I've read Jefferson biographies before so I know the basic narrative, but I love the writing and scale of Malone's epic, akin to Douglas Southall Freeman's George Washington. I intend to savor it.
I'm particularly happy that I took the last decade to study the historical background for Jefferson and his time. The background on Hamilton will provide deep perspective in the later volumes I'm sure.
Jefferson grew up on the edge of the American frontier, yet he became more highly educated than anyone else in his surrounding counties. He advocated for a strongly classical education, even as a child urging his father to fund what could only be explained as an extraordinary curriculum for his place and time. It's said that the Greek and Roman statesmen whom he studied became closer friends to him than the actual people who surrounded him. I love it.
What's interesting about Volume I is that it covers almost half of Jefferson's life, including his most notable achievement in crafting the Declaration of Independence. It's during these decades that he developed his most intrinsic beliefs on which his life was built: The belief that liberty is universal and that governments derive their power and authority from the people.
Also interesting is that after writing the Declaration, he couldn't wait to get back to Virginia to help craft its new constitution. Jefferson shunned the embryonic national stage; like most of his contemporaries he felt that the real work was to be done in the respective states. This effectively drained Congress if its best leadership.
Even more indicative of Jefferson's unique views on the origin of governmental power, he felt that the best constitution for Virginia - as for any government - could only be created from a special assembly created just for that purpose. An existing legislative body not elected specifically for that purpose would inevitably build a system that included special treatment and loopholes for its own members. His thinking on this point was unique and it shows how his mind went further than his contemporaries to push for a state of pure liberty and democratic ideals.
Also during this period he led the way for religious freedom and a more broadly based education system - again both in Virginia - than anyone else was advocating. He was ahead of his time in so many ways.
Jefferson grew up on the edge of the American frontier, yet he became more highly educated than anyone else in his surrounding counties. He advocated for a strongly classical education, even as a child urging his father to fund what could only be explained as an extraordinary curriculum for his place and time. It's said that the Greek and Roman statesmen whom he studied became closer friends to him than the actual people who surrounded him. I love it.
What's interesting about Volume I is that it covers almost half of Jefferson's life, including his most notable achievement in crafting the Declaration of Independence. It's during these decades that he developed his most intrinsic beliefs on which his life was built: The belief that liberty is universal and that governments derive their power and authority from the people.
Also interesting is that after writing the Declaration, he couldn't wait to get back to Virginia to help craft its new constitution. Jefferson shunned the embryonic national stage; like most of his contemporaries he felt that the real work was to be done in the respective states. This effectively drained Congress if its best leadership.
Even more indicative of Jefferson's unique views on the origin of governmental power, he felt that the best constitution for Virginia - as for any government - could only be created from a special assembly created just for that purpose. An existing legislative body not elected specifically for that purpose would inevitably build a system that included special treatment and loopholes for its own members. His thinking on this point was unique and it shows how his mind went further than his contemporaries to push for a state of pure liberty and democratic ideals.
Also during this period he led the way for religious freedom and a more broadly based education system - again both in Virginia - than anyone else was advocating. He was ahead of his time in so many ways.
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