Life Without Thomas Jefferson

1516 words - 7 pages

Imagine a life without freedom of religion. Imagine a country without Wyoming, Washington, Idaho, and the rest of the western states obtained from the Louisiana Purchase. Without Thomas Jefferson, it is very hard to imagine where our nation would be today. As the creator of the Declaration of Independence, and author of many other early writings that shaped our nation, Thomas Jefferson is responsible for a great amount of rights and properties we are privileged to be a part of today.Jefferson was a man of education that spent a great majority of his time learning to read Greek, Latin, and play the violin as a child rather than engage in activities of the average young boy. Soon Jefferson ...view middle of the document...

After the creation of the declaration of independence, Jefferson took interest in freedom of religion. Jefferson?s fight for religious freedom was deeply rooted in his passionate conviction for the human mind must be free and that the truth must not be coerced (Patterson 41). The bill for religious freedom was eventually passed in 1786 and instantly became his proudest accomplishment. Jefferson thought that under no circumstance should the government interfere with the right to worship (Patterson 41). Jefferson?s involvement as an author was the key to much of his success and leader of our nation. Even though Jefferson dealt with hardships in the deaths of family members, injury, and humiliation, Jefferson continued to pursue politics and government for a large portion of his life.Before many of Jefferson?s accomplishments as an author (including the Declaration), he was involved with the Virginia Legislator and entered the Virginia House of Burgesses (Schlesinger 2). In 1779 Jefferson was appointed to war governor in the revolutionary war. While he was the governor, Jefferson was humiliated when the British invaded. Jefferson was said to be the cause of defeat and was exonerated. After his exoneration, he resigned his position as a Virginian Legislature, turned down an opportunity to serve in the continental congress, and was injured on his horse to add to humiliation. Bouncing back into politics soon after his wife died, Jefferson was elected to the New Congress. In 6 months Jefferson had accomplished the drafting of 31 important papers (Patterson 47). He also devised the plan that provided self government for the western territories and established the procedure for them to become states (Patterson 47-48). Being annoyed with congress, Jefferson gladly accepted an invitation to make treaties with the nations of Europe from Benjamin Franklin and John Adams. Jefferson became respected in France along with winning much respect for the United States. While in his stay in France, Jefferson became the American Ambassador while helping the French into a better and new constitution. After five years of stay in Europe, Jefferson fled back to America to spend time back at home in Monticello with intensions of returning soon one day. When Jefferson returned he was appointed to Secretary of State by George Washington. Jefferson didn?t want to accept the position, but his friend Madison convinced him that the new government of the country needed him (Patterson 54). Jefferson began his project with the creation of weights and measures for country and became involved with his bitter relationship towards Alexander Hamilton. Jefferson wanted to end his position after Washington?s first term, but was convinced to stay. Jefferson?s last act as Secretary of state was a letter to the French government explaining the problem with the French government and the problem with the French ambassador Edmond Genet. After Jefferson resigned from his position as Secreta...

More like Essay On Life Without Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson Research Paper - Paper/english - Research Paper

1509 words - 7 pages ... Thomas Jefferson Jaden Merkley Period b4 2/27/19 Jefferson had a profound effect on the United States, both as a founding father and as a President of the country. Events in his early life led him to become interested in law, which helped him write the Declaration of Independence. Thomas Jefferson was an American who had a great impact on America and contributed to it in many ways, improving it with his ideas. Jefferson was born on a plantation ...

The Declaration Of Independence - School - Essay

1005 words - 5 pages ... are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness”. Thomas Jefferson recognized that these rights aren't always attainable, but when a government repeatedly ignores these rights entirely, it then becomes the right of the people “... to throw off such a government...” He then claims that the King of Great Britain has subjected the people of America to his tyranny for too long. The list of offenses against the colonist’s proceeds, with a focus on the ...

Talk About Washington And W. Dubois - Ramapo College History - Essay

558 words - 3 pages Free ... do not think Benjamin Banneker got what he wanted from Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson seemed to be entertaining him, just responding to the letter to say that he did. It is evident in Jefferson’s personal life that he did not explicitly believe that African Americans and their white counterparts were equal. If Benjamin had change or challenged Jefferson’s mind or attitude towards slaves, Jefferson could have implemented laws that helped enslaved ...

Rhetorical Anylasis On Decleration Of Independence - English - Essay

557 words - 3 pages ... , God-given rights as a free nation which is still in order to this day forward. Jefferson uses a passionate tone in the declaration of independence addressing the King of England and other foreign leaders. Thomas Jefferson leads with John Locke’s, a famous philosopher, idea of natural rights. These truths include unalienable rights, all men are created equal, and life liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Life, means people have the right to protect ...

Thomas Paine Living Style And What He Did For His People. - American History - Essay

870 words - 4 pages ... one they were leaving at the time. Quoted word for word by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison that were on Thomas Paine’s side during the monarchy since they were both inspired by him, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness” [footnoteRef:2] Thomas Paine’s viewpoint on human ...

Comparison Paper Between The Declaration Of Independence And The Constitution - GOV 200 - Comparison Paper

721 words - 3 pages ... . Constitution. Let’s start with the one that came first, The Declaration of Independence. The Declaration was adopted by The Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. It was authored by Thomas Jefferson with the help of others. The main theme of declaration of independence document was to demonstrate that all people are equal, and no government should have the power to oppress its. The Declaration told Britain that it had stomped on the ...

The Lesson Before Dying - Essay - Northpark Secondary School - Essay

879 words - 4 pages ... Jefferson was not born in Louisiana maybe he could have had another chance at life without something stopping him. Overall, I believe that setting affects the central theme of the story due to the fact that setting shows how much control someone has over their life Therefore, I believe that the central theme of the story revolves around the setting. Location interprets the actions that happen, the setting affects moods and behaviors, and finally ...

Compare The U.S. Constitution, Declaration Of Independence, And Thomas Jefferson Letters - Liberty University/ GOVT200 - Comparison Paper

1116 words - 5 pages ... Comparison Paper Takareathia Rose GOVT200, L30374945 America has built its foundation off of a few founding documents, which include The Declaration of Independence, The Constitution, and was supported by Thomas Jefferson Letters to the Danbury Baptist in 1802. These documents were intended to set a foundation for the lifestyle that will be enforced throughout the population. However, these documents differ in many ways such as goals, content ...

The Founding Documents Of The United States - Liberty University Government - Essay

804 words - 4 pages ... Independence The Declaration of Independence was written in 1776 and was mostly authored by Thomas Jefferson. The purpose of this document was to announce that the 13 English colonies in North America decided to become independent from England and start a new country. One important idea in the Declaration of Independence was that “all men are created equal.” Another was the principle of popular sovereignty which is the idea that a government gets ...

Everything Wrong With Liberalism - English IV - Essay

647 words - 3 pages ... Conway 1 Caleb Conway Mrs. Byrd English IV 18 December 2017 Thomas Jefferson once said, “the greatest danger to American Freedom is a government that ignores the constitution, which brings to problem with politics.” So many people from different political parties are disagreeing with one another, thus causing division. As an American citizen, it just for the U.S. to revert to principles the United States founded on, which was the constitution ...

To What Extent Did Economic, Political, And Social Change Effect The Lives Of Colonists After The American Revolution?

547 words - 3 pages ... and power of the more "upstanding" people of colonial society. On the other hand, men like Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Thomas Paine and Benjamin Franklin are seen as representing the poorer side of society, and promoting political equality.Where some think the American Revolution was not "revolutionary" at all, others believe it was warranted as such by establishing a new, satisfying regime. No matter what one thinks of this, there are factual aspects of America that considerably changed after the war, the most important being the economy, political structure, and social life. ...

The Glorious Revolution And Its Importance As A Precedent For The Subsequent Revolutions Of The 17th And 18th Centuries And The Shaping Of Democracy

926 words - 4 pages ... the British Parliamentary System; Montesquieu agreed with the British 'Bill of Rights' for the separation of powers; Rousseau inspired the masses to revolt to achieve individual rights, freedoms and equity; and Thomas Jefferson based the Declaration of Independence on Locke's principle of "life, liberty and property; the Declaration states, "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." The 'thinkers' established the nexus that makes the Glorious ...

The Aristocracy & Government

1406 words - 6 pages ... , with a structured and high-class society with constant balls and extravagant affairs, while the poor worked the land. During the great class struggle of the American Revolution, Thomas Jefferson wrote in the Declaration of Independence: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal..." In theory, the idea that all men are created equal seems good enough, but the status of a man's parents instantly becomes his own the ...

Racism In America U.S. The Role Of US History Textbooks In Schools - US History - Essay

1035 words - 5 pages ...                               own slaves. Thomas Jefferson, one of our founding fathers and the one who                          asserted the notion that everyone had an equal right to “life, liberty, and the                            pursuit of happiness,” is described in one high school textbook as an                        individual who was "shy," "stammered," and "always worked hard at what he                        did.” However, nothing is ...

Letter From Machiavelli

521 words - 3 pages Free ... Dear Thomas Jefferson, This is Niccolo Machiavelli of Florence. I read the document that you have composed in order to save the states from the tyranny of the Great Britain. Now that you have the power to rule yourselves, I have a number of suggestions that may be helpful in operating and ruling a powerful yet obedient country.I understand that you believe that all men are created equal and that they are endowed with certain unalienable Rights ...