The Historical Legacy of Thomas Jefferson

In a special Independence Day episode, scholars Akhil Amar of Yale Law School and Peter Onuf of the University of Virginia join host Jeffrey Rosen for a discussion on the historical legacy of founding father Thomas Jefferson, America’s third president and principal author of the Declaration of Independence. In a National Constitution Center event a few months ago, Professor Amar announced his intention to “break up with” Thomas Jefferson; and in this episode of We the People, we explore why he’s decided to break up with Jefferson—including his actions and views on slavery—and what aspects of Jefferson's legacy deserve defense. Professors Amar and Onuf also explore the positive and negative aspects of his legacy and influence on the country, as well as recommendations on how to understand and study Jefferson today.  

Resources:

• Akhil Amar, The Words That Made Us: America’s Constitutional Conversation, 1760-1840 (2021)
• Peter Onuf, The Mind of Thomas Jefferson (2007)
• Peter Onuf and Annette Gordon-Reed, “Most Blessed of the Patriarchs”: Thomas Jefferson and the Empire of the Imagination (2017)
• Peter Onuf, Jefferson and the Virginians: Democracy, Constitutions, and Empire (2018)
• Should We Break up with the Founders?, We the People episode (April 2023)

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You can find transcripts for each episode on the podcast pages in our Media Library.