Their sacrifice was great, but not in vain.
All Americans and every free nation on earth can trace their liberty to the white markers of places like Arlington National Cemetery.
And may God keep us ever grateful.
 - George W. Bush

The Founders studied history. They studied governments.
They studied the rise and fall of governments,
and the descent into tyranny that has occurred repeatedly.

They worked for years prior to and following the Revolution to craft a lasting system.
It has been called the Great Experiment, with good reason.
It has stood the test of time, steadily being improved toward "a more perfect union."

Now, though, their writings about the threat of tyranny should be considered a clarion call.

They WARNED us.

They fought to create this Republic. People have fought and died to preserve it.
We owe it to their memory to salvage it.

Excerpts from All things liberty.com/ quotes on tyranny

The founding generation understood the importance of history. They knew unchecked power often resulted in tyranny. They also knew that tyranny resulted in utter chaos and destruction of a nation. It was through their study of history and recognition of tyranny that they forged ahead and built a republic founded on the bedrock principle of liberty. In doing so, not only did they leave us a glimpse of how they planned our nation but also a blueprint of how we ought to consider the future of our nation.

“Single acts of tyranny may be ascribed to the accidental opinion of a day; but a series of oppressions, begun at a distinguished period, and pursued unalterably through every change of ministers, too plainly prove a deliberate and systematical plan of reducing us to slavery”…

Thomas Jefferson stated that an occasional tyrannical act against a people can be overlooked but if the “oppressions” continue repeatedly, they are no longer a figment of someone’s imagination but true and intentional acts of a tyrant.

“Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.”

On December 23, 1776, in The Crisis Number 1, firebrand Thomas Paine demanded from Americans if they were a “summer soldier” or a “sunshine patriot.”

“great power connected with ambition, luxury, and flattery, will as readily produce a Caesar, Caligula, Nero, and Domitian in America, as the same causes did in the Roman empire

-         Antifederalist “Cato” 11/22/1787

“Cato” argued that the new Constitution was weak and unable to safeguard liberty when confronted with tyranny. On November 22, 1787,
Cato, stated that the Constitution provided too many opportunities for abuse of power. Cato claimed if the new Constitution was adopted, it would be a matter of time before America produced a tyrant as Rome did with Caesar.

“The object of every free government is the public good, and all lesser interests yield to it.

That of every tyrannical government, is the happiness and aggrandizement of one,
or a few, and to this the public felicity, and every other interest must submit
- Antifederalist “Brutus”, Essay No. IV, 11/29/1787

Brutus argued that the House of Representatives and Senate were unable to effectively ensure that Americans would find an “equal and full representation” in government. Indeed,
 Brutus claimed that under the new Constitution, as with the judiciary, both the House of Representatives and Senate may produce tyranny and not a free government.

“History will teach us…those men who have overturned the liberties of republics the greatest number have begun their career, by paying an obsequious court to the people, commencing Demagogues and ending Tyrants.”
 -Alexander Hamilton, Federalist #1

“The accumulation of all powers legislative, executive and judiciary in the same hands, whether of one, a few or many, and whether hereditary, self-appointed, or elective, may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny.”
 -James Madison, Federalist #47

“I am more and more convinced, of the propensity in human nature to tyranize over their fellow men….”  
- Mercy Otis Warren writing to her friend John Adams

“A student of history, Warren understood well the laws of nature.
She noted that unprincipled men would eventually overtake the legislature and use the power to tyrannize the people.”