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50 Powerful Patriotic Quotes That Honor the American Spirit

"Freedom is never granted; it is won."

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Loving your country is the heart of true patriotism! And what better way to celebrate that spirit than through these inspiring patriotic quotes? While they shine brightest on holidays like Memorial Day and the 4th of July, that feeling of pride for your homeland isn't just reserved for special days. Those holidays highlight important chapters of our nation's story, but there are countless other reasons to feel proud of where you call home. Whether you need the perfect patriotic caption for your next Instagram post or a heartfelt message to share with a friend, you'll find the right words right here.

Ahead, you'll find a quote for just about every mood and occasion, including simple one-liners like Christopher Gadsden's words: "What I can do for my country, I am willing to do." There are also longer verses with a little more to unpack, like this quote from Franklin D. Roosevelt about freedom: "In the truest sense, freedom cannot be bestowed; it must be achieved." Thrown into the mix are a few unexpected 4th of July quotes and Memorial Day quotes about patriotism by household names, like these words from John Adams: “It will be celebrated with pomp and parade, bonfires and illuminations from one end of this continent to the other.”

More patriotic reads:

1

Willie Nelson

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"America, to me, is freedom."

2

Richard Rorty

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"National pride is to countries what self-respect is to individuals: a necessary condition for self-improvement."

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3

Albert Camus

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"Freedom is nothing but a chance to be better."

4

Benjamin Franklin

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"Where liberty dwells, there is my country."

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5

Robert Frost

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"Freedom lies in being bold."

6

Oliver Wendell Holmes

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"One flag, one land, one heart, one hand, one nation forevermore!"

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7

Nathan Hale

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"I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country."

8

James Bryce

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"Patriotism consists not in waving the flag, but in striving that our country shall be righteous as well as strong."

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9

John F. Kennedy

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"Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country."

10

Henry James

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"Patriotism is like charity—it begins at home."

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11

A. Philip Randolph

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"Freedom is never granted; it is won."

12

Douglas MacArthur

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"No man is entitled to the blessings of freedom unless he be vigilant in its preservation."

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13

Bono

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"America is not just a country, it's an idea."

14

Phil Vassar

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"Dreams can grow wild born inside an American child."

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15

Jessi Lane Adams

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"I love my freedom. I love my America."

16

William Faulkner

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“We must be free not because we claim freedom, but because we practice it.”

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17

Thurgood Marshall

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“This is your democracy. Make it. Protect it. Pass it on.”

18

Herbert Hoover

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“Freedom is the open window through which pours the sunlight of the human spirit and human dignity.”

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19

George Orwell

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“If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.”

20

Daniel Webster

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“May the sun in his course visit no land more free, more happy, more lovely, than this our own country!”

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Nitya Rao
Editorial Assistant

Nitya Rao is the editorial assistant at The Pioneer Woman, covering stories ranging from food, fashion, beauty, lifestyle, news, and more. 

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