This article was last updated on December 5, 2021
As the first president of the United States, George Washington had to set a great example for generations to come. A military and political leader and strategist, he was the only man who Electoral College elected unanimously and served as president twice. His actions and his personal philosophy have greatly shaped the American culture. I’ve crafted this collection of fascinating George Washington quotes to motivate you on your own path.
Always a proponent of liberty and individual rights, he acted in a responsible and careful manner. In his teens, George Washington worked as a surveyor and farmer, inheriting a significant estate. Later, he started his military career in the Virginia militia and led small formations of men in a series of small skirmishes with French soldiers. Washington truly rose to prominence in the American War of Independence, where he led large forces in open field combat for the first time. Charismatic and confident, he was able to lead his men through disease, harsh winter and near mutiny against Britain, the strongest military force in the world at the time.
George Washington refused to serve a third term as president. Instead, he chose to spend his last years as a gentleman farmer away from public life. A dignified public servant and a distinguished military leader, Washington was a true patriot. He is an American icon, and for a good reason.
Here is our selection of 21 fascinating George Washington quotes about dignity, duty and responsibility:
11 Fascinating George Washington Quotes
- “It is better to offer no excuse than a bad one.” – George Washington
- “To be prepared for war is one of the most effective means of preserving peace.” – George Washington
- “Worry is the interest paid by those who borrow trouble.” – George Washington
- “Human happiness and moral duty are inseparably connected.” – George Washington
- “Truth will ultimately prevail where there is pains to bring it to light.” – George Washington
- “There is nothing which can better deserve your patronage, than the promotion of science and literature. Knowledge is in every country the surest basis of public happiness.” – George Washington
- “Real men despise battle, but will never run from it.” – George Washington Quotes
- “True friendship is a plant of slow growth, and must undergo and withstand the shocks of adversity, before it is entitled to the appellation.” – George Washington
- “Discipline is the soul of an army. It makes small numbers formidable; procures success to the weak, and esteem to all.” – George Washington
- “Let your heart feel for the afflictions and distress of everyone, and let your hand give in proportion to your purse.” – George Washington
- “Liberty, when it begins to take root, is a plant of rapid growth.” – George Washington
10 Quotes By George Washington To Make You Think
- “My first wish is to see this plague of mankind, war, banished from the earth.” – George Washington
- “The harder the conflict, the greater the triumph.” – George Washington
- “The foolish and wicked practice of profane cursing and swearing is a vice so mean and low that every person of sense and character detests and despises it.” – George Washington
- “We should not look back unless it is to derive useful lessons from past errors, and for the purpose of profiting by dearly bought experience.” – George Washington
- “If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.” – George Washington
See also: 20 Leo Tolstoy Quotes You Must Read - “Be not glad at the misfortune of another, though he may be your enemy.” – George Washington Quotes
- “Associate yourself with men of good quality, if you esteem your own reputation; for ‘tis better to be alone than in bad company.” – George Washington
- “Be courteous to all, but intimate with few, and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence.” – George Washington
- “I hope I shall possess firmness and virtue enough to maintain what I consider the most enviable of all titles, the character of an honest man.” – George Washington
- “I’ll die on my feet before I’ll live on my knees!” – George Washington
Summary
Thank you for taking a look at our choice selection of George Washington quotes! If you want more people to enjoy this article, share it around social media using the buttons below.
Which are your favorite George Washington quotes? Tell us in the comments section.
