Who said “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate…”?

Verified

John Adams. A published source records them saying or writing it.

SourceLetter to the Officers of the First Brigade of the Third Division of the Militia of Massachusetts, 11 October 1798, in Revolutionary Services and Civil Life of General William Hull (New York, 1848), pp 265-6.

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“Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”
— John Adams
VerifiedLetter to the Officers of the First Brigade of the Third Division of the Militia of Massachusetts, 11 October 1798, in Revolutionary Services and Civil Life of General William Hull (New York, 1848), pp 265-6. · evidenceFreedom
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Cite this quote

For academic work, cite the original where you can: Letter to the Officers of the First Brigade of the Third Division of the Militia of Massachusetts, 11 October 1798, in Revolutionary Services and Civil Life of General William Hull (New York, 1848), pp 265-6..

APA

Adams, J. (n.d.). Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/18366-our-constitution-was-made-only-for-a-moral/

MLA

Adams, John. “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/18366-our-constitution-was-made-only-for-a-moral/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Adams, John. “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/18366-our-constitution-was-made-only-for-a-moral/.

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