Tag Archives: Thomas Jefferson

July 4, 1826

Posted on July 4, 2005 by sheila

The 50th anniversary of July 4, 1776. John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, two of the main architects of the American Revolution, long estranged due to political differences, (and Jefferson referring, in public, to “political heresies” – meaning that he felt … Continue reading →

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Declaration – “Perpetual itching without benefit of scratching to the enemies of America.”

Posted on July 4, 2005 by sheila

From Benson Bobrick’s Angel in the Whirlwind: The Triumph of the American Revolution: On the morning of July 4, Jefferson rose before dawn, and at six a.m. calmly noted that the temperature was 68 degrees Farenheit. The wind was southeast … Continue reading →

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Declaration – “within the Jeffersonian utopia such choices do not need to be made”

Posted on July 4, 2005 by sheila

More from Joseph Ellis’ book on Thomas Jefferson: American Sphinx: The Character of Thomas Jefferson. Again, here is the text of the Declaration to use for reference. The vision he projected in the natural rights section of the Declaration, then, … Continue reading →

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Declaration – “it does not explain Jefferson’s much-debated deletion of ‘property’ “

Posted on July 4, 2005 by sheila

More from Joseph Ellis’ book on Thomas Jefferson: American Sphinx: The Character of Thomas Jefferson. Again, here is the text of the Declaration to use for reference. The most famous section of the Declaration, which has become the most quoted … Continue reading →

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Declaration – “An elegant, if decidedly one-sided, version of recent Anglo-American history”

Posted on July 4, 2005 by sheila

From Joseph Ellis’ book on Thomas Jefferson: American Sphinx: The Character of Thomas Jefferson. Again, here is the text of the Declaration to use for reference. (You know. If you’re a big huge geek like me, then you love to … Continue reading →

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Declaration – “On July 4 the Congress approved its revised version”

Posted on July 4, 2005 by sheila

From Joseph Ellis’ book on Thomas Jefferson: American Sphinx: The Character of Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence in a matter of a few days — Adams later remembered it took him only “a day or two” — … Continue reading →

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The angel

Posted on July 4, 2005 by sheila

JOHN PAGE TO THOMAS JEFFERSON, July 20, 1776 – on the signing of the Declaration of Independence: God preserve the United States. We know the Race is not to the Swift nor the Battle to the Strong. Do you not … Continue reading →

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Declaration – “Jefferson guards the American Creed at this inspirational level”

Posted on July 4, 2005 by sheila

Excerpt from Joseph Ellis’ marvelous Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation: Before editorial changes were made by the Continental Congress, Jefferson’s early draft made it even clearer that his intention was to express a spiritual vision: ‘ We hold these truths … Continue reading →

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Declaration – “it was Franklin, or Jefferson himself, who made the small but inspired change in the second paragraph.”

Posted on July 4, 2005 by sheila

Excerpt from David McCullough’s John Adams: [Jefferson] worked rapidly [on writing the Declaration of Independence] and, to judge by surviving drafts, with a sure command of his material. He had none of his books with him, nor needed any, he … Continue reading →

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Declaration – “It is hard to think of any way in which the first two paragraphs can be improved”

Posted on July 4, 2005 by sheila

From Paul Johnson’s superb book A History of the American People (if you haven’t read it, I highly recommend it – the excerpt below should show you why):- Oh, and this is a great analysis of the Declaration, which I … Continue reading →

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