Hillsdale College

Justice

Give what is due to each person and to the community.

StoriesPoemsLives of Virtue

Justice is the cardinal virtue that regulates human works and actions in relation to others. Through the habit of justice, we consistently choose to render to others what is right, seeking to establish equality between what we can give and what a recipient ought to have. In its strictest sense, justice concerns debts between equals; taken more broadly, it also governs unequal relationships and transactions that are not based simply on what is owed.

When we pursue justice, we are concerned with everyone rightly getting what he or she is due (or deserves).

Related Virtues

Gratitude
Patriotism
Respect
Responsibility
Honesty
Friendship
Generosity
Kindness

Featured Stories

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

Story

Johnny TremainEsther Hoskins Forbes
Grade 4-6

Story

The Scarlet PimpernelBaroness Orczy
Grade 6-12

Story

The Voyage of the 'Dawn Treader'C. S. Lewis
Grade 3-6

Story

The Complete Tales of Uncle RemusJulius Lester
Grade K-2

Story

Twenty and TenClare Huchet Bishop
Grade 5-7

Story

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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 Justice

The sweetest lives are those to duty wed...

Duty
By Robert Browning
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For rose-moles all in stipple upon trout that swim

Pied Beauty
By Gerard Manley Hopkins
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Only a sweet and virtuous soul, Like season'd timber, never gives...

Virtue
By George Herbert
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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.
Susan B. Anthony
Susan B. AnthonySusan B. Anthony tirelessly advocated for women's suffrage and equality with unwavering courage and moral conviction.
Harriet Beecher Stowe
Harriet Beecher StoweA picture of courage, honesty, and perseverance Harriet Beecher Stowe used her powerful talent of writing to expose the injustices of slavery and inspire moral awakening across a divided nation.
More Lives of Virtue