"Territory is but the body of a nation. The people who inhabit its hills and valleys are its soul, its spirit, its life"

This quote by James A. Garfield speaks with the significance of the people in a nation. He emphasizes that the land, or area, is simply the physique of a nation, however it is individuals who populate it that give it life and spirit. He is recommending that individuals are the most important part of a nation, and without them, the land is absolutely nothing more than a barren wasteland. He is likewise suggesting that the people are the ones who give a country its identity and culture, and that without them, a nation would be absolutely nothing more than a piece of land without any purpose or meaning. This quote is a suggestion that the people are the most fundamental part of a nation, which without them, a nation would be nothing more than a lifeless body.