The Papers of Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was one of the most prolific authors in United States Constitutional History, and his works both public and private have been preserved through the efforts of countless historical societies throughout the country. Most famously through these sources:
Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States and a leader in the Enlightenment, spoke five languages fluently and was deeply interested in science, invention, architecture, religion and philosophy, interests that led him to the founding of the University of Virginia after his presidency. He designed his own large mansion on a 5,000 acre plantation near Charlottesville, Virginia, which he named Monticello. While not a notable orator, Jefferson was a skilled writer and corresponded with many influential people in America and Europe throughout his adult life. Here are some of the papers which are of the greatest historical significance.
Portrait of Thomas Jefferson by Rembrandt Peale, oil on canvas
Thomas Jefferson's Draft of the Declaration of Independence
Thomas Jefferson's Papers
Jefferson's Draft of the Declaration of Independence (1776)
Jefferson's Draft of the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom (1779)
An excerpt from Notes on the State of Virginia (1781)
Excerpt from a Letter to James Madison (1785)
The Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom (1786)
Letter to Edward Carrington (1787)
Letter to Samuel Kercheval (1816)
To the New Haven Merchants (July 12, 1801)
To William G. Munford (June 18, 1799)
Portrait of Jefferson courtesy of Wikimedia Commons under the Creative Commons Share-Alike License 3.0. Images of the drafts of the Declaration of Independence courtesy of the Library of Congress under the Open Government License.
