The United States was founded on the fundamental beliefs set forth in the Declaration of Independence: that all people, created equal, are born with the same rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The U.S. Constitution became the blueprint by which its young nation established itself and crafted its vision for the future. It’s a blueprint we sometimes struggle to reconcile in a world the Founding Fathers could never have envisioned nearly 250 years ago.
Patriotism, defined as a love for one’s country and concern for the well-being of its citizens, obviously didn’t originate with the formation of the United States. People the world over feel a special kinship for their home nation.
In fact, the classical understanding of patriotism extends back 2,000 years to Greek and Roman history and the notion of having loyalty to the political ideals of the republic. This ancient concept was based on a love of law and liberty, a pursuit of the common good, and the responsibility one has to their country.
Since the founding of the U.S., its citizens have shared in triumph and tragedy, endured economic depressions and global wars, and continued to grapple with issues of race, class, and sex. They don’t always agree, but their patriotism and commitment to one another’s well-being keeps them moving forward.
Here are 16 quotes from world leaders, activists, philosophers, and writers about the meaning of patriotism and the enduring hope we all share for a brighter future for every citizen.
Patriotism means to stand by the country. It does not mean to stand by the President or any other public official, save exactly to the degree in which he himself stands by the country.Theodore Roosevelt
In America, nobody says you have to keep the circumstances somebody else gives you.Amy Tan
Patriotism is not a short and frenzied outburst of emotion but the tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime.Adlai Stevenson II
Ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.John F. Kennedy
Freedom is never really won. You earn it and win it in every generation.Coretta Scott King
A man’s country is not a certain area of land, of mountains, rivers, and woods, but it is a principle: and patriotism is loyalty to that principle.George William Curtis
Dreams are the foundation of America.Lupita Nyong'o
While some people think that dissent is unpatriotic, I would argue that dissent is the highest form of patriotism.Howard Zinn
True patriotism springs from a belief in the dignity of the individual, freedom and equality not only for Americans but for all people on earth, universal brotherhood and good will, and a constant and earnest striving toward the principles and ideals on which this country was founded.Eleanor Roosevelt
Dissent, rebellion, and all-around hell-raising remain the true duty of patriots.Barbara Ehrenreich
There is nothing wrong with America that cannot be cured by what is right with America.Bill Clinton
May the sun in his course visit no land more free, more happy, more lovely, than this, our own country.Daniel Webster
The life of the nation is secure only while the nation is honest, truthful, and virtuous.Frederick Douglass
Unless our conception of patriotism is progressive, it cannot hope to embody the real affection and the real interest of the nation.Jane Addams
Love your neighbor as yourself, and your country more than yourself.Thomas Jefferson
I love America more than any other country in the world, and, exactly for this reason, I insist on the right to criticize her perpetually.James Baldwin
Featured image credit: CRobertson/ iStock
