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We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Declaration of Independence

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Topic

Equality Natural law Human rights Freedom

Source

Declaration of Independence

Genre

Political literature

Language

English

Time

1776 1770s 18th century

Era

American Revolutionary Period

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Original Citation

United States Declaration of Independence. 1776, preamble.

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Current Citation

The National Archives. The Declaration of Independence: A Transcript. 24 July 2020, www.archives.gov/founding-docs/declaration-transcript.

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I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

I Have a Dream

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Topic

Racial equality Equality Civil rights

Speaker

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Source

I Have a Dream

Medium

Speech

Genre

Political speech

Language

English

Time

1963 1960s 20th century

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Citation

King, Martin Luther, Jr. "I Have a Dream." March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. 28 Aug. 1963, Lincoln Memorial, Washington, DC, USA.

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It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own interest.

Adam Smith

The Wealth of Nations

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Topic

Self-interest Free market Capitalism

Author

Adam Smith

Source

The Wealth of Nations

Genre

Economic literature

Language

English

Time

1776 1770s 18th century

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Original Citation

Smith, Adam. The Wealth of Nations. Vol. 1, London: W. Strahan and T. Cadell, 1776, bk. 1, ch. 2.

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Current Citation

Smith, Adam. The Wealth of Nations, edited by Edwin Cannan. The Modern Library, bk. 1, ch. 2.

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For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Jesus

John 3:16

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Topic

God's love Faith Salvation Eternal life

Speaker

Jesus

Source

Gospel of John The Bible

Medium

Scripture

Genre

Religious literature

Language

Greek

Time

90 90s 1st century

Era

Classical antiquity

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Citation

The Holy Bible: The King James Version. 1611. (John 3:16).

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There is grandeur in this view of life...whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being, evolved.

Charles Darwin

On the Origin of Species

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Topic

Human evolution Creation of man Evolution Human origins

Author

Charles Darwin

Source

On the Origin of Species

Genre

Scientific literature

Language

English

Time

1859 1850s 19th century

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Original Citation

Darwin, Charles. On the Origin of Species. London: John Murray, 1859, ch. 14.

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Current Citation

Darwin, Charles. The Origin of the Species, edited by William Bynum. Penguin, 2009, ch. 14.

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God is dead: but as the human race is constituted, there will perhaps be caves for millenniums yet, in which people will show his shadow.

Friedrich Nietzsche

The Gay Science

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Topic

Existence of God God Decline of religion Atheism Human nature

Author

Friedrich Nietzsche

Source

The Gay Science

Genre

Philosophical literature

Language

German

Time

1882 1880s 19th century

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Original Citation

Nietzsche, Friedrich. Die frohliche Wissenschaft [The Gay Science]. Chemnitz: Ernst Schmeitzner, 1882, bk. 3, no. 108.

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Current Citation

Nietzsche, Friedrich. The Joyous Science, translated by R. Kevin Hill. Penguin Classics, 2019, bk. 3, no. 108.

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BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU.

George Orwell

Nineteen Eighty-Four

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Surveillance Oppression Dystopian future

Author

George Orwell

Source

Nineteen Eighty-Four

Medium

Novel

Genre

Dystopian fiction

Language

English

Time

1949 1940s 20th century

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Citation

Orwell, George. Nineteen Eighty-Four. Secker & Warburg, 1949, pt. 1, ch. 1.

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The proletarians have nothing to lose but their chains.

Karl Marx

The Communist Manifesto

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Topic

Revolution Class conflict Oppression Politics

Author

Karl Marx

Source

The Communist Manifesto

Medium

Pamphlet

Genre

Political literature Economic literature

Language

German

Time

1848 1840s 19th century

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Original Citation

Marx, Karl and Friedrich Engels [published anonymously]. Manifest der kommunistischen Partei [Manifesto of the Communist Party]. London: Gedruckt in der Office der Bildungs-Gesellschaft für Arbeiter, 1848.

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Current Citation

Marx, Karl and Friedrich Engels. The Communist Manifesto, translated by Samuel Moore and Friedrich Engels. Penguin Classics, 2002.

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Wonder is the feeling of a philosopher, and philosophy begins in wonder.

Socrates

Quoted in Theaetetus, by Plato

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Topic

Curiosity Wonder Philosophy

Speaker

Socrates

Author

Plato

Source

Theaetetus

Medium

Philosophical dialogue

Genre

Philosophical literature

Language

Greek

Time

400 BC 400s BC 5th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

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Original Citation

Socrates. Quoted in Θεαίτητος [Theaetetus], written by Plato. c. 369 BC.

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Current Citation

Socrates. Quoted in Theaetetus, written by Plato, translated by John McDowell. Oxford University Press, 2014.

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Imagine there's no heaven,
It's easy if you try,
No hell below us,
Above us only sky.

John Lennon

Imagine

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Topic

Heaven Hell Existence of God

Speaker

John Lennon

Source

Imagine

Medium

Song

Genre

Pop music

Language

English

Time

1971 1970s 20th century

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Citation

Lennon, John. "Imagine." Imagine. Apple Records, 1971.

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The unexamined life is not worth living.

Socrates

Quoted in Apology, by Plato

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Topic

Philosophy Introspection Self-criticism Self-knowledge Wisdom

Speaker

Socrates

Author

Plato

Source

Apology

Medium

Courtroom speech Speech

Genre

Philosophical literature

Language

Greek

Time

399 BC 390s BC 4th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

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Original Citation

Plato. Ἀπολογία Σωκράτους [Apology of Socrates]. Speech of legal self-defence which Socrates spoke at his trial for impiety and corruption. 399 BC, Athens, Greece.

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Current Citation

Plato. "Apology." Plato: Euthyphro; Apology; Crito; Phaedo, translated by Christopher Emlyn-Jones and William Preddy. Harvard University Press, 2017.

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The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.

Franklin D. Roosevelt

First Inaugural Address of Franklin D. Roosevelt

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Fear

Speaker

Franklin D. Roosevelt

Source

First Inaugural Address of Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential inaugural address

Medium

Speech

Genre

Political speech

Language

English

Time

1933 1930s 20th century

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Original Citation

Roosevelt, Franklin D. "First Inaugural Address." 4 Mar. 1933, East Portico, US Capitol Building, Washington, DC, USA.

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Current Citation

Roosevelt, Franklin D. "First Inaugral Address: Washington, DC, March 4, 1933." Great Speeches, edited by John Grafton. Dover, 1999.

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The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles.

Karl Marx

The Communist Manifesto

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Topic

Class conflict Oppression History

Author

Karl Marx

Source

The Communist Manifesto

Medium

Pamphlet

Genre

Political literature Economic literature

Language

German

Time

1848 1840s 19th century

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Original Citation

Marx, Karl and Friedrich Engels [published anonymously]. Manifest der kommunistischen Partei [Manifesto of the Communist Party]. London: Gedruckt in der Office der Bildungs-Gesellschaft für Arbeiter, 1848.

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Current Citation

Marx, Karl and Friedrich Engels. The Communist Manifesto, translated by Samuel Moore and Friedrich Engels. Penguin Classics, 2002.

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In such condition there is no place for industry, because the fruit thereof is uncertain... And the life of man solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.

Thomas Hobbes

Leviathan

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Topic

State of nature Anarchy Government

Author

Thomas Hobbes

Source

Leviathan

Genre

Political literature Philosophical literature

Language

English

Time

1651 1650s 17th century

Era

Age of Enlightenment

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Original Citation

Hobbes, Thomas. Leviathan or The Matter, Forme and Power of a Commonwealth Ecclesiasticall and Civil. London: Andrew Crooke, 1651, pt. 1, ch. 13.

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Current Citation

Hobbes, Thomas. Leviathan, edited by Christopher Brooke. Penguin Classics, 2017, pt. 1, ch. 13.

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And with the guts of the last priest
Let's wring the neck of the last king.

Denis Diderot

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Topic

Anti-clericalism Anti-monarchism Revolution

Author

Denis Diderot

Source

Les Eleutheromanes

Medium

Poem

Genre

Philosophical literature

Language

French

Time

1772 1770s 18th century

Era

Age of Enlightenment

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Citation

Diderot, Denis. "Les Eleutheromanes [The Eleutherans]." Correspondance littéraire, 1 Mar. 1772.

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Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold.

W.B. Yeats

The Second Coming

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Topic

Dissolution Decline of civilization Societal collapse Political polarization Politics

Author

W.B. Yeats

Source

The Second Coming

Medium

Poem

Language

English

Time

1920 1920s 20th century

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Original Citation

Yeats, William Butler. "The Second Coming." The Dial, Nov. 1920.

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Current Citation

Yeats, William Butler. "The Second Coming." W. B. Yeats: The Major Works, edited by Edward Larrissy. Oxford University Press, 2008.

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That's one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind.

Neil Armstrong

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Topic

The moon landing The moon Space race Technological progress Progress

Speaker

Neil Armstrong

Statement Type

Metaphor, analogy and simile

Language

English

Time

1969 1960s 20th century

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Citation

Armstrong, Neil. Spoken on the moon. 20 July 1969.

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This above all: to thine own self be true,
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man.

William Shakespeare

Hamlet

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Topic

Being true to oneself Authenticity Personal integrity

Speaker

Lord Polonius

Author

William Shakespeare

Source

Hamlet

Medium

Play

Genre

Tragedy (play)

Statement Type

Advice

Language

English

Time

1616 1610s 17th century

Era

European Renaissance

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Original Citation

Shakespeare, William. "Hamlet." Mr. William Shakespeare's Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies. London: Edward Blount and William and Isaac Jaggard, 1623, act 1, sc. 3.

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Current Citation

Shakespeare, William. "Hamlet." The Norton Shakespeare, edited by Stephen Greenblatt, et al., 3rd ed., W. W. Norton & Company, 2015, act 3, sc. 4.

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The pen is mightier than the sword.

Edward Bulwer-Lytton

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Topic

Power of literature

Speaker

Cardinal Richelieu

Author

Edward Bulwer-Lytton

Source

Richelieu

Medium

Play

Genre

History play

Statement Type

Metaphor, analogy and simile

Language

English

Time

1839 1830s 19th century

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Citation

Bulwer-Lytton, Edward. Richelieu; Or the Conspiracy. 7 Mar. 1839, Theatre Royal, Covent Garden, London, England, UK, act 2, sc. 2.

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Two roads diverged in a wood, and I ––
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Robert Frost

The Road Not Taken

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Topic

Taking a different path Following the crowd

Author

Robert Frost

Source

The Road Not Taken

Medium

Poem

Language

English

Time

1916 1910s 20th century

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Original Citation

Frost, Robert. "The Road Not Taken." Mountain Interval. Henry Holt, 1916, st. 4, I. 3.

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Current Citation

Frost, Robert. "The Road Not Taken." Robert Frost: Collected Poems, Prose, and Plays, edited by Richard Poirier and Mark Richardson. Library of America, 1995, st. 4, I. 3.

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