Book Report On Thomas Jefferson Essay, Research Paper

Book Review on Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson by Norman Risjord is a life of the 3rd president of the United States that takes Thomas Jefferson from his young person through his ulterior old ages in the early nineteenth century. The intent of this book is to give a political and societal overview of the Thomas Jefferson & # 8217 ; s life and calling. It was written for both the pupil of American history and the insouciant reader interested in the generation of the United States authorities, seen through the eyes of one of its initiation male parents.

The value of this book is that it shows that Jefferson was non a saint, yet he was one of the most intelligent presidents that the state has of all time had. Risjord has given the book great value because he has framed Jefferson among his equals. Consequently, the book genuinely comes to life, and the reader is able to larn approximately Jefferson every bit good as his coevalss James Madison, John Marshall, and John Adams.

The range of the book is across-the-board. Risjord begins with Jefferson & # 8217 ; s birth on April 13, 1743 on his male parent & # 8217 ; s plantation, Shadwell, in Goochland County on the western border.

The narrative continues on to demo Jefferson graduating from William and Mary College, so come ining political relations in Virginians House of Burgesses in 1769. Jefferson married Martha Skelton on New Year & # 8217 ; s Day, 1772.

With the Virginia legislative assembly from 1776 to 1779, Jefferson formed the basis for abolishment of entail and primogeniture, for the constitution of spiritual freedom, and non for the public school system.

Jefferson was of class the writer of the Declaration of Independence, and because he had set this papers in gesture, he waited out the Revolutionary War to see if the settlements would win. If they had lost, Jefferson would hold been hanged for lese majesty against the King of England.

He served as the curate to France from 1785 to 1789. At this clip there was turning resistance to Alexander Hamilton and his policies, and Jefferson associated himself with a group called the Republicans, who were really precursors to the present Democratic Party.

While Jefferson was functioning as frailty President from 1797 to 1801, he drafted the Kentucky Resolutions. He was elected President following a long dead end with Aaron Burr in the House of Representatives. This happened chiefly because Alexander Hamilton considered Burr the more unsafe adult male and he gave his support to Jefferson.

Jefferson & # 8217 ; s election was a great triumph for the democratic forces, but it was black Tuesday to the 1000s of Federalists who believed that the Republican leader was an unbelieving nihilist who feared that his disposal would be that of a bloodyhanded revolutionary.

Jefferson was the first President to be inaugurated in Washington, a metropolis that he had helped to be after. He became celebrated for the republican simpleness that he established at that place. During his first disposal he achieved the Louisiana Purchase and oversaw the Lewis and Clark Expedition.

During his 2nd disposal, Jefferson tried to implement such steps as the Embargo Act of 1807, even though this brought a great trade of resistance. Once he retired from public life, Jefferson moved

back to his darling Monticello. It was at this clip that he founded the University of Virginia and continued his activities as a scientist, designer, and philosopher-statesman.

In his ulterior old ages, Jefferson wrote about his position of the hereafter, when he saw that the people would be enlightened by free instruction. Under a forward thought democratic-republican establishment, the people could regulate themselves better than under any other system.

His friend James Madison evoked these words when Jefferson died on the Forth of July in 1826. & # 8220 ; He lives and will populate in the memory and gratitude of the wise and of the good, as leading light of Science, as a votary of autonomy, as a theoretical account of nationalism, and as a helper of human kind. & # 8221 ;

The manner is controversial and the book offers penetrations into Jefferson & # 8217 ; s psychological science every bit good as historical informations. Risjord does good by his chapter headers, as they divide Jefferson & # 8217 ; s life into & # 8220 ; Vice President & # 8221 ; and & # 8220 ; President & # 8221 ; etc. And so they provide easy entree.

The bibliography is first-class, leting for follow up on several of the texts to make more reading on, for illustration, the Louisiana Purchase. The illustrations are equal: there might hold been more of them, concentrating on Jefferson & # 8217 ; s political associates ( Hamilton, Burr, and et al. ) .

The writer is comparatively nonsubjective. Biographies of Jefferson since this 1994 edition have concentrated more on the darker side of Jefferson & # 8217 ; s life, such as the matter he had with his slave, but Risjord keeps chiefly to the chief facts of the 3rd president & # 8217 ; s life.

If Risjord has a prejudice, it is that the earlier leaders of the U.S. showed more moral character than those today. This, nevertheless, is difficult to see as a direct prejudice, as many of those who helped organize the state in 1776 clearly had a great trade of character. In footings of his general intelligibility, Risjord is really clear.

Risjord truth with the facts that he presents seems rather good. As has been mentioned, he doesn & # 8217 ; t cover with some of the more controversial facets of Jefferson & # 8217 ; s life.

In footings of my unfavorable judgment, the book seems to be really valid. In mentioning to several other histories of Jefferson & # 8217 ; s life, it appears that Risjord got all of the chief facts correct. He did a applaudable occupation of explicating Jefferson & # 8217 ; s election, with the Congressional moral force between Hamilton and Burr.

Risjord has accomplished what he set out to make, which was to present Jefferson as a individual that readers could associate to as a politician, hubby, father, every bit good as a adult male of higher acquisition. The writer has made a part to the field of American history.

This book is deserving reading because it frames Thomas Jefferson within the context of his times. To research this book is to see the growing of America from a group of settlements to the United States and so on to the spread outing state that developed through the Louisiana Purchase and the Lewis and Clark Expedition.

Writer Risjord has a great empathy for Jefferson, and this esteem shows through on every page. One comes off from this life inquiring where leaders of Jefferson & # 8217 ; s quality are in today & # 8217 ; s political sphere. If nil else, Americans can take consolation that this state was founded by, among others, Thomas Jefferson.