jpg) > “Though written constitutions may be violated in moments of passion or delusion, yet they furnish a text to which those who are watchful may again rally and recall the people; they fix too for the people the principles of their political creed.” [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. Constitutions can be ignored in crises, yet they serve as a rallying point for vigilant citizens to uphold core principles. **In simple terms:** Constitutions guide people even when temporarily broken. Key Takeaway Stay vigilant and refer back to foundational texts. Themes law citizenship principles vigilance Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical political When to use this quote - court rulings - political movements - public protests Key Concepts social contract rule of law civic duty Questions to Reflect On - How can citizens effectively defend constitutional values? - What mechanisms ensure accountability? A Different Perspective Constitutions alone cannot enforce compliance without active citizens. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Constitution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constitution/) [Constitutions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constitutions/) [Constitutions Violated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constitutions-violated-920608/) [Creeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creeds/) [Delusion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/delusion/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments/) [Passion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passion/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Political Creed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-creed-920610/) [Principles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principles/) [Recalls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/recalls/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Watchful Rally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/watchful-rally-920611/) [Written](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/written/) [Written Constitutions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/written-constitutions-920609/) ## Related quotes > [There are loads of countries that have nice written constitutions like ours. 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They ascribe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/some-men-look-at-constitutions-with-sanctimonious-reverence-and-deem-3/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [The constitutions of most of our States assert that all power is inherent in the people; that... it is their right and duty to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/the-constitutions-of-most-of-our-states-assert-that-all-power-is/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [“The principle of the national state, that is to say, the political demand that the territory of every state should coincide with the territory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-r-popper/the-principle-of-the-national-state-that-is-to-say-the-political/) [Karl R. Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-r-popper/) > [Men by their constitutions are naturally divided into two parties: 1. Those who fear and distrust the people, and wish to draw all powers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/men-by-their-constitutions-are-naturally-divided-into-two-parties-1/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Some men look at Constitutions with sanctimonious reverence, and deem them, like the ark of the covenant, too sacred to be touched. They ascribe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/some-men-look-at-constitutions-with-sanctimonious-reverence-and-deem-2/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [I suspect political fiction is at its best precisely when it doesn't preach, but restricts itself to showing the reader a different way of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-stross/i-suspect-political-fiction-is-at-its-best-precisely-when-it-doesn-t/) [Charles Stross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-stross/) > [“Some men look at constitutions with sanctimonious reverence, and deem them like the ark of the covenant, too sacred to be touched. They ascribe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/some-men-look-at-constitutions-with-sanctimonious-reverence-and-deem/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [“United by no fixed principles or objects and destitute of everything like American feeling, so detestable a minority never existed in any country—Their whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-meacham/united-by-no-fixed-principles-or-objects-and-destitute-of-everything/) [Jon Meacham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-meacham/) > [Any extreme political creed brought only darkness in the long run; it lit up nothing. 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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 Constitution quotes > [ Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. 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