The American Story Quotes

“Benjamin Franklin acknowledged while helping create the Constitution of the United States: [T]he longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth: that God* governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid? We have been assured, sir, in the Sacred Writings that “except the Lord build they labor in vain that build it” [quoting the Bible from Psalm 127:1].”
― David Barton, The American Story: The Beginnings

“In 1643, the four separate colonies of Massachusetts Bay, Plymouth Plantation, Connecticut, and New Haven agreed to form an association known as the New England Confederation. This was the first attempt to unite several colonies in mutual cooperation. The governing document for that Confederation clearly stated the Christian nature of these early settlements: Whereas we all came into these parts of America with one and the same end and aim, namely, to advance the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ and to enjoy the liberties of the Gospel in purity and peace….The said United Colonies…[do] enter into a firm and perpetual league of friendship…for preserving and propagating the truth and liberties of the Gospel and for their own mutual safety and welfare.181 The New England Confederation was the first joint government in America, even having its own version of a Congress with elected representatives from each of the four colonies. It lasted until 1684, when Great Britain tried to force the separate colonies to become just one. The people eventually defeated that British plan and restored the independent sovereignty of each colony.”
― David Barton, The American Story: The Beginnings

“The key question for any nation is always, “Which system of morals should be followed?” Numerous American leaders, including Thomas Jefferson, thoroughly investigated the answer to this query. For years, Jefferson studied the moral teachings of dozens of history’s most famous moral philosophers, including Ocellus, Timæus, Pythagoras, Aristides, Cato, Socrates, Plato, Epicurus, Cicero, Xenophon, Seneca, Epictetus, Antoninus, and many others.27 After reading and critiquing the writings of each, Jefferson repeatedly praised the preeminence of Jesus’ moral teachings over all others,28 pointing out that Jesus alone “pushed His scrutinies into the heart of man, erected His tribunal in the region of his thoughts, and purified the waters at the fountain head.”29 Jefferson contemplated publishing a personal work to document his findings, explaining how he would cover this subject in such a piece: I should first take a general view of the moral doctrines of the most remarkable of the ancient philosophers of whose ethics we have sufficient information to make an estimate—say Pythagoras, Epicurus, Epictetus, Socrates, Cicero, Seneca, Antoninus. I should do justice to the branches of morality they have treated well, but point out the importance of those in which they are deficient….I should proceed to a view of the life, character, and doctrines of Jesus….[H]is system of morality was the most benevolent and sublime probably that has been ever taught, and consequently more perfect than those of any of the ancient philosophers.30 Jefferson eventually did compile a work on the “benevolent and sublime” teachings of Jesus for his personal use. He titled it The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth, and in it he included 81 moral teachings of Jesus.31 In 1895, Congress purchased Jefferson’s original manuscript from his great-granddaughter,32 and in 1902, the US Congress published it for use by the nation’s federal senators and representatives.33 Nine thousand copies were printed at government expense, and for the next 50 years, every senator and representative received a copy of Jefferson’s Life and Morals of Jesus at his or her swearing in.34 This book is often called “The Jefferson Bible,” which is a substantial misrepresentation of this work on the wonderful moral teachings of Jesus. After all, Jefferson never called it a Bible; he simply created a readily-usable collection of the moral teachings of Jesus.*”
― David Barton, The American Story: The Beginnings

“I have seen and put in study to look into all the Scriptures….Our Lord opened to my understanding (I could sense His hand upon me), so that it became clear that it was feasible to navigate from here to the Indies....All those who heard about my enterprise rejected it with laughter, scoffing at me….Who doubts that this illumination was from the Holy Spirit? I attest that He [the Spirit], with marvelous rays of light, consoled me through the holy and sacred Scriptures….No one should be afraid to take on any enterprise in the name of our Savior, if it is right and if the purpose is purely for His holy service.33”
― David Barton, The American Story: The Beginnings

“Despite the strong historical evidence that Jefferson was anti-slavery, probably one of the biggest stumbling blocks to accepting this fact today is the widespread modern belief that Jefferson fathered children with slave Sally Hemings. In November 1998, Nature magazine first announced that DNA evidence proved this, and most are familiar with this finding. However, most don’t know that only eight weeks later, that announcement was recalled, with the admission that the DNA test actually had not proven that Jefferson fathered any children with Hemings. As it turns out, no DNA sample from the Thomas Jefferson family line had been used in the testing. It does seem that if someone wanted to test Jefferson’s paternity, his own DNA should probably be used.”
― David Barton, The American Story: The Beginnings

“History repeatedly demonstrates that all governments that do not have comprehensive internal safeguards and restraints accounting for the inherent “depravity of man” will eventually become selfish, corrupt, oppressive, and then tyrannical.”
― David Barton, The American Story: The Beginnings

“Our story is not one of a perfect people, but it is a compelling account of people seeking religious and civil freedom, escaping oppression, pursuing opportunity, and often joining hands with diverse people to achieve common goals.”
― David Barton, The American Story: The Beginnings

“The teachings of the Bible are so interwoven and intertwined with our whole civic and social life that it would be literally - for I do not mean figuratively, I mean literally - impossible for us to figure to ourselves what that life would be if these teachings were removed. We would lose almost all of the standards by which we judge both public and private morals - all the standards toward which we, with more or less resolution, strive to raise ourselves. Almost every man who has by his life-work added to the sum of human achievement of which the human race is proud - of which our people are proud - almost every man has based his life-work largely upon the teachings of the Bible. ~ Theodore Roosevelt, President”
― David Barton, The American Story: The Beginnings

“Signer of the Constitution Alexander Hamilton, like so many others, viewed religious and civil liberties as inseparable, pointing out: Remember: civil and religious liberties always go together; if the foundation of the one be sapped, the other will fall.31”
― David Barton, The American Story: The Beginnings

“[T]he longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth: that God* governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid? We have been assured, sir, in the Sacred Writings that “except the Lord build they labor in vain that build it” [quoting the Bible from Psalm 127:1].4”
― David Barton, The American Story: The Beginnings