Americanism is a question of principle, of idealism, of character. It is not a matter of birthplace, or creed, or line of descent.
Theodore RooseveltRead
Every immigrant who comes here should be required within five years to learn English or leave the country.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the importance of language acquisition for immigrants as a means of integration into society.
Theodore Roosevelt's quote advocates for the necessity of learning English as a crucial step for immigrants to fully participate in American society. He suggests that after five years, immigrants should either have learned the language to support their integration or consider leaving the country, highlighting the value placed on communication and cultural assimilation in society.
Themes
ImmigrationEnglishLanguageIntegrationSociety
In practice
Example use cases
A speaker at an immigration conference may reference this quote to discuss language policies.
More from Theodore Roosevelt
All quotes βIt tires me to talk to rich men. You expect a man of millions, the head of a great industry, to be a man worthhearing; but as a rule they don't know anything outside their own business.
Theodore RooseveltRead
No man should receive a dollar unless that dollar has been fairly earned.
Theodore RooseveltRead
Keep your eyes on the stars, and your feet on the ground.
Theodore RooseveltRead
Conservation means development as much as it does protection._x000D_ _x000D_ A man's usefulness depends upon his living up to his ideals insofar as he can.
Theodore RooseveltRead
It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; . . . who at best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly.
Theodore RooseveltRead
Similar quotes
Much as we may wish to make a new beginning, some part of us resists doing so as though we were making the first step toward disaster.
William BridgesRead
Every generation renews itself in its own way; there's always a reaction against whatever is standard.
Sol LewittRead
There is nothing wrong with changing a plan when the situation has changed.
Seneca The YoungerRead
Remember that the revolution is what is important, and each one of us, alone, is worth nothing.
Che GuevaraRead
In a moment the ashes are made, but a forest is a long time growing.
Seneca The YoungerRead
Security can only be achieved through constant change, through discarding old ideas that have outlived their usefulness and adapting others to current facts.
William O. DouglasRead