31 Fourth of July Quotes to Help You Celebrate Independence Day

This Fourth of July will look different than most with social distancing measures still in full effect. Even if you can’t throw a big outdoor party or host an epic neighborhood parade, there are still plenty of ways to celebrate this year. As we navigate a time that is sure to be documented in future history books, take a minute to brush up on the history of the holiday and read these Fourth of July quotes from figures in our country’s history.  Whether you’re looking for an Instagram caption for your #PatrioticPie or just need an extra dose of the American spirit, these Independence Day quotes will help you celebrate the holiday. As you hang your Fourth of July decorations and make classic red, white, and blue desserts, reflect on what each of these patriotic quotes means to you.

"Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country." - President John F. Kennedy

"May we think of freedom, not as the right to do as we please, but as the opportunity to do what is right." - Entertainer Peter Marshall

"There is nothing nobler than risking your life for your country." – Congressman Nick Lampson

"In the truest sense, freedom cannot be bestowed; it must be achieved." - President Franklin D. Roosevelt

"The essence of America, that which really unites us, is not ethnicity, or nationality or religion. It is an idea, and what an idea it is—that you can come from humble circumstances and do great things.” - Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice

“With every friendship you make and every bond of trust you establish, you are shaping the image of America projected to the rest of the world.” - Former First Lady Michelle Obama

"Freedom is never really won. You earn it and win it in every generation.” - Activist Coretta Scott King

"I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country." - Revolutionary War Soldier Nathan Hale

"There is nothing wrong with America that cannot be cured by what is right with America." - President Bill Clinton

"In the face of impossible odds, people who love their country can change it." - President Barack Obama

"The magic of America is that we're a free and open society with a mixed population. Part of our security is our freedom.” - Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright

"The life of the nation is secure only while the nation is honest, truthful, and virtuous.” - Abolitionist Frederick Douglass

“How wonderful it is to be an American. We have known the best of times and the worst of times.” - Author Maya Angelou

“I believe our flag is more than just cloth and ink. It is a universally recognized symbol that stands for liberty, and freedom. It is the history of our nation, and it’s marked by the blood of those who died defending it.” - Senator John Thune

“Human rights is the soul of our foreign policy. And I say this with assurance, because human rights is the soul of our sense of nationhood.” - President Jimmy Carter

“America is another name for opportunity." - Author Ralph Waldo Emerson

"I think of a hero as someone who understands the degree of responsibility that comes with his freedom." - Musician Bob Dylan

“One flag, one land, one heart, one hand, one nation evermore.” - Former Associate Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes

“America was built on courage, on imagination, and an unbeatable determination to do the job at hand.” - President Harry S. Truman

"Duty, honor, country. Those three hallowed words reverently dictate what you ought to be, what you can be, what you will be." - General Douglas MacArthur

“Tonight I dare you to dream, go on to believe impossible things. Whenever anybody says there’s anything we can’t do, I mean after all, there’s an American flag on the moon.” - Musician Brad Paisley

"America, to me, is freedom." - Musician Willie Nelson

"Americans never quit. We never surrender. We never hide from history. We make history." - Senator John McCain

“We’re blessed with the opportunity to stand for something—for liberty and freedom and fairness. And these are things worth fighting for, worth devoting our lives to.” - President Ronald Reagan

"It’s important that we establish that we are a country that has open arms and not closed borders for people. It’s important because we let people know why America is what it is. It’s about an ideal and that ideal is freedom for everybody." - Television Host Oprah Winfrey

"It's what the brave and courageous are fighting for, an open sail on a distant shore: Freedom." - Musician Kenny Chesney

"Where you see wrong or inequality or injustice, speak out, because this is your country. This is your democracy. Make it. Protect it. Pass it on." - Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall

"This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave." - Reporter Elmer Davis

“And I'm proud to be an American, where at least I know I'm free. And I won't forget the men who died, who gave that right to me. And I'd gladly stand up next to you and defend her still today. 'Cause there ain't no doubt, I love this land, God Bless the U.S.A.” - Musician Lee Greenwood

"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.” - Former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt

"Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it." - Author Mark Twain