Liberty:The Age of Experiments/The Pursuit of Happiness -
thomas jefferson

As one of America's founding fathers, Thomas Jefferson is considered by some to be the man of the millennium, analogous to the progress of the first 200 years of American history. He was a man of freedom and expansion, yet he had the restraint that is necessary to succeed with that freedom - the commitment to becoming learned and skilled. As the third president of the United States, Jefferson was responsible for doubling the size of the country with the Louisiana Purchase and for assigning Meriwether Lewis and William Clark to their historic expedition of the West - moves that were symbolic of Jefferson's yearning for personal growth. In this episode, Jefferson's battles with the Federalist movement are explored; as well as his controversial relationship with his slave, Sally Hemings; his retirement to Monticello; and the ensuing personal tragedies that surrounded him towards the end of his life.

Duration: 1 hour 26 minutes and 15 seconds

Episode Number: 102

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About Thomas Jefferson:

Thomas Jefferson is a two-part portrait of our enigmatic and brilliant third president.

Thomas Jefferson embodies within his own life the most profound contradictions of American history: as the author of the Declaration of Independence, he gave voice to our fervent desire for freedom, but he also owned more than 150 slaves and never saw fit to free them.