Richard Rush Part Two is now available!
Sept. 1, 2019

3.02 – Jefferson Pre-Presidency Part Two

3.02 – Jefferson Pre-Presidency Part Two

Year(s) Discussed: 1774-1801

Between the publication of “Summary View of the Rights of British America” and his assuming the presidency, Jefferson made a name for himself by drafting the Declaration of Independence, struggled to see his home state of Virginia through the Revolution as governor, experienced a devastating personal loss, and served the new nation at home and abroad. Though his rise in national prominence as the leader of the opposition would ultimately lead to him becoming the third President, not only his public record but also various facets of Jefferson’s personal life would pose challenges for the new administration before it even began.

Special thanks to Alex for providing one of the intro quotes for this episode!

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  • Jefferson, Thomas. “III. Jefferson’s “original Rough draught” of the Declaration of Independence, 11 June–4 July 1776,” Founders Online, National Archives, accessed April 11, 2019, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-01-02-0176-0004. [Original source: The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, vol. 1, 1760–1776, ed. Julian P. Boyd. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1950, pp. 423–428.] [Last Accessed: 14 Jul 2019]
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  • Jefferson, Thomas. “Notes on the State of Virginia.” The Portable Thomas Jefferson. Merrill D Peterson, ed. New York: Penguin Books, 1977 [1975]. p. 23-232.
  • Jefferson, Thomas. “To Chastellux, 26 November 1782,” Founders Online, National Archives, accessed April 11, 2019, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-06-02-0192. [Original source: The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, vol. 6, 21 May 1781–1 March 1784, ed. Julian P. Boyd. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1952, pp. 203–204.] [Last Accessed: 9 Aug 2019]
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  • Jefferson, Thomas. “To Henry Lee, 8 May 1825,” Founders Online, National Archives, accessed April 11, 2019, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/98-01-02-5212. [Last Accessed: 2 Aug 2019]
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  • Malone, Dumas. Jefferson and the Ordeal of Liberty: Jefferson and His Time, Volume Three. Boston: Little, Brown and Co, 1962.
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  • Wood, Gordon S. Friends Divided: John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. New York: Penguin Press, 2017.

Featured Images: “Thomas Jefferson” by Mather Brown [c. 1786], courtesy of Wikipedia, and “Thomas Jefferson” by Rembrandt Peale [c. 1800], courtesy of Wikipedia