Books by Thomas Jefferson

In 1776 Thomas Jefferson, a future president authored the most explosive document in the history of America: "The Declaration of Independence", formally severing the link between America and the British state. This book examines this and other texts by Jefferson.

Under normal circumstances, Thomas Jefferson would have had more than two months to prepare for his presidency. This book covers the two-and-a-half-month period from that day through April 30, documenting Jefferson's two terms as President of the United States.

Features Thomas Jefferson's papers from the end of his presidency until his death. This work presents 567 documents covering the period from 12 August 1810 to 17 June 1811. It highlights Jefferson's draft constitution for an agricultural society, his astronomical calculations, his notes on plantings at Poplar Forest, and more.

Thomas Jefferson is among the most important and controversial of American political thinkers: his influence (libertarian, democratic, participatory, and agrarian-republican) is still felt today. A prolific writer, Jefferson left 18,000 letters, Notes on the State of Virginia, an Autobiography, and numerous other papers. Joyce Appleby and Terence Ball have selected the most important of these for presentation in the Cambridge Texts series: Jefferson's views on topics such as revolution, self-government, the role of women and African-American and Native Americans emerge to give a fascinating insight into a man who owned slaves, yet advocated the abolition of slavery. The texts are supported by a concise introduction, suggestions for further reading and short biographies of key figures, all providing invaluable assistance to the student encountering the breadth and richness of Jefferson's thought for the first time.

In 1821, at the age of seventy-seven, Thomas Jefferson decided to "state some recollections of dates and facts concerning myself." The Autobiography of Thomas Jefferson, introduced here by historian Michael Zuckerman, gives us a glimpse into the private life and associations of one of America's most influential personalities.