Yesterday we had a great discussion over the events of Thomas Jefferson's presidency, which the kids had read about.  Since a lot of my friends are always looking for extra resources, I thought I'd share one that we used after our discussion yesterday.  In 2004 we got to meet the actor/interpreter who portrays Thomas Jefferson at Colonial Williamsburg. He does an incredible job.  He even looks like Thomas Jefferson! 

There are a lot of articles, videos and podcasts about Thomas Jefferson at the Colonial Williamsburg web site.  We've used them quite a bit since we first started our study of him last spring when we studied the 1700's.  Specifically, after our discussion yesterday, we viewed some videos where he answered some questions about his presidency. 

Jefferson covered every key event of his presidency, all of which our readings and discussions entailed.  The first transfer of power between differing political parties occured, from a Federalist president (Adams) to a Democratic-Republican (Jefferson).  Though peaceful in action, it was emotionally charged.  Then there was the Louisiana Purchase, dealing with the Barbary pirates in the Mediterranean, the wars between Britrain and France, the agonizing Chesepeake Incident, the doomed Embargo Act and the hopeful Non-Intercourse Act. Finally, Jefferson brought an end to the slave trade. 

We had read about all these things and more (the Hamilton/Burr duel, the Burr Conspiracy, Marbury vs. Madison, John Marshall and Napoleon).  In our discussion we compared Jefferson's views before he became president to his actions while he was president.  

To follow up with Jefferson's intepretation of his presidency (albeit through an actor/interpretor who also has a history degree!) after our reading and discussions. allowed us to evaluate his terms even deeper.  Although Jefferson argued for America to go to war to the aid of the French Revolution before he was president, he adopted varying policies while he was president.   He did have the navy go to war against the Barbary Pirates and squelch that problem with the muslim terrorists of the 19th century.  However, the problems of our ships being "raided" by the English and French and having our sailors impressed, caused Jefferson to hold back for the protection of our young country.  After all, England was THE worldpower at this time and Napoleon wasn't far behind.  England had conquered Napoleon at sea, but Napoleon was predicting that he would conquer the land.  Napoleon said, "To France the Fates have decreed the empire of the land; to England the empire of the sea." 

 In the end, it wasn't Jefferson's peaceful Embargo policy that solved the problem.  During Madison's term of office, the War of 1812 was launched to attempt to put an end to the "sea raiding" and impressment.  That will be our topic of study next week.