Hillsdale College

Courage

Remain steadfast when you are afraid.

StoriesPoemsLives of Virtue

Courage is the cardinal virtue that fortifies one’s desire to overcome obstacles and to continue in the pursuit of difficult goods, even in the face of grave dangers. Through the habit of courage, reason governs the passions of fear and daring, ensuring that one neither fails to strive for what is good through cowardice nor enters into unnecessary dangers through recklessness. Taken in its most general sense, courage refers to that vigor of spirit or firmness of character which is a necessary condition for all other virtues.

For Grades K-2:

The virtue of courage gives us the strength to do what is good and right, even when it feels scary or hard. 

For Grades 3-6:

The virtue of courage gives us the strength to pursue what is right, even in the face of fear or difficulty. Courage governs both our fear and our daring, steering us between the extremes of cowardice and recklessness. 

Related Virtues

Steadfastness
Perseverance
Magnanimity

Featured Stories

The Little Hero of Holland The Children’s Book of VirtuesWilliam J. Bennett
Grade 1-2

Story

The Sign of the BeaverElizabeth George Speare
Grade 2-4

Story

The Lion, the Witch, and the WardrobeC.S. Lewis
Grade 3-5

Story

The Princess and the GoblinGeorge MacDonald
Grade 3-5

Story

Johnny TremainEsther Hoskins Forbes
Grade 4-6

Story

The Wind in the WillowsKenneth Grahame
Grade 5-6

Story

More Stories

Featured Biographies

Frederick's Journey: The Life of Frederick Douglass
Frederick's Journey: The Life of Frederick DouglassDoreen Rappaport
Grade 3-6

Biography

Heart on Fire: Susan B. Anthony Votes for PresidentAnna Malaspina
Grade 2-4

Biography

Two FriendsDean Robbins
Grade K-3

Biography

Marching with Aunt Susan: Susan B. Anthony and the Fight for Women's SuffrageClaire Rudolf Murphy
Grade 2-6

Biography

Friends for Freedom: The Story of Susan B. Anthony and Frederick DouglassSuzanne Slade
Grade 2-6

Biography

Susan B. AnthonyAlexandra Wallner
Grade 2-6

Biography

More Biographies
Poems about Courage

Courage! What if the snows are deep, And what if the hills are long and steep

Courage
By Unknown Author
Read More of Courage

And then I’d seemed to notice that her cup was being a little differently picked up.

Going Blind
By Rainer Maria Rilke
Read More of Going Blind

If you can keep your head when all about you Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,

If
By Rudyard Kipling
Read More of If

Out of the night that covers me, Black as the pit from pole to pole, I thank whatever gods may be For my unconquerable soul.

Invictus
By William Ernest Henley
Read More of Invictus

Courage isn't a brilliant dash, A daring deed in a moment's flash...

On Courage
By Edgar Guest
Read More of On Courage

Half a league, half a league, Half a league onward...

The Charge of the Light Brigade
By Alfred Lloyd Tennyson
Read More of The Charge of the Light Brigade

Not in the thick of the fight, Not in the press of the odds, Do the heroes come to their height...

The Verdicts
By Rudyard Kipling
Read More of The Verdicts

I remember the dazed starling...

The Writer
By Richard Wilbur
Read More of The Writer

Lives of Virtue

Frederick DouglassFor his unflinching honesty in sharing his life experience, for his courage in escaping injustice, and for his relentless pursuit of justice, Frederick Douglass exemplifies moral virtue.  
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham LincolnAbraham Lincoln exemplified virtue through his steadfast commitment to justice and the preservation of the Union, guiding the nation with moral clarity and courage during its darkest hours.
George Washington
George WashingtonThanks to his integrity, humility, courage, and wisdom, George Washington has long been known as one of the greatest leaders in American history.
Abigail AdamsRegarded as a "Founding Mother," Abigail Adams shared her husband John Adam's passion for liberty and American independence. She played a pivotal role in shaping the nation's early political and social landscape through her insightful correspondence with John Adams, advocating for women's rights, education, and the abolition of slavery.
More Lives of Virtue