During his retirement at Monticello, Thomas Jefferson observed the increasing tension between the United States and Great Britain. After tensions came to a head in the summer of 1812 and war was declared, Thomas Jefferson commented on the hope for American success, dismay over the burning of Washington D.C., and the impact of the war on the free and enslaved people at Monticello.
In this live Q&A with Thomas Jefferson, as interpreted by Bill Barker, reflects on this pivotal moment in the early United States.
During the early years of the United States, the country faced significant challenges involving foreign powers. One of the most concerning was the impressment of American citizens into British naval service. Thomas Jefferson believed it could lead to war.
A look at the lead up to, passage of, and subsequent effects of the Embargo Act of 1807.
In this excerpt from a 2007 talk, Jim Sofka, a former fellow at Monticello's Robert H. Smith International Center for Jefferson Studies, lists the Embargo's disastrous effects on the U.S. economy and explains why it's considered the greatest failure of Jefferson's Presidency.
