Ep. 120 – Jefferson's Writing Kicks Off the American Revolution

Thomas Jefferson heads to the Second Continental Congress and gets writing. That leads to one of the biggest jobs in American history – writing the Declaration of Independence.

Growing Patriots · Ep. 120 – Jefferson's writing kicks off the American Revolution

A Declaration of the Causes & Necessity for Taking Up Arms

See original notes about the document here and the full document here

Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union

Thomas Jefferson took a lot of notes on Benjamin Franklin's document. See them here! 

There's math??

Here's Jefferson's work on how much a war would cost. 

Resolutions on Lord North's Conciliatory Proposal

Have a look at the July 31, 1775, Draft of Continental Congress Resolutions on Lord North's Conciliatory Proposal; with Amendment by Benjamin Franklin. 

You can see the January 2, 1776 letter the Congress wrote about Ethan Allen here. 

When Thomas Jefferson went home at Christmas time, he lived in Monticello's South Pavillion.

Jefferson wasn't on the committee to create the Constitution for Virginia, but he worked on one anyway. 

June 1776, Drafts and Notes on the Virginia Constitution; Plans for Two Houses

George Wythe's letter to Thomas Jefferson, July 27, 1776 about the Virginia Constitution

Then, the Lee Resolution! That's right – the question of independence was being discussed. 

Time for Thomas Jefferson to get writing!

When his first draft was done, the Committee of Five and then the full Congress made some edits. Find out more here. 

Then...well, you know what happened on July 4, 1776. 

Ep. 119 – Thomas Jefferson Enters the Political Scene

When Thomas Jefferson went into politics full time, he made quite an entrance.

Hear all about it in this new episode! 

Growing Patriots · Ep. 119 – Thomas Jefferson Enters Politics

Scenes of the Williamsburg Jefferson would have known

After the Virginia House of Burgesses was shut down, members like Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, and Patrick Henry met at the Raleigh Tavern.
You can get a live look at what's happening at the tavern right now at this link! 

They called together the Committees of Correspondence. Find out how they worked.

The First Virginia Convention was held to decide who Virginia would send to the Continental Congress – and what they would say. 
Find out about that convention here. 

Thomas Jefferson's notes became a pamphlet called "A Summary View of the Rights of British America."

And it inspired a revolution.

You can read the whole thing here 

Or watch a video to learn more:

The Virginia Delegation

Here's who Virginia sent to the First Continental Congress:

Peyton Randolph

George Washington (is the uniform a spoiler?)

Patrick Henry

Richard Henry Lee

Richard Bland

Benjamin Harrison

Edmund Pendleton

You might also want to listen to this one again:

Growing Patriots · Episode 23: First Continental Congress

Then came 1775

And the second Virginia Convention

That's where this speech was given – one of the most famous in history.

Another episode you might want to listen to again!

Growing Patriots · Episode 29- Shot Heard Round The World

The Royal Governor stole the gunpowder from this building in Williamsburg

Ep. 118 – Thomas Jefferson Enters Politics

Thomas Jefferson has some big changes in his life as he enters adulthood.

Thomas Jefferson became a lawyer with the General Court of Virginia – skipping time in the lower courts. He could do that because he was intelligent, but also because he was wealthy and well-connected. 

Two of the examiners were Peyton Randolph (his cousin) and George Wythe (his mentor). 

Thomas Jefferson worked on cases for enslaved people for free at least seven different times despite being a slaveholder himself. But he represented enslaved people and indentured servants who were suing for their freedom.

In one case, he even went up against George Wythe in 1770 and argued “under the law of nature, all men are born free.”

In 1774, he gave up the law entirely, giving all of his remaining cases to his close friend Edmund Randolph. Yes, another Randolph, this one a second cousin. 

After all, by 1774, Thomas had very different things on his mind.

All about the Virginia General Court and House of Burgesses.

After the Royal Government stoped the colonial government from meeting, they met at the Raleigh Tavern. 

 Some of the most important conversations of the Revolution took place in the Raleigh Tavern's Apollo Room.

And Thomas Jefferson got writing!

A Summary View of the Rights of British America opened eyes

He also started to build a house. THE house. Monticello.

Then, there was Martha

All about that snowy wedding and honeymoon.

 

Ep. 117 – Thomas Jefferson's Early Life

Growing Patriots · Ep. 117 – Thomas Jefferson's Early Life

In this episode, we start learning about Thomas Jefferson!

All about his childhood, family, education, and the beginning of his legal career. 

Thomas Jefferson was born at Shadwell

Meet Thomas Jefferson's Siblings

1. Jane
2. Mary 
3. Elizabeth
4. Martha
5. Lucy
6. Anne
7. Randolph

Education

Thomas Jefferson was educated by John Harvie and James Maury.

Around this time, he lived at Tuckahoe.

At 17, he entered the College of William and Mary where he studied with William Small. 

He met his mentor, George Wythe:

He also spent time with Lt. Governor Francis Fauquier. 

He was a member of the Flat Hat Club.

Ep. 116 – John Adams' Retirement and Later Life

After serving as President and Vice President, John Adams retired in Massachusetts and started writing. 

A lot. 

John Adams, oil painting by Gilbert Stuart, 1826

Peace Field House, when the Adams' retired

John Adams Had A Few Main Correspondents

He also wrote to a relative on his mother's side, William Cunningham and the newspaper, The Boston Patriot. His son, John Quincy Adams, living abroad, also recieved many letters. 

He began working on his autobiography

Then, Benjamin Rush had a big impact on John Adams 

He faciliated a reconnection with Adams and Thomas Jefferson in 1812, and they would write hundreds of letters to each other over the next 14 years.